May is National Tennis Month!

A letter from john Boyd, President of the Louisiana Tennis Association Inc.:

“Tennis participation in the United States increased by 22 percent in 2020 over 2019. Additionally, in the nine-state area covered by United States Tennis Association (USTA) Southern, there was a 31. l percent increase.

Nearly 22 million people played the sport last year, according to the recently released Physical Activity Council ‘s Participation (PAC) report, which surveyed more than 120 different sports and activities participated in by Americans.

We are thrilled that so many people found the joy of tennis during a year when so many sports were put on hold. As tennis continues to grow, nearly seven million people were new to the game or returned as players during 2020. The growth from 2019 in both new and returning players is staggering.

There are vibrant local tennis communities that are making tennis happen all over Louisiana! Local people -almost all of whom are passionate, committed volunteers – run tennis programs, tournaments and leagues in Louisiana.

Participation numbers are strong evidence that the Louisiana CT A’s are part of a united tennis industry that ensured that tennis not only survived but thrived. Not only did participation numbers increase, but racquet sales in the entry-level category also increased nearly 40 percent. That’s big for local business as it also means that sales of tennis apparel, court time, etc. has also been lifted.

Tennis is the ideal social distancing sport, which puts it in a great position to continue to grow and allow people to stay active and social in a healthy and safe manner. And the health benefits of playing tennis were recognized in numerous studies, including adding 9.7 years of life for tennis players over sedentary people. Tennis also has mental and social benefits, especially for young players.

The USTA continues to be the strongest advocate and benefactor for our sport, And we put our money where our mouth is, investing money in local facilities, including parks and recreation public facilities, to improve and maintain the quality of courts. We harness the resources of USTA (national) USTA Southern and USTA Louisiana to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into facilities across our state.

Tennis is a sport that is open to all, and we appreciate your support for the sport and for facilities throughout the state. “

To download a copy of the Health of Tennis 2020 Year End Report, click the link below!