Return to tennis: all you need to know

/ March 20, 2021

Dear FTC member

The committee of Fishbourne Tennis Club is pleased to confirm that the club will be open for play from Monday 29 March 2021, in accordance with the latest Government regulations. Club sessions and a bumper programme of tennis over the Easter weekend beckons.

The club will be open to paid-up members and their guests only (members must pay for their guests online). We will reintroduce pay and play for non-members as soon as it is practical to do so.

Private games on pre-booked courts, all five regular mix-in club sessions a week, American Tournaments, coaching and local league matches can all now go ahead from 29 March. Please note that until further notice, you must use your own balls for all games; club balls are not available.

All play at Fishbourne is subject to some new procedures and a strict adherence by all players to all Government public health regulations and LTA advice for tennis clubs.

See later in this message for the new rules which all FTC members must read and agree to abide by. In particular all members and their guests attending the club must sign in before play.

Club sessions

Beginning Monday 29 March, the full programme is as follows:

  • Mondays 5-9pm
  • Wednesdays 1-4pm
  • Thursdays 5-9pm
  • Saturdays 9-1pm
  • Sundays 1-4pm

The club sessions are mix-in games when the player next-on is the person waiting-off the longest. As is the practice at Fishbourne, club sessions are not for arranged games. Floodlights are available for evening sessions (use external switch box, the code is the same as the court code).

Guests must be paid for: the cost is £3 per hour (£6 with floodlights) capped at £6 (£12). Members can only pay for their guests online, using the reference ‘guest’.

Easter American Tournaments

  • Friday 2 April, 2-4pm run by Nicola Dawtrey
  • Monday 5 April, 10-12pm, run by Jazz Kimbell

Informal and fun, the tournaments are open to players of all abilities, and since players constantly change partners and opponents they are a great way of meeting other club members. To take part, you have to pre-register, and the number of players is limited. Entry is £1 person and there’s a prize for the winner.

Please nominate your preferred 1st and 2nd choice and email these to Nicola at [email protected] by Monday 29 March.

Coaching with Generation Tennis

Alex will be contacting all coaching groups about the resumption of coaching sessions. Generation Tennis’ new website has gone live, and includes details of all coaching classes and the programme of summer camps for juniors at Fishbourne. Alex has also released a video, ‘The Return of Tennis’, which you can see on social media channels.

The Fishbourne Centre

The bar is planning to open the terrace for drinks on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12 April, in accordance with the easing of lockdown restrictions. The toilets at the centre are open.

The new rules from 29 March 2021

If you come to the club you agree to abide by the following:

  • Members and guests must sign in before play; the sign-in book is by the clubhouse door
  • Use hand sanitiser; there are dispensers on each court
  • Social distancing and the Rule of Six; no groups larger than this
  • The clubhouse must remain closed
  • All players to use their own tennis balls
  • No spectating, but parent/guardian supervision of juniors allowed (one per player)

We look forward to seeing you at the club soon!

The FTC Committee

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