The inclusive hotspot project, making tennis accessible for all
• 3 MINUTE READ
This National Inclusion Week, we’re celebrating a game-changing initiative that’s opening up tennis to communities who’ve historically been left out.
The Inclusive Hotspot Project, led by The Queen’s Club Foundation (QCF), an LTA Tennis Foundation funded partner, and supported by Middlesex Tennis, is a three-year programme designed to break down barriers and build lasting pathways into tennis and padel.
The project’s core aim is to improve social inclusion, health, and community engagement through tennis and padel. With a combined investment from Middlesex Tennis and match funding from QCF, the initiative is creating a model for inclusive tennis, which clubs and venues can deliver across the County of Middlesex and beyond.
The project focusses of six key areas of inclusion:
- Blind and Partially Sighted Participants (VI tennis)
- Underserved Communities (those from low-income backgrounds)
- Homeless Adults
- Female Refugees and Asylum Seekers
- Children with Autism
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing Participants
Each year, two inclusive hotspots will be launched at suitable venues, each focusing on a different area of inclusion, allowing for deep engagement and tailored support.
Each hotspot is built around five key pillars:
- Legacy: Free weekly sessions and camps, supported by local clubs and venues.
- Community: Strong networks of schools, charities, councils, and clubs.
- Awareness: Events, ambassador visits, and resources to raise understanding.
- Workforce: Training for coaches, volunteers, and young leaders.
- Showcase: Documented best practice models to inspire other counties.
The first phase is already underway, with VI tennis and underserved community hotspots already up and running.
Phoenix Academy – Underserved Communities
Through the LTA Serves Level Up London programme (funded by LTA Tennis Foundation), a youth worker, Kevin Nathaniel, trained as a Level 1 coach and mentored by Kate Maurici, the Head of The Queen’s Club Foundation, has been recruited to deliver free weekly mini red tennis sessions for children from low-income families at Phoenix Academy in White City. Supported by further mentoring for Kevin by Black Tennis Mentors, the hotspots project is building a sustainable model with mentorship, leadership training, and after-school access in an area where opportunities for free or affordable tennis are scarce.
To bring tennis to my community has been an amazing experience. The children are learning new skills, making new friends, and turning up every week full of fun and laughter.
Parsons Green – VI Tennis
VI tennis recently launched at Parsons Green, a club known for its excellent facilities and inclusive spirit. The launch event included a meet-and-greet service to support travel for those with visual impairments, coaching team demonstrations featuring VI champion Naqi Rizvi, and opportunities for club members to try VI tennis themselves. Since then, the hotspot has continued to grow, with weekly adult sessions and school visits now running regularly, which has benefited from stronger links into the blind and partially sighted community in Hammersmith and Fulham. It’s already proving how awareness and accessibility can go hand-in-hand.
Naqi Rizvi said: “I was very excited and honored to be part of the new hotspot launch for Visually Impaired Tennis by the Queens Club Foundation at Parsons Green Sports and Social Club. To see such a brilliant turnout and interest in the sport was incredibly exciting! I definitely felt pressure but enormous joy in playing in front of so many people and showing too many that disability is not the same as inability.
“I do hope that is gonna inspire more people to provide inclusive opportunity and for people to realize that they can achieve a lot in life, but it might require doing things in different ways. Let’s all take positive steps to make this world a more inclusive place and better for everyone.”
To see such a brilliant turnout and interest in the sport was incredibly exciting! I definitely felt pressure but enormous joy in playing in front of so many people and showing too many that disability is not the same as inability.
Kate Maurici, Head of The Queen’s Club Foundation said “This project is a fast-paced deep dive into inclusive tennis, providing venues and clubs with all-round support and encouragement to put on new classes and also to learn about how to build the necessary community links for the classes to become popular and sustainable. I am really excited to be working with Middlesex Tennis on this and look forward to demonstrating the impact of the work we have started.”
Martin Etheridge, Middlesex Tennis Inclusion Lead said: “I’m proud to be working with Kate Maurici on this innovative project, which will help us create more opportunities for people in areas where access to tennis has traditionally been limited. The project also complements our wider inclusion work, which includes a broad programme of grants and advice, as well as a growing number of inclusive tennis competitions—such as the four dedicated inclusion events held during our recent County Championships. Together, these initiatives are making a real difference across the county.”
What’s Next?
- Deaf Tennis at Spelthorne Tennis Centre
- A Homeless Project in partnership with Barons Court Day Centre
- Future hotspots for Women Refugees, Children with Autism, and more
Each hotspot venue will follow a detailed project plan with clear KPIs, ensuring measurable impact and long-term sustainability.
Dave Hardman, EDI Strategy Manager at the LTA said: “The Inclusive Hotspot Project, in collaboration with The Queen’s Club Foundation and Middlesex LTA, is a brilliant example of what happens when passion, purpose, and partnership come together. Focusing on communities who’ve traditionally faced barriers to tennis is central to our vision of ‘tennis opened up’, so I’m pleased to see projects like this continuing to make our sport safer, more welcoming, and truly inclusive and accessible for all.”
Parsons Green image credit: Manna Phanjoubam
