Padel, POP Tennis and Beach Tennis – three more ways to play the game – will all be on show at Australian Open 2022.
As part of a major tennis participation drive to get more people of all ages involved in the sport, as well as continue the growth across both traditional and new audiences, fans at AO can join come and try sessions and watch special exhibition matches to launch the new formats of the game we all love.
“Organic growth in tennis participation shows us that there’s already a demand for the expansion and variety of on court offerings and tennis disciplines,” Tennis Australia Chief Tennis Officer Tom Larner said.
“It’s a natural next step for us to partner with Padel, POP Tennis and Beach Tennis, and provides us with an exciting opportunity to continue to grow our strong participation numbers as we deliver more ways to play to more people, more of the time.”
The purpose-built Padel court takes centre stage on Grand Slam Oval promising plenty of off-the-walls fun. The AO Beach House is the natural location for Beach Tennis, surrounded by deck chairs and umbrellas for spectators and post-hit relaxation, while POP Tennis will bring a whole lot of fun with POP Tennis literally popping up across the precinct.
“It will be an exciting two weeks at the Australian Open with all three disciplines on display and accessible for anyone onsite,” Larner continued.
“The Padel court on Grand Slam Oval sits at the very heart of all the action and promises to be a great drawcard in January. It comes complete with a grandstand for viewing the exhibition matches and there’s also plenty of opportunity for everyone to get on court and try the exciting off the wall spin on tennis.”
With the latest AusPlay data* reporting an already engaged and growing tennis audience of 1,529,000 participants, delivering a range of tennis experiences which appeals to a broader demographic, is another way to inspire more people to play more tennis, more of the time. With 1,227,800 adults and 301,200 children contributing to the respective participation increases of 37 and 29 percent, it is expected that the complimentary tennis offerings will support continued growth in participation.
“Each of the tennis disciplines offers a wide range of on-court experiences that appeal to a number of different audiences. We’re seeing many of the barriers to participation removed with a diverse new audience of people enjoying the benefits of tennis in a fun, fresh and exciting way,” Larner added.
“The new partnerships will ensure that our coaches and clubs are well supported as we diversify our tennis offerings, which in turn will provide a greater impact on the health and wellbeing of local communities.”
FAST FACTS:
Padel – One of the fastest growing sports across Europe, Padel continues to increase in popularity, with more than six million players in Spain alone. Played on a court one third of the size of a tennis court and enclosed by glass walls and metallic mesh, players use a short, stringless racquet with an elastic surface to hit a low compression tennis ball. Scored like tennis and with an underarm serve, the game is usually played as doubles with the ball allowed to bounce off any wall. More information at ausopen.com/padel-tennis.
POP Tennis – Known for its POPularity and footprint along Venice Beach in the USA, POP Tennis is just like tennis, but is played on smaller courts with shorter solid paddles and lower compression tennis balls. The same scoring and rules as regular tennis apply, except players only have one underarm serve. POP can be played indoor or outdoor and on all surfaces. More information at ausopen.com/plan-your-day.
Beach Tennis – Played professionally and socially around the world, Beach Tennis is a hybrid combining tennis and beach volleyball. It’s played on a smaller sand court with a 1.7 metre high net and with paddles and a low compression tennis ball. Players typically serve overarm (excluding mixed doubles) and use traditional scoring with the exception of no advantage after deuce. More information at ausopen.com/beach-house.