Eight players from three venues came together at Highgate Tennis Club to explore what could happen when Walking Tennis groups across Middlesex connect
Walking Tennis is growing, with clubs and coaches increasingly recognising the opportunities the format can offer. At Middlesex Tennis, we want to help build on that growth by connecting existing groups, supporting new opportunities and encouraging more venues to consider offering Walking Tennis.
A recent session at Highgate Tennis Club was a small but important step in that direction.
Eight players from three different Middlesex venues came together for the session. Playing partners were rotated allowing people to play doubles with people from the other groups.
For some, it was the first time they had played with someone from another Walking Tennis venue. It was a simple idea. But it demonstrated the value of bringing players together and creating opportunities to play beyond their regular sessions.
The session also highlighted how this form of tennis can provide an accessible route into the sport.
We were delighted to have Navneet Maan from NEET Tennis involved. Navneet supported three novice players who were initially unsure about joining a session alongside more experienced players. With some encouragement and support, they quickly settled in. Before long, they were on court, playing doubles and getting involved.
That transition was particularly encouraging. It showed how the right environment and a little support can give people the confidence to take part. Something that is important if we want to make tennis accessible to more people.
Walking Tennis is still tennis
One of the most interesting aspects of the session was the tactical side of the game. This can sometimes be viewed simply as tennis for older people, or as an alternative for those who can no longer play conventional tennis, but that doesn’t really capture what happens on court.
You can walk quickly, but you can’t run
That one change creates a very different tactical challenge. Players can’t rely on sprinting to recover a ball, so positioning, anticipation and decision-making become increasingly important. You have to think about where you are on court, where your opponent is likely to play the next ball and how you can use your positioning effectively.
In many ways, it puts an even greater emphasis on the thinking side of tennis, which is what makes Walking Tennis so interesting.
It can be an introduction to tennis for someone who has never played before. It can provide a route back into the sport for former players. Or it can simply give someone the opportunity to enjoy tennis without having to run around a court.
Creating more opportunities across Middlesex
The LTA has created a strong foundation for Walking Tennis, and there is an opportunity for Middlesex Tennis to build on that work. Connecting existing groups is one part of that, but there is also an opportunity to support more coaches and venues who are considering introducing Walking Tennis for the first time.
We’ve already had interest from coaches and venues who are keen to explore setting up Walking Tennis, and we want to build on that momentum. The Highgate session showed what can happen when players and venues come together. The next step is to help more coaches and clubs understand the format and see how it could work within their own environment.
Interested in bringing Walking Tennis to your club?
Middlesex Tennis will be running Walking Tennis Awareness Sessions for coaches, clubs, venues and organisations interested in finding out more about the format and exploring how they could deliver Walking Tennis.
The sessions will provide an opportunity to:
- Learn more about Walking Tennis and how the format works.
- Understand what is involved in delivering a session
- Explore how Walking Tennis could work at your club or venue
- Connect with others who are interested in developing Walking Tennis
You don’t need to have everything in place already. The Awareness Session is an opportunity to come along, learn more and explore what might be possible.
If you’re a coach or venue interested in starting Walking Tennis, or developing an existing programme, we’d love to hear from you.
For more information about upcoming Awareness Sessions, contact:
Martin Etheridge
Inclusion Lead, Middlesex Tennis
martin.etheridge@middlesextennis.org.uk
A big thank you to Linda at Highgate Tennis Club, who was our point of contact and helped make the court arrangements possible. We really appreciated the welcome and support from the club. Thank you also to everyone who came along and got involved.
Eight players from three venues may be a small start, but the session demonstrated what is possible when we bring people together.
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