22 July 2020 | Tennis Tasmania

Tasmanian clubs using Tennis Australia’s award-winning Book a Court online booking system experienced a dramatic increase in the number of people playing tennis during May 2020, compared to the same time last year.

There was a 174% increase in bookings using the technology in May of this year alone compared to May of 2019, with total bookings made at the nine tennis clubs in the state this calendar year more than doubling in comparison with 2019 figures.

The sharp rise was reflected across Australia, with a record 32,234 bookings made using the technology across the country at 235 tennis venues.

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley is not surprised by the increase.

“We’ve always known that tennis is a unique sport – it can be played by anyone no matter their age or ability – and now, during the pandemic, we are seeing more people enjoying the social, mental and physical benefits of sport while maintaining strict physical distancing measures,” Tiley said.

“The increase in bookings we’ve seen across the country is not accidental. Safety and trust have been the most important factors as clubs and coaches across the country have prepared for the return to tennis and the team has done a remarkable job to give everyone the information and bio security protocols they need to get players back on court as safely as possible. And our clubs and tennis venues are seeing the rewards as a result of their efforts.”

“As restrictions in most of the country continue to ease over the coming months we hope to build on these results as we approach our summer, and know that as long as we all continue to play our part and practice all the physical distancing and hygiene protocols, tennis at all levels can also play a major role in the recovery from this devastating pandemic.”

Tennis Tasmania Operations and Places Manager Simonne Allwright believes the flexibility that the Book a Court system offers to both players and clubs has contributed to the increase in bookings so far in 2020.

“We’ve seen a strong growth in booking numbers via Book a Court this year despite the challenges that COVID-19 has presented, with the ease of online access taking the pressure off club volunteers who might otherwise have to assist,” she said.

“The platform creates an easier way for more players to take to the courts, and these recent figures might encourage more Tasmanian clubs to explore the use of Book a Court in the near future.”

Book a Court data fast facts:
– An analysis of the 173 tennis venues that have been using the Book a Court system for more than 12 months showed
bookings across Australia more than doubled from 10,912 in May 2019 to 22,569 in May 2020
– 77 unique players used Book a Court to play tennis in Tasmania in May 2020
– Bookings in Tasmania have more than doubled so far in 2020, despite a number of clubs having adopted the system less
than one year ago.

To Book a Court at a venue near you, head to https://play.tennis.com.au/court-hire