While reading the news this morning, I was surprised. Not because Jennifer Lawrence fell (again) on the red carpet, or that Ellen’s ‘selfie’ was the most retweeted photo ever. I was surprised because I learned that today is in fact World Tennis Day. A day of high profile tennis exhibitions and grassroots tennis initiatives worldwide.
It’s a day of growing the sport and getting kids more involved. A day in which more than 58 countries are hosting youth clinics and play days in an effort to spread the game on a more global scale, from Iceland to Cambodia, and everything in between. In fact, if you open up a Google world map and zoom in at random, you’re almost sure to see orange, red, and yellow tennis balls flying around in whichever continent you choose (well, not really, but that would be pretty cool).
According to an article I read by Walter Villa, “Argentina shut down one of its widest roads so that 500 kids could play on 50 quickly constructed courts. In Egypt, the ancient pyramids served as an iconic backdrop for tennis. Throughout Brazil, tennis demonstrations were held in shopping centers. A club in New Zealand filmed their very own tennis ‘Harlem Shake.’ Over 150 schools in Tehran, Iran held clinics. And Cambodia hosted a National 10 and under fun day, which was broadcast live on National television.”
Aside from the grassroots initiatives and worldwide involvement, there are high profile exhibition events throughout the world tonight, including London (featuring Pat Cash, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras, and Andre Agassi, Hong Kong (featuring Li Na, Samantha Stosur, Lleyton Hewitt and Tomas Berdych) and New York (featuring The McEnroe Brothers, The Bryan Brothers, and a showdown of current rivals Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic).
Although it’s snowing here in Pennsylvania, it’s a day to celebrate the ‘sport of a lifetime’ in any way possible. Just Tennis and PATTA’s missions are similar to World Tennis Day, but on a more local scale. We strive to bring tennis to the masses and create a lifelong love for the sport, oftentimes in communities that aren’t in close proximity to quality programming and facilities.
What are you waiting for? Get your shovels out, celebrate World Tennis Day and play some tennis!
