By Trevor Jackson
TENNIS is set to kick off in Penola tonight, with a new social competition to start at McCorquindale Park.
The competition will run each Friday through the Penola Tennis Group with the focus purely on social play.
Organiser Sam Davidson said the idea of the night came after tennis in the township had dwindled, with the Penola association now defunct, but plenty of interest in the sport.
“The Penola Tennis Group has been around for a while but we revamped it a little bit two seasons ago when the official Penola association folded,” he said.
“There was no actual formal competition in place so we decided we would like to trial a social tennis night.
“We are just trying to get players back who would have played competition or anyone else who wants to try the sport.”
A Wednesday night competition currently exists, but Davidson said this would be a different format and with the amount of interest shown through the community hoped it would be a success.
“We are pretty confident we will get enough people there to get the night going and get a good start to the competition,” he said.
“It is all up in the air but from the feedback, people are keen.
“The key message behind it all is strictly social – there is no commitment, just come out and have some fun.”
A doubles format will be on offer, with players to register at the start of the night.
Random pairs will be generated by the organisers, with two games to be played.
Davidson said they would cater for singles matches if some players were left without a doubles partner.
He said without a formal competition in Penola, players missed the sport and hoped this could bring them back together.
“This is just a way to get people back out there,” he said.
“We are not looking to start up a formal competition – just keep it social at this stage.
“If we need to tweak it over the next few weeks we can.”
With eight courts at McCorquindale Park there is a scope to have around 32 players involved.
Davidson said the group would be pleased if that was the case but just hoped it would be embraced by the community.
Players need to register at 5pm, with play expected to finish around 7pm.
For any further information contact Sam Davidson by phone on 0400 268 017.
