£30m plan for tennis

Ministers are seeking to capitalise on the success of teenage tennis star Emma Raducanu with a

£30 million package to revive Britain’s network of public playing courts.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said the UK Government would commit £22 million to repair and improve dilapidated park courts across Scotland, England and Wales.

It will be supplemented by a further £8.5m provided by the Lawn Tennis Association in a drive to encourage more people to take up the sport.

Ministers said that up to 4,500 courts across 1,500 local authority venues could benefit from the scheme.

Dorries said: “The whole country watched in awe as Emma Raducanu succeeded in winning the US Open. I want more people to follow in Emma’s footsteps.”