Come as you are and play how you want at the Festival of Tennis. Photo: Tennis ACT.
As warmer weather arrives in the capital, the local courts are calling, and Tennis ACT is serving up proof you don’t need a world-class arm to join the action — you just need to find the right format for you.
“Your summer, your tennis, your way” is the motto for the upcoming Festival of Tennis, which challenges the notion that tennis is all high-stakes singles and full-sized courts.
The Festival will showcase alternatives, from cardio tennis workouts to social pickleball and the fast-paced POP tennis One Point Slam.
“Tennis as an adult can seem difficult if you haven’t played before, and we’re really trying to show the people of Canberra that there are so many variants, and that the pathway to play is going to be different for everyone,” Tennis ACT CEO Mark La Brooy says.
“Our sport provides an opportunity for everyone to get out, get active in any way, shape or form and get all the benefits of tennis.”
Designed to highlight these options, the free two-hour Festival of Tennis features interactive demonstrations, giveaways, speed challenges and hands-on activities for all ages and fitness levels.
Sweat, socialise and serve your a-game
For adults, Cardio Tennis offers a high-energy way to pair fitness with racquet sports in a pressure-free, social environment. Run in a group class format with non-stop movement, it takes the direct spotlight off individual play.
“You’ve got 10 to 15 people on court, all having a heap of fun, playing tennis, but in a very relaxed format, and mixing it with some movement and fitness,” Mark explains.
Tennis-adjacent games like pickleball offer a low barrier to entry, facilitating fast, easy rallies and quality hang time with mates. Photo: Tennis Australia/Luke Hemer.
Social players looking for a more casual experience can also try POP tennis or pickleball. Played on smaller courts using a wiffleball (for pickleball) or a low-compression orange ball (for POP tennis), both games have a low barrier to entry and facilitate fast, easy rallies.
“You’re playing nice and close, with easier equipment, so you can get started quickly and easily,” Mark says.
“If you’re looking to just hang out with mates and have a heap of fun, these are two great options to check out.”
Attendees can also test their reflexes in the POP tennis One Point Slam — a fast-paced “one point, and you’re out” knockout challenge — or test their power at the Speed Serve station to see how their serve measures up against the pros.
To keep the momentum going past the event, Tennis ACT has partnered with Urban Rec to launch a dedicated POP tennis league, giving social players a regular competition format throughout the season.
Easy on the joints, big on the vibes
Looking for something low-impact but high-fun? Pickleball and POP tennis are great for newcomers or players navigating minor joint injuries, offering the same hand-eye coordination and fun with significantly less impact and court coverage required.
“These formats are great to get people moving on a smaller court and with modified equipment. Given the closeness of players on the court, they are also great formats to boost social connectedness,” Mark says.
Tennis offers multiple pathways to play for over-45s who may not have played before, are returning after a long sabbatical, or are recovering from injury. Photo: Tennis ACT.
For former players returning to the sport after an extended break, Cardio Tennis provides an accessible ramp back in.
“Cardio exercise is super important for all age groups, and Cardio Tennis is such a great way to get back into playing tennis, where the focus isn’t on match play necessarily or points; it’s just a great way to hit your way to fit and play to music,” he says.
Free racquets, big smiles — the ultimate family outing
Younger players and families are central to the Festival line-up. To help jumpstart young interest in the sport, the first 200 children through the gates will receive a free tennis racquet.
POP tennis and pickleball will be popular among families and are great ways to spark a love for racquet sports.
Kids can also test their skills in Hot Shots Tennis, a developmental program designed for all stages and ages, allowing children to build technique at their own pace.
Photo: Tennis ACT.
Photo: Tennis ACT.
Photo: Tennis ACT.
Photo: Tennis ACT.
The action takes place on a scaled court, and specialised equipment lets children progress from larger, low-compression red balls to more challenging orange balls before finishing on a standard tennis ball.
“If you’re really young, the low-compression balls are easy to hit, enabling them to keep the ball in more often and have rallies, even as a young kid,” Mark says.
“Those little successes set them up nicely for a love of racquet sports, allowing them to slowly develop their skills and cultivate a genuine enjoyment.”
Between hits, kids can drift over to other activations including face painting, glitter tattoos and a photo booth.
Your festival game plan
Entry to the event is completely free. Registration gives you a “Passport to Play”, letting you wander around the demos and games, scan QR codes to join in the action, and enter the major prize draw valued at over $2500.
“The Festival of Tennis is about opening people’s eyes to the many different and wonderful forms tennis takes,” Mark says.
“We’re excited to get kids and adults on court, trying out different forms of the sport and seeing that there are so many pathways to getting involved in their local tennis community.”
All sports take place against a festival backdrop, with other festival activities, local food vendors and prize giveaways.
The Festival of Tennis takes place Sunday, 25 October, from 10 am to 12 pm at the Canberra Tennis Centre, Lyneham. Registration is free of charge via Eventbrite.