Young guns meet Dylan Alcott
Young tennis players from Yarragon Tennis Club experienced a day at the Australian Open recently.
Families from Yarragon and Trafalgar boarded the bus to head to the Open, with some parents also experiencing the Australian Open for the first time.
Club members had the chance to meet tennis ambassador and threetime Paralympic gold medallist Dylan Alcott when they arrived at Melbourne Park on Tennis Hot Shots Day.
All children received a t-shirt, hat and a drink bottle, and were able to roam around the outside courts where they saw many star players in action.
Yarragon Tennis Club is a Tennis Hot Shots Community Play club, a program delivered across Australia with local volunteers running sessions to make tennis more accessible for children living in regional areas.
Each year, Community Play clubs from regional Victoria are invited to attend the Australian Open, which includes ground passes and travel costs.
ANZ group executive Fred Ohlsson said the company was proud to support regional clubs through the Community Play program and continue to grow the sport at grassroots level.
“These clubs have shown great dedication to the sport and we’re thrilled to be able to invite them to enjoy Australian Open 2018,” he said.
Tennis Australia chief executive and Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said the organisation is delighted to welcome some of its Hot Shots Community Play clubs to Melbourne Park.
“We are proud of the work these clubs do in their local communities to encourage more kids to pick up a racquet and play Tennis Hot Shots and we know they will enjoy their experience at Australian Open 2018.”
Tennis Hot Shots is Tennis Australia’s official development program designed to introduce children aged between three and 12 years to tennis.