Tennis thriving in Greater Manchester as Davis Cup returns
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Tennis star Naomi Broady hit the courts in Manchester on Thursday to inspire the next generation ahead of the Davis Cup returning to the AO Arena next month.
The former top-ranked British player from Stockport, will return as on-court MC of the event, known as the ‘World Cup of Tennis’, as Great Britain take on Argentina, Canada and Finland from 10-15 September.
As Manchester prepares to once again host world class, professional tennis, the sport continues to go from strength to strength at the recreational level as significant investment in public park tennis courts continues to open up the sport to more and more people in the city.
£2.2 million is being invested to transform 160 public park tennis courts across Greater Manchester through a nationwide scheme funded by the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation.
In Manchester, the LTA has been working with Manchester City Council and Manchester Active to open up opportunities for more people to pick up a racket and play in parks. Weekly free, social tennis sessions are being launched through Barclays Free Park Tennis, open to any age or ability with rackets and equipment provided.
The sessions taking place on Saturdays at the newly renovated courts at David Lewis Recreation Ground in north Manchester, one of the parks that has benefited, have proved incredibly popular according to Alexander Hagan-Cherry of the Medicare Foundation who run the sessions: “The numbers we’re getting every Saturday are amazing, we’re ranging between 25 and 43 people at each session already.
"Free Park Tennis is for the whole community and when people are passing by we stop them and say come and join us, it’s for everyone you are welcome.”
Alexander and his team are also getting children on court from local communities who may not traditionally have had access to tennis, through the LTA SERVES sessions they deliver in the city.
Naomi Broady visited one of these sessions at the Manchester Tennis Centre on Thursday and said: “It’s so important all children have the same opportunities, including being able to pick up a tennis racket. With the Davis Cup being in Manchester I hope kids in the city can be inspired to get on court, have fun and stay active.
“I was so proud last year, Manchester making Davis Cup history. 13,000 people showed up to cheer on the Brits beat France. It’s great that it’s back again this year and I hope that the city turn out again to support the team in a few weeks.”
Tickets for the Davis Cup start from £5 for under 18s and £10 for adults and can be purchased via the link below:
