Open Court

The LTA’s Open Court Programme is a national scheme that actively promotes and delivers opportunities for disabled people to get involved in tennis and padel. Partnered with and jointly funded by Sport England, the programme provides disability specific sessions for tennis and padel – including adaptations for learning disability, wheelchair, visually impaired and deaf. The programme is also expanding into other long-term health conditions such as mental health and dementia. 

In Hertfordshire the Open Court Programme began in 2012 and in 2023 the county was named as the county with the highest disabled participation in the country. Hertfordshire has a significant number of clubs and tennis deliverers and this has enabled more than 1000 participants to play and be active through tennis each month.

Sessions are run at club venues, schools and community venues allowing flexibility and opportunities for many disabled participants in the county. Sessions are available for learning disabled, physically impaired, visually impaired, hearing Impaired, mental health and walking tennis participants. Examples of the partners we work with are The Inclusion project, Mencap, Parkinson’s UK and Live A Little. We are always looking to work with and support new clubs that would like to join the network and have
an even further impact.

If you are a player or a club and would like further information please contact us at PYWHerts@gmail.com

For more information on the LTA’s Open Court Programme, please go to https://www.lta.org.uk/roles-and-venues/coaches/products-and-programmes/open-court/

* Photo courtesy of the LTA