19 January 2023 | Tennis Victoria

We had #VicsAtTheAO coming from right around Victoria today! 

Approximately 300 Hot Shots players from Navigators, Meredith, Shepparton North, Whoroully, Tangambalanga, Yackandandah, Wangaratta Lawn, Wangaratta Hardcourt TA, Rutherglen, Benalla Lawn, Nathalia, Woodvale, Axedale, Kyvalley, Eaglehawk & Heywood are all making their way to Melbourne Park! 

Tennis Australia have supplied Community Play clubs from around Victoria the opportunity to catch a bus and enjoy a day at the tennis.  

Five bus locations around Victoria will be leaving for Melbourne Park between 5am and 6am from their local area. 

All buses will arrive at Melbourne Park before 8.30am to have exclusive access to the AO Ballpark, were part of the AO promotion at the AO tennis club and the roped off area in John Cain Arena to start their day! 

After the John Cain Arena experience, the players and their parents can enjoy a day at the tennis! 

It was a special day for the kids; some of them had never been to Melbourne before until today.

For a lot of the kids and parents, it was the first time they had attended the Australian Open.

Cam Govan, Club Development Officer in the Country West region, assisted in the organisation of the day.

“The kids were all so excited, it will be a day they will remember for a long time”, Club Development Officer in Country West Cam Govan said.

The Community Play Clubs are volunteer based offered to young players in areas that do not have access to clubs with qualified tennis coaches.

It allows the kids to have a great first tennis experience in a fun and welcoming environment.

“It has been a great commitment from these small towns to travel across Victoria to come to Melbourne for the day.”

“Some of the kids woke up at 3.30am and travelled over one and a half hours to get to the bus stop in Wangaratta which was then another three and a half hours away. It has been a big day for them, but extremely exciting to be part of it all.”

The bus will be taking them back in the mid afternoon. 

#VicsAtTheAO