Get in the Wimbledon spirit on borough’s revamped tennis courts

Residents are able to use new and improved playing facilities across the borough after an investment of half a million pounds.

Players can enjoy resurfaced courts and other playing improvements at King George’s Park, Wandsworth Common, Tooting Common, Wandsworth Park, Furzedown Rec in Tooting and Leader’s Gardens in Putney.

And at King George’s Park play can now continue until 9pm each evening all-year-round following the installation of floodlights.

The £500,000 of improvements have been funded by All Star Tennis which manages 28 courts across the borough.

All Star Tennis began working in the borough in 2002 when it began managing the courts on Wandsworth Common. In 2013 it teamed up with another tennis provider Will to Win and took on the other five venues in a partnership which has seen local participation levels soar 80 per cent.

The council’s sports and leisure spokesman Cllr Steffi Sutters said: “We know that tennis in Wandsworth is popular all year round and especially so when all the world’s top players are performing on our doorsteps in SW19.

“With this new investment of £500,000, players across Wandsworth can benefit from some really excellent facilities, while the introduction of the floodlights at King George’s Park in particular provide a great option for people who love playing all-year-round.”

As well as the 28 courts managed by All Star Tennis, residents can also play at the courts in Battersea Park and also at the council’s flagship 52-acre multi-sports complex at Barn Elms. Here people can play rugby, football, cricket, aussie rules, netball, hockey and rounders as well as specialist sports like beach volleyball, archery, athletics, field events. There is also a gym and a boathouse for rowing. These are managed by the council’s leisure and culture contractor Enable Leisure and Culture. 

To find out more about coaching and playing at All Star’s venues visit www.allstartennis.co.uk. For information about Barn Elms visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/barnelms. And for other fitness, leisure and sports facilities in the borough log on to www.wandsworth.gov.uk/sport

• The borough recently unveiled a five-year strategy to get all its residents more active.

The strategy, which has been drawn up by the Active Wandsworth Network made up of the council, the borough’s  leisure and culture contractor Enable, local sports clubs and other key members of the sporting community, aims to make Wandsworth the most physically active borough in London by 2022.

It proposes developing a workforce of coaches and volunteers, targeting parts of the borough where people are inactive and removing the barriers that stop people being active, such as lack of facilities or cost.

Cllr Sutters added: "We recognise the importance of sports and physical activity to keeping people mentally and physically well and the role it plays in creating strong communities.

“That’s why the council, together with its sports and leisure provider Enable and the Active Wandsworth Network, have teamed up to back this new strategy and are working together to get more of our residents involved in sports and fitness activities.”

To find out more about the Active Wandsworth Strategy visit the council’s website.