Tennis Canada’s mission to get a racket into the palms of extra leisure gamers is working.
A brand new research commissioned by Tennis Canada and launched on Monday exhibits that the game has almost reached pre-pandemic ranges of participation. In response to the survey, almost 5 million Canadians performed tennis up to now 12 months, with participation amongst youth between the ages of six and 17 rising 11 per cent.
“It’s an thrilling time for tennis in Canada,” mentioned Tennis Canada CEO Gavin Ziv. “Having progress within the sport is so unbelievable particularly coming off robust, robust occasions for everyone with COVID.
“Getting again into recreation, getting again into sport is so necessary.”
Younger individuals are main the cost on to the courts.
There was a ten per cent improve in curiosity in tennis for younger Canadians between 2022 and 2023. Twenty-five per cent of Canadians beneath the age of 12 performed tennis final 12 months and much more indicated they’re more likely to proceed within the subsequent 12 months.
Thirty-one per cent of Canadians over the age of 12 informed the survey that they may undoubtedly or in all probability play tennis within the subsequent 12 months, the very best fee since 2019.
Mother and father are additionally taking an curiosity within the sport, with 30 per cent making ready to enrol their kids in tennis programming subsequent 12 months, up from 23 per cent in 2022.
Ziv believes that younger individuals are moving into tennis due to all of the Canadians succeeding on the skilled degree.
“We’re fortunate with Canadian tennis that we now have such nice inspiration now taking place in our sport with excessive efficiency success with our high gamers around the globe,” mentioned Ziv, who turned the nationwide sport group’s CEO in September. “When you might have Workforce Canada win the Billie Jean King Cup this previous 12 months, the group occasion, a 12 months after the fellows profitable the Davis Cup.
“That inspiration actually does gasoline the game and other people see that and so they get concerned about it.”
The research was carried out by YouGov Canada amongst 1,493 Canadians over the age of 12 between Oct. 12-23, 2023. It was carried out on-line in English and French.
Tennis ranked because the fourth hottest sport by way of curiosity in Canada and fifth for participation, in accordance with the survey.
The survey discovered that hockey, soccer and basketball had been extra widespread by way of curiosity. Soccer, basketball, golf and hockey outranked tennis by way of participation.
“That’s all nice information, we have to make it possible for we now have the infrastructure to assist ship on that curiosity within the sport,” mentioned Ziv, including meaning working with provincial and territorial federations. “They’re those working with the golf equipment and the parks and recreation departments, getting that chance for teenagers to play is basically necessary.”
Ziv mentioned that including extra year-round amenities, with bubbles and domes protecting the courts, has added 26 extra courts throughout the nation up to now 12 months
