Samantha Stosur

Stosur named Tennis Australia’s facilities ambassador

3 Feb 2010
Tennis Australia/Image: The Advertiser/Simon Cross

Australia’s No.1 tennis player Sam Stosur, has been named as the new ambassador for Tennis Australia’s Courts and Facilities program.

The world No.11 will lead an ongoing Tennis Australia campaign to repair and construct as many tennis courts as possible in towns and cities throughout the nation and is also considering ways in which she can co-fund some special projects in country towns around Australia.

At Port Lincoln Tennis Club, South Australia, yesterday, Stosur said “I want to put something back into the sport that has given me so much.”

“This is a terrific program that is helping tennis all over Australia and I’d like to think I can help make a difference.

“If we can keep building new courts and fixing some of those that are in need of repair it will give kids more and more opportunities to play on quality surfaces.”

Stosur said building tennis courts in communities was the best way to continue stimulating tennis at the grass roots.

“I want people to be able to discover tennis in their own neighbourhood and get the same amount of enjoyment out of the game that I have,” she said.

Tennis Australia’s National Court Rebate Scheme has to date helped generate more than $135 million in funding for facilities in the past two years and built or repaired more than 772 courts around the nation.

Tennis Australia has invested more into facilities development in the past two years than has ever been spent in the history of the sport in this country.

“Sam came to us and said she wanted to help and she wanted to be involved with our program to help repair and create courts and facilities,” Tennis Australia’s Infrastructure Manager, Steven Lock said.

“Having the nation’s leading female tennis player promote a drive to build more and more courts is a great way to let clubs and the public know of the opportunities available for financial and expert assistance in this area.”

A combination of real estate, economic and environmental circumstances have been eroding the nation’s stock of tennis courts and facilities for a generation.

“A major assessment was done nearly four years ago and we have since embarked on a massive multi-million dollar program which we plan to grow annually. It is a major commitment to the sport,” Lock said.

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