Rick Wilkie plays a shot at the picturesque Martinborough Club, which will host its Love Tennis Day tomorrow. PHOTO/FILE
TENNIS
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to serve that ace or smash that lob past your opponent, here’s your chance to give tennis a go at the Love Tennis Day tomorrow at Martinborough and Carterton Tennis Clubs.
The brainchild of Tennis New Zealand, Love Tennis is a fun, free opportunity for everyone to experience what great game tennis is.
Wairarapa Tennis Association administrator Rebecca Pearce said the promotional day aims to showcase tennis to the community, with lots of fun activities, some basic coaching, with rackets provided, and there will be deals for new members to join, competitions, and spot prizes, including a major prize of a trip for two to the 2023 ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland.
More than 150 tennis clubs and over 20,000 people from across the country will take part in the open days.
Love Tennis national co-ordinator Mel Jansen and Tennis NZ club support manager Ali Telford, have been on the road visiting nearly every club nationwide in the lead-up to the event.
“It’s a highlight of my year getting around the country and visiting so many inspiring club volunteers,” Jansen said.
“This year we left the talking up to the clubs. We compiled a video with club representatives from around New Zealand telling their own success stories and then showed this to all Love Tennis volunteers. Clubs helping each other to succeed is a big part of what Love Tennis is about.”
The activities will run from 11am to 4pm on Saturday at the Carterton and Martinborough tennis clubs.
The Masterton Tennis Centre will also hold an Opening Day on Saturday, from 1pm to 4pm, with a chance to meet new head coach Harry Gotze, an ITF-qualified professional coach with more than a decade of coaching experience.
