tennis NEWS

Club Specific Rules of Play

We have put together a breakdown of club specific rules and regulations that are in place to ensure a safe return to play. Please note that not all clubs are listed below but we will update this as soon as we have more information.

Bristol

• Open with restricted hours and have allowed a 15-minute gap between bookings to allow for cleaning and for members to enter and exit the building whilst social distancing.
• Allowing doubles to begin soon but only to members who can only play doubles to begin with on a trial basis
• The future is still very uncertain concerning tournaments, inter club matches and allowing non-members - currently we are not allowing it although we have club matches booked in just in case the situation changes

CURTC

• Doubles recommenced on 1 August
• Players need to explicitly agree how to maintain distance before they start playing
• Non-members are being looked at on an individual basis (we are keen to encourage more players and new players but need to ensure we have racquets etc they can use)
• Players from other clubs are welcome to come but they need to abide by the same rules as our own members
• There are no changing facilities

Leamington

• Bar – closed
• Restaurant – closed
• Doubles – under review but currently not available.
• Singles – available but only two people in the club at any one time
• Players must wear a glove
• We are using 1 set of balls

Manchester

• Recommended COVID precautions include: hand-wash, masks, surgical gloves
• Players are to follow social distancing guidelines
• Members and their guests (by prior arrangement) are welcome
• Necessary contact protocols are in place
• On court, singles and lessons are allowed (lessons on opposite sides of the net)
• Doubles are played either up and back or side by side with no encroachment
• 15 minutes cleansing time between courts during which we employ our anti-viral fogger and wipe surfaces as required

MCC

• Closed for play at present
• Open from 1 September

Middlesex University

• Chris Bray and Will Burns are MURTC’s Covid Compliance Officers. Their primary duties are to review the relevant guidance, conduct regular formal risk assessments for their club, communicate with the club’s Board, Management Committee and its members, ensure compliance, and monitor and report on any instances of infection. They are also responsible for implementing and monitoring track and trace procedures at MURTC.
• Do not go to a court if you or anyone in your household has any symptoms compatible with Covid 19. Let Chris or Will know if you or anyone in your household is showing symptoms.
• Check the latest version of the T&RA’s guidelines on the T&RA website.
• Wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds, using soap and water or antibacterial hand wash.
• Make court bookings and payments online or via telephone. The T&RA’s online booking platform is available in many of the clubs nationwide.
• Airflow in and around the court is important to reduce airborne infection. All our doors and windows will be left open as much as possible. Our courtside fans will be on to aid circulation. Doors in use will have their handles cleaned regularly with antibacterial wipes.
• Entrance to the court will be via the back door that runs alongside the AstroTurf pitches. Please exit via the metal staircase. Please remember to wait for play to stop before moving down the passageway
• At either the start or end of each day, the court’s surfaces will be disinfected.
• Carry your own hand sanitizer and use before and after going on court. Hand sanitiser will be available at the entrance/exit to the Club and at the entrance to the court.
• Do not share any rackets/equipment.
• Wipe down your equipment before and after use.
• Ensure you take all your belongings with you at the end of the session. During play, leave your belongings in a bag or in a place designated by the club.
• Toilet and shower facilities will be open. Please come ‘real tennis ready’ where possible to minimise the use of the showers. You will have to bring your own towel.
• Avoid using public transport as much as possible.
• Arrive as close as possible to when you need to be at the court.
• Arrive changed and ready to play. Shower at home, and do not use the venue’s changing facilities.
• Please do not congregate after playing. No social activity should take place.
• Maximum of four people per court.
• Doubles play is allowed under specific conditions. If you wish to play doubles please speak to either Chris or Josh who will explain the new rules of play.
• Coached sessions will be limited to one to one coaching activity only with the professionals on the other side of the net from the player.
• Court sessions will be restricted to one hour. This leaves 10 minutes between sessions to reduce the risk of airborne infection and for social distancing. The professional staff will also use this time to disinfect all reachable surfaces where players may have been in contact, most importantly the gallery and dedans ledges and the court floor.
• Always stay at least two metres away from other players.
• Do not make physical contact with other players.
• We have a stock of PPE (including face masks and disposable gloves) as part of our first aid equipment. This is in case physical contact is necessary, e.g. in case of injury.
• We have a protocol for changing ends. The server should wait at the centre of the net until the server-to-be reaches the last gallery.
• If you need to sneeze or cough, do so into a tissue or upper sleeve.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Avoid using your uncovered hands to pick up balls - use your racquet or a gloved hand as much as possible.
• Avoid touching the court walls and other surfaces.

Moreton Morrell

• Closed for play at present as the court floor is being re done
• Open from 10 September

Oxford

• Open for play from 8.30am-5.30pm at present
• Closed on Sundays
• We have pros in attendance for all courts
• Andrew from 8-6 Mon-Wed and Craig 8-6 Thurs-Sat
• Social distancing and hand sanitising precautions are in place and players wear a glove
• The kitchen, changing rooms and all the upstairs are off limits
• We have a fogger which sprays a mist of disinfectant [not harmful to humans we’re told] onto the court, through the clubroom and Pro Shop at the close of play every day
• We are having a meeting early next week about extending opening hours, allowing some doubles play and the NL

Prested Hall

• Entry, temperature measurement, one-way system and most sanitisation are controlled by the health club
• Sanitisation and wipe down is provided for players and courts
• Restricted to members, or guests paying a fee
• All monitored by our booking system, in the event of a track and trace event (this a new system for RT, Padel and Lawn, called Playtomic)
• Non-members are welcome, and there is no guest fee for matches/tournaments.
• Social-distancing rules apply
• The key requirement is to be booked onto the system, via the Pros and Playtomic
• No cancellation fees will be charged in these circumstances

Queens Club

• Courts are available every other hour
• It is important that players leave promptly at the end of their allotted time
• Hand sanitation points are available at courtsides
• There will be a social distancing sticker on the floor near the second gallery line where we request the old server might stand if you decide you are comfortable with changing ends
• It would obviously be safer for everyone to adopt playing a game where one person serves for the entire match (and for example chases that beat the second gallery are awarded to the receiver), but this is not a requirement.
• There will be six sets of balls that we will be rotating as often as we can
• Three sets of sixty per court
• Please do sanitise your hands and avoid touching your faces when playing
• Feel free to wear gloves and facemasks, but the measures we have put in place should reduce risk considerably as long as you maintain social distancing and continue to sanitise your hands
• The gallery ledges will be cleaned every day