Coronavirus Social Distancing Tennis
This page provides up to date information as to how the coronavirus (Covid-19) and the latest government advice around it, relates to tennis activities in Britain and all those involved in delivering them, with separate guidelines in place for each of England, Scotland and Wales.
LATEST UPDATES:
England (updated 18 March)
Resumption of outdoor tennis activity from 29 March
Government Roadmap for easing of lockdown restrictions
The Government published its roadmap on 22 February for the gradual and staged easing of lockdown restrictions in England, made possible by the pace of the vaccination programme. Restrictions will be eased across all areas of England at the same time.
The announcement confirmed that:
- Outdoor tennis courts will be able to open from 29 March. This will mean recreational tennis will be able to resume, including singles and doubles social play, 1:1 coaching and formally organised activity for groups, including group coaching
- Indoor courts to remain closed until later in the roadmap (exemptions have since been confirmed to permit use of indoor courts for schools, childcare in limited circumstances, and coach education, and from 29 March for organised activity for disabled people)
- Tennis in schools can resume from 8 March (see below)
Nationwide Lockdown Restrictions
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 4 January of new national lockdown restrictions to be introduced across England, the LTA can confirm that regrettably all indoor and outdoor tennis facilities will need to close.
The LTA believes tennis is a naturally socially distanced sport that is safe to play and gives people of all ages the opportunity to exercise with friends or relatives. Tennis is important for people’s physical and mental health and we will continue to liaise with the Government to ask them to allow players back on court as soon as possible.
We know that this is incredibly disappointing and frustrating news for all those players, coaches, venues and officials involved with the sport, as well as presenting further significant financial challenges. Further information on current financial support available from Government is available below, and the LTA will also continue to engage with Government to help ensure that the tennis community is supported through the coming weeks and months.
The Government has confirmed that elite sport is able to continue in line with the strict protocols and measures that are in place for it.
Organised outdoor sport for disabled people is also allowed to continue. For full details, please see our detailed guidance for disability tennis during the national Stay At Home lockdown in England, and our FAQ document:
The Government has advised that this guidance should be followed immediately, and will be updating the law to reflect the new rules.
FAQs
We have now published a list of FAQs relating to the new lockdown restrictions in England.
You can view the FAQs here.
These FAQs provide further guidance and information, and will be updated as further detail is published by the Government and Sport England.
Tennis as a socially distanced sport
The LTA recognises the impact of COVID-19 on everyone in Great Britain, however tennis is a naturally socially distanced sport that involves participants stood a significant distance away from each other with a net in between. As such the LTA believes that tennis is a safe sport for participants to engage in as long as they follow the correct procedures. Tennis provides significant physical and mental health benefits to participants, and so can play a role in helping to safely maintain the health and wellbeing of the nation.
We understand and share the disappointment amongst the tennis community that our sport has had to be suspended under the Government’s national lockdown restrictions in England.
The LTA has continued to push for tennis to be allowed to resume at the earliest stage of any easing of restrictions.. Players up and down the country want to get back on court, whilst coaches, venues and officials have again been affected by this latest lockdown.