The Centenary Open Day

As part of the club’s centenary celebrations we wanted to hold an event that would inspire the next generation to take up the sport. At our Open Day, Tim and Dan managed to do just that by working throughout the day with children across the widest possible range of ages – from under 8 up to 18.

Not only did the children all get the chance to be coached by Britain’s former number one, all of them also got the chance to win one of the ten child memberships being given away by the club.

After feasting on delicious burgers, hot dogs and chicken wraps provided by WOW catering at lunchtime, Tim and Dan drew the ten raffle tickets out of the hat and announced which of the 238 children had won a free club membership.

The Open Day is a good example of why we think the Rye Lawn Tennis Club is just a little bit special:

• Our close connections with the All England Lawn Tennis Club (our president was CEO for 26 years) mean that we enjoy some special benefits such as support from members such as Tim Henman.
• Secondly, we have eight superb grass courts which, due to support from Head of Courts and Horticulture Neil Stubley at Wimbledon, are not far off the same standard as the courts at the All England. Then as well as our grass courts, we have three floodlit artificial clay courts which are playable even in the wettest English weather.
• As well as tennis, we continue to expand our facilities. Padel has been such a hugely popular sport with the members that we built a second court this year. Members can also play squash, croquet, table tennis and go to the gym. Next on the agenda, if we can secure planning permission, is to build three indoor tennis courts.
• Every year we host a huge number of tournaments suitable for all ages and abilities: the annual invitation tournament which caters for every level, our junior tournament, the two generation tournament, fast four tournaments, and many more.
• There are also numerous club sessions for all abilities, coaching and camps for adults and children.

Above all, the club is a community; a place to enjoy sport, meet people, see friends, bring your family and have fun.

If you’d like to know more about the club and arrange a visit, please do send us an email and we’ll aim to get back to you within 24 hours.

Please take a look at all of the photos from the day through this link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nEC7TeL9k0cgF8Xh7LGQq5Vz5XoMex5d
Photo credit: Ed Marsh

Below you can watch the footage from the ITV Meridian News reported by Malcolm Shaw on the Open Day.