Make tennis your sport this summer

With summer in full swing there has never been a better time for people in Leicester-Shire and Rutland to pick up a tennis racket and get active, and with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) offering a whole host of ways in which to get on court in your local area, there's no excuse not to take part this summer.

Whether you want to follow in the footsteps of Andy Murray and Johanna Konta or play at your own pace at a club or on a park court, the LTA can help you find a way to get involved in tennis.

From Tennis Tuesdays for women, Cardio Tennis for fitness fans and Tennis for Kids and Mini Tennis for children, there are many different ways to enjoy the game. For families looking to get on court together, why not head down to The Great British Tennis Weekend, the nation's largest free tennis weekend across the country, which returns on the 21^st-22^nd July. Clubs and venues will be opening their doors to enable everyone to give tennis a go and will offer sessions for children and adults alike.

There are also a variety of ways to get involved in coaching, from volunteering at a local club or inspiring more women and girls to play as part of the She Rallies programme led by the LTA and Judy Murray.

Claire Brown, LTA Regional Participation Manager for the Midlands said:

"There is so much going on in Leicestershire and Rutland and lots of opportunities to get involved in tennis. Whether you're heading for high performance or prefer to play with friends, there really is something for everyone."

"So many people tell me how Tennis has boosted their lives from learning new skills to even meeting their partners! It's a great way to improve fitness, have some fun and take time out of a busy life. With the sun shining and Wimbledon on the television, now is the perfect time to head down to your local club or court and give tennis a go."

Find your local court – With hundreds of tennis courts available across the country, it's easy to find and book your nearest one using the court finder www.lta.org.uk/play/find-a-court/.

For Women:

She Rallies – This initiative from Judy Murray in conjunction with British Tennis focuses on creating more opportunities for women and girls in tennis. Tennis sessions are available for girls of various ages, including Lil Miss-Hits for those aged 5-8 and training days for women wanting to run their own tennis days. For more information, visit sherallies.com.

Tennis Tuesday's – This innovative programme is designed to remove barriers to tennis for women who want to get back into sport. The sessions are informal, fun and social and are designed to help women of all abilities improve their tennis skills. For more information, visit www.tennistuesdays.co.uk.

For Children:

Tennis for Kids – Tennis for Kids is the LTA's biggest grassroots initiative. The programme is now in its third year and is comprised of a six-session course run by LTA accredited coaches. The scheme is an 'always on' programme for 4-11-year olds and was launched following Great Britain's famous Davis Cup victory in 2015. Over 50,000 children across the country have taken part since the initiative was launched and there has been an unprecedented take up for this year's programme, with over 20,000 sign ups so far this year. For more information and to sign up, visit www.tennisforkids.co.uk.

Mini Tennis – The aim of the Mini Tennis programme is to inspire the next generation of tennis enthusiasts with a fun introduction to the sport. Based on the four fundamentals; agility, balance, co-ordination and speed, the initiative offers children aged 3-10 the opportunity to learn new skills and have fun whilst doing so. For more information, visit www3.lta.org.uk/lta-mini-tennis.

For Everyone:

Cardio Tennis – These 60-minute sessions are the perfect way to get your sweat on in a fun, sociable environment. Those of all abilities are welcome and as the class moves quickly, it doesn't matter if the ball goes in or out. Find sessions using the Cardio Tennis filter here - www.lta.org.uk/play/find-a-court/

British Tennis Membership – The LTA's new membership programme launched in 2017 and aims to bring tennis fans closer to the game. It offers world class benefits, such as priority access to British tennis events, money can't buy prizes, exclusive offers and its very own British Tennis Wimbledon Ballot which not only gives members the chance to win Wimbledon tickets from a smaller pool of people, but also purchase returned tickets during the fortnight. For more information about the new British Tennis Membership please visit www.lta.org.uk/membership.

Lots more summer tennis activities across Leicester-Shire & Rutland here!

Source + Images (LTA, 2018)