Sydney Tennis Review Project

The rationale of the Sydney Tennis Review is to drive inter-club competitions in defined zones in reducing travel time; increasing accessibility and participation, particularly those who want to progress beyond casual intra-club competition.

The Greater Sydney Commission will be made up of 13 District Associations, looking after 372 local tennis venues and managed by an Executive Committee.

They are developing a new 'whole of sport' pathway and have re-drawn the Association boundaries in alignment with the Sydney Commission.

In this new structure, the Illawarra Tennis Association stays with Sutherland, joining Bayside Council areas with Sutherland and looking after 109 courts with Canterbury Bankstown Association taking over the current Georges River courts-giving them 89 courts.

It recognises that the current competition framework is not working and there is a lack of a clear player pathway and a disconnect from local clubs and associations.

Matthew Rippon Head of Tennis Operations said staff are still conducting Association consultation, but it's time to reinvigorate the competition landscape.

"This new structure will create clearer pathways and more opportunity for all levels of players. The aim is to pilot the competition framework with 3-5 Associations in 2021 and expand from 2022."

"The review is at an early stage after the independent review conducted in 2018. Tennis NSW will test some competitions within some newly formed and some existing frameworks and look to further develop this competition framework," he said

The aim is to retain and grow player numbers participating in competitions in Sydney, bridging the gap between club and more representative opportunities.

Dennis Bindon is a past Secretary of the ISLTA and past Board Member/Director of Tennis NSW and isn't happy they want to break up the greater St George District.

"The Georges River section plays an important part in the success of Illawarra. We are a Super Association in Australia. They want to break us up and send part of us over to Canterbury to shore up their area," Bindon said.

"Our boundaries were set in the 1920s and we do not want to take over any Eastern Suburbs courts or lose any of ours. The Ken Rosewall Tennis Centre at Peakhurst is one to be reallocated. We could do with Tennis NSW help, but we won't accept losing courts-they aren't moving forward they are going sideways."

Tennis NSW said some Associations anomalies would be carefully considered and collaboratively worked through on a case by case basis.