Appliance brand Haier has launched a programme in partnership with David Lloyd Clubs to refurbish second-hand tennis racquets in a bid to encourage more children to take up the sport.
The two brands have arranged for tennis racquet collection boxes to be placed in the reception areas of David Lloyd Clubs. Players are being asked to leave their used racquets in the boxes for collection, which will go on to be refurbished to a good standard.
After being restored, the racquets will then be delivered to local schools and communities. This programme is intended to help more young people access the sport, who might not otherwise have the equipment to play.
As an incentive to take part, anyone who donates a tennis racquet for restoration will be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a trip to the ATP Tour Finals in Turin, or 10 free tennis lessons at their local David Lloyd Club.
The scheme was partly launched to nurture the sport’s recent rise in popularity. Despite declining participation numbers between 2016 and 2021, data group Statista reports adult tennis participation has grown by 43% in 2023.
Haier says it hopes the Preloved Tennis Racquet Programme will build on that interest, as well as nurture the next generation of tennis players.
Haier’s director of brand and communications Antony Peart said: “We are proud partners of the ATP Tour this year, and as a part of this campaign, we are delighted to be working with David Lloyd Clubs on our Preloved Tennis Racquet Programme to give back to local communities and to get involved with tennis at a grassroots level.”
The programme will run until July 16, which will mark the end of the Wimbledon tournament.
The launch of Haier’s pre-loved racquet scheme follows news earlier this year that the brand would be sponsoring some of the world’s top tennis tournaments for the 2023 season. The deal – between Haier, the Association of Tennis Professionals, and the French Tennis Federation – includes sponsorship at the Roland Garros Grand Slam, the end-of-season Nitto ATP Finals and the ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.