It's all about getting children to play again, says street tennis tournament organiser

Fuad Esack

What started out as an effort to revive days long gone, when playing tennis in the street, trying to emulate Wimbledon heroes of the day like McEnroe and Bjorg, Graf and Navratilova, was every wannabe tennis star's dream, has found a home at Westridge tennis courts, off Silversands Avenue, next to the swimming pool. 

Not exactly the lush greens of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, where the real deal is currently taking place, but a step up from the makeshift court on Bordeaux Street, in Westridge. It was here that an idea initiated by resident Rodney “Scara” Brown led to the first self-proclaimed “Wimbledon” street tournament, which was held a few years ago. 

To call it a tournament is a stretch, although it did involve players knocking balls at each other from opposite sides of a net stretched across the street. Small beginnings indeed, but considering the crowd that turned up on Tuesday, July I, for this year’s edition, there's hope that a player from this neck of the woods might make it to the Wimbledon Championships one day.

Brown said the idea was born out of a simple tennis game between himself and radio Presenter Aden Thomas, played in the street in Portland, where Thomas used to live. “Because we are both tennis lovers, we decided to have a “Wimbledon”-type showdown, but on a bigger scale, in my street in Westridge,” he said.

“It was in the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Brown, “during school holidays when restrictions were lifted. What we tried to understand was why kids no longer have active play during school holidays. Was it a lack of resources, safe space issues, the influence of social media or all of the above?

“For now, the idea is to just get kids to play, like we used to, back in the day,” said Brown.

“While our politicians are busy fighting their own losing battles, the onus rests with us to keep our kids stimulated, encouraged and motivated,” he said.

“Today was the fourth edition of the event,” he said,  “and what we have seen is growth and opportunities for the local tennis club and getting kids to play again.”

“Tennis is one of those sports codes that does not enjoy the benefits of funding and the support that is seen with flagship sports."

"Today highlighted the fact that there is an active club in the biggest township in the country. MP Tennis Club is also the biggest club of colour in the Western Cape. What is needed is for parents to use the facilities and become involved with their kids. Football, cricket, and rugby will always enjoy the cream while specialised sports like tennis remain in the trenches,” he said.

MP Tennis Club chairman Razeen Benjamin said he was glad to see the number of people who turned up, including those from businesses and the government.

“Hopefully, through this initiative, the next South African champion is born. In addition, we hope that we could get improved facilities to grow the sport,” he said