This page provides up to date information as to how the coronavirus (Covid-19) and the latest government advice around it, relates to tennis activities in Britain and all those involved in delivering them.
IMPORTANT
The absolute priority of everyone in Britain needs to be protecting the health of the nation, with a requirement to dramatically adjust our behaviour to help slow the spread of the disease, prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed, and ultimately save lives. The way everyone can do this is complying with the Government’s guidance and staying at home.
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday evening (23 March) all tennis facilities and courts should be closed, and tennis coaching and activity should be put on hold with immediate effect.
The National Tennis Centre is closed, and all activity delivered by the LTA remains suspended for the foreseeable future, including all LTA organised coaching sessions, programmes and training courses. We have also now extended the cancellation of all LTA staged and LTA approved competitions (grade 1 to 6) up to 31 May 2020.
During these challenging times for our society, our focus over the coming weeks will be to ensure tennis coaches, venues, volunteers, officials and players are supported in any way they can be, so that tennis in Britain emerges from this period in as strong and healthy position as possible, and the sport is able to resume its role in keeping the nation active.
We are continuing to work with Government to help us achieve this, and establishing what further support can be provided to help all those impacted by this unprecedented situation.
The following pages are being regularly updated with more detailed and specific advice, and answers to questions, relating to:
Multi-million pound support package available for tennis in Britain
On Friday 3 April, we announced a multi-million pound package of additional funding and measures to support those involved in tennis in Britain through the impact of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
The comprehensive package, which has been developed by the LTA in consultation with Tennis Scotland and Tennis Wales, will make additional support available to tennis venues, coaches, officials and players to the value of up to approximately £20m, with the goal of ensuring that tennis in Britain emerges from this period in as strong and healthy a position as possible, and that the sport is able to resume its unique role in keeping the nation active as soon as conditions allow.
For further details on the support package and what it includes, please read our news article on the announcement of the package.
All summer Grass Court events and the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships cancelled
The LTA, in conjunction with the All England Club, the ITF, ATP and WTA, has regrettably announced the cancellation of its summer Grass Court events and the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships following the latest advice from the UK Government and the suspension of professional tennis due to the escalating coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
For further details on this including what it means for fans who had tickets, please read our news article on the announcement.
Government Advice & Guidance
The latest Government and NHS guidance and information regarding Covid-19 can be found via the following links:
For those in England, Sport England’s latest update for the sport and physical activity sector regarding Covid-19 can be read here:
Your NHS Needs You
The NHS has issued a call for up to 250,000 volunteers to help up to 1.5 million people who have been asked to shield themselves from coronavirus because of underlying health conditions.
Members of the public can sign up quickly and easily at goodsamapp.org/NHS to become NHS Volunteer Responders.
Tennis at Home
To help everyone continue to stay active, we have produced a series of videos as to how to enjoy tennis at home - check out our dedicated 'Tennis at Home' webpage, and follow LTA social media channels to get more #TennisAtHome content!