Emma McClarkin MEP backs LTA’s allplay campaign

East Midlands MEP Emma McClarkin joined forces with Greg Rusedski, the former British number 1, at the House of Commons last week, to back the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) allplay campaign to help more people play tennis.

Launched this summer, allplay helps people of all abilities, from those who have never held a racket, to players looking to get back into the sport, and even people who have been playing the game for years, to play tennis.

allplay makes it easy to find someone to play of a similar level, find a court to play on and even find a coach. Since the launch, there have been almost 70,000 unique visitors to the site and over 6,700 players have registered at allplaytennis.com.

Emma McClarkin MEP said:

“As a Tennis fan and occasional player myself I’m very pleased to be supporting this campaign, as tennis is a great sport and also a fantastic way to keep fit.

“It’s great that the Lawn Tennis Association is highlighting the amount of clubs there are throughout the country – I know there are dozens of clubs in the East Midlands, and I would urge people to find their nearest one and have a go.”

Greg Rusedski said:

“Tennis is a fun sport that keeps you fit, and the whole family can play together. allplay is all about helping more people play tennis.

“I’m delighted to be part of the allplay campaign – it’s fantastic and proves how simple it is to pick up a racket and start playing tennis.”

As part of the allplay campaign, Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis, broadcaster Jamie Theakston and TV presenters Tim Lovejoy and Lorraine Kelly took up tennis for the first time to join the allplay challenge. All four have six months to progress from tennis novices to playing a match in front of a live audience at the AEGON Masters at the Royal Albert Hall in December.

LTA Chief Executive Roger Draper added:

“As the national governing body for tennis in this country, our goal is to grow and sustain the sport and helping more people play tennis is a top priority for us.

“Tennis is a sport that you can play whether you’re eight or 83. There are more than 20,000 courts around the country with hundreds of free courts on many park sites. So sign up for free to allplaytennis.com and get playing.”

To find a playing partner, a local court or coach, register for free at www.allplaytennis.com