Tennis club nets new enthusiasts

RACKET TO BALL: Connor McCormick plays on the mini-courts at the Wanganui Tennis Club opening day on Saturday. PHOTOS/BEVAN CONLEY 190915WCBRCTEN02.JPG

They are already gearing up for another big summer season at the Wanganui Tennis Club.

And club organisers were pleased to welcome a good turnout of potential new members of all ages to the Basset St courts on the weekend.

The club held an open day on Saturday, which included setting up mini-courts for the youngsters and a tennis ball serving machine for the adults to have a hit against.

Club spokesman Glenn Park said around 30 first timers were having a go around the start at 10am.

Children can begin the game and get coaching they can understand as early as 5, while it was never too late for their parents to also pick up the game, he said.

"Tennis is like a family sport. In encouraging the children [you get] the adults to play."

The club has also been very active with the local schools, as development officer Gene Ridgway has got 30 of them into "Hot Shot" tennis, which involves three sessions on their own courts and then a trip to the club courts for play.

Looking ahead to the season, the first big weekend will be the Slazenger Wanganui Junior Open, starting this Saturday and finishing on September 29.

November will hopefully see both junior and senior representative fixtures against Taranaki, the latter being for the Christie Cup as Taranaki did not mount a challenge last summer.

The end of the month will see the Wanganui representative team head to Wellington for the representative Hexangular tournament.

Also to be confirmed is another junior representative fixture with Wairarapa in February, which will be followed by another senior clash with Manawatu, if Wanganui has retained the Christie Cup.

The club's handicap mixed doubles championships will be in March, while the junior club champs will conclude in April.