Tennis club members have a smashing time as restrictions are eased

New balls please . . . tennis returned to city courts this week as coronavirus lockdown restrictions eased.

Phase one of the Government’s five-phase plan to return to normality began on Monday with tennis players among the lucky few sports enthusiasts who could restart playing.

Members of Galway’s most well-known club, Galway Lawn Tennis Club, in Salthill, got back into the swing of things straight away – despite the relatively poor weather.

“It’s great to be back and they’re even playing in the pouring rain! People are so glad to be back – they were soaked but they played,” said Kathleen Glynn, manager of Galway Lawn Tennis Club.

The club closed voluntarily the weekend before St Patrick’s Day, before the inevitable shutdown was announced. And while members were eager to return after 10 weeks on the sidelines, it was not a ‘free for all’ and strict new rules around social distancing apply.

Only the five outdoor courts are in use; the four indoors courts in the ‘Dome’ are off limits, and badminton and squash members have not returned in this phase.

“We’re only playing singles, no doubles. Everybody comes off the court at five to the hour, and it’s a one-way system. They go in through the back car park and they leave by the side gate onto Threadneedle Road,” Glynn said of the new protocols.

The vast majority of members are within the five kilometres travel restriction rule, she said, and no new members are being accepted in this phase of reopening.

Junior players must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who must remain with them for the 55 minutes.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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