Andy Murray leads celebration of over 3,000 transformed park tennis courts across Britain
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Three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray has thrown his support behind an initiative which has transformed thousands of park tennis courts across Great Britain.
The Park Tennis Project, a nationwide investment by the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation delivered by the LTA, has seen Britain’s biggest ever transformation of parks tennis facilities.
Over three years, investment of over £45million has brought more than 3,000 dilapidated park tennis courts back to life and into long-term sustainable use for local communities, with over half of these in areas of highest social deprivation.
Park tennis courts are vital for providing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to pick up a racket, get active, and enjoy playing tennis, and are often where many people first play the game. They are the most popular venue for women to play after they have left education and are particularly important for engaging people from underserved communities in tennis.
Half a million more people are now playing tennis in parks every year, compared to 2022. Investment into park courts has been helping open up access to tennis to new audiences, with around a quarter of bookers on refurbished park courts saying that they have started to play tennis, having not played before.
Tennis has given me so much, and it all started on a local court, just hitting balls with family and friends.
Murray said: “Tennis has given me so much and it all started on a local court, just hitting balls with family and friends. It’s great that so many more people around the country are now getting to play tennis in local parks, thanks to the LTA’s Park Tennis Project.
"These are places where anyone can pick up a racket and play, where communities can come together and the next generation can access tennis. It’s really exciting to see how successful this project has been in opening up opportunities to play for people who might never have had the chance to play the sport before. I hope we will continue to see investment from Government across the country, particularly into covered facilities, to ensure everyone has access to a great place to play all year round.”
Murray was speaking at a redeveloped court in West Byfleet which he visited alongside children from West Byfleet Junior School to celebrate the project’s conclusion.
As part of the celebrations, park tennis players all over the country were invited to submit a ‘love letter’ to park tennis, with individual accounts describing the joy of playing. Upon his arrival, Murray penned his own letter and placed it alongside some of those collected to complete a powerful visual display.
Through the Park Tennis Project, we have been working with hundreds of local councils across the country to improve facilities, and ensure that accessible and affordable opportunities to play are available. This includes through initiatives like Barclays Free Park Tennis, which provides free weekly volunteer-led sessions in local parks with equipment provided.
Building on the Park Tennis Project, we are working with partners on an ambition to provide access to covered tennis, padel and multi-sport facilities in communities that currently lack provision, with a focus on the areas of highest social deprivation.
Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive said: “The Park Tennis Project has been nothing short of transformational for tennis in Britain. We’re incredibly proud to have worked with hundreds of local councils across England, Scotland and Wales over the last three years, to bring over 3000 courts back to life for the benefit of local communities.
“This investment has delivered huge results, as we are now seeing more than half a million more people pick up a racket and play in parks every year, compared to 2022. We know that this is making a huge difference to the lives of people across the country, helping provide opportunities for people to pick up a racket and play, no matter their age, background or ability.
”None of this would have been possible without investment from the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation, and we are very grateful to the funding partners for their support in ensuring that people around the country have access to quality, sustainable places to pick up a racket and play.”
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy said: "As we look forward to Wimbledon and a wonderful summer of sport, I know that people all over the country will be inspired to pick up a tennis racket and get down to their local court.
"We know what a difference facilities make to local communities and people’s pride in place, and this Government is committed to ensuring that sport is truly accessible to all.
"That is why last week I announced a £400 million investment in grassroots sport, and we are now going to work with organisations like the LTA and leaders in local areas to ensure we prioritise funding so that it can get people active in the local communities that need it most."
Tim Lawler MBE, Chair of the LTA Tennis Foundation said: “The LTA Tennis Foundation is very proud to have invested alongside the Government into the LTA’s Park Tennis Project, and it is brilliant to see the impact that has been delivered through the transformation of courts in communities around the country - revitalising valuable social spaces.
“We know that accessible and affordable facilities are vital to opening up tennis and the benefits our sport offers to more people. This project has truly helped improve lives through tennis, and we look forward to seeing many more people have the opportunity to pick up a racket and play locally, for years to come.”
Book a court
All courts that have been transformed through the Park Tennis Project are available to book using our online booking platform:
