To celebrate the tremendous achievement when Great Britain won the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Trophy, Sunderland Tennis Centre were delighted to showcase this trophy and held an Open Day for all to have a go at tennis on Thursday April 28th 2016.
Following Great Britain’s historic win against Belgium in the 2015 Davis Cup Final, when Team GB hoisted the trophy for the first time in 79 years, the LTA wanted to celebrate this momentous occasion by delivering the Davis Cup Trophy Tour across the country to thank the tennis community including players, coaches, venues and volunteers who supported the team on its incredible journey. It also wanted to inspire a new generation to pick up a racket and get involved in tennis.
The event was free for all to attend and give people a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see and be pictured with the impressive Davis Cup Trophy up close and personal.
The Davis Cup Trophy Tour will visit over 50 destinations, including the stop at Sunderland Tennis Centre. The full list of destinations for the Davis Cup Trophy Tour can be found at www.lta.org.uk/daviscuptrophytour
Leon Smith, Davis Cup Captain, said; “Winning the Davis Cup was an incredible moment for me and all the team. Lifting the trophy on the court in Gent was an amazing feeling and I’m eager to ensure a lasting legacy following this historic achievement. Taking the trophy across the country and being able to share this momentous achievement with the nation is an important part of this legacy. I can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction when they see the Davis Cup and sharing a bit of that passion we had on court will hopefully encourage others to get involved and choose tennis as part of their everyday lives”.
The Sunderland Tennis Centre saw over 300 people walk through the door to see this historic trophy with 80 students from Richard Avenue Primary School and Egglescliffe School attending. Graham Fowler, Tennis Development Officer at Sunderland Tennis Centre, and his coaches organised Mini Tennis for all students and public to participate in. It was a fantastic seeing the enthusiasm from everyone.
This could not have been achieved with the unrelenting support from a massive amount of volunteers, including people from Everyone Active, Northumbria University, Durham & Cleveland LTA, local clubs and players.
Jo Cunliffe, LTA Regional Tennis Participation Manager, was excited to be involved in showcasing the Davis Cup Trophy at Sunderland; she said “The Davis Cup Trophy Tour is a fantastic idea, inspiring a generation to participate in the tennis. It doesn’t take much persuasion for people to take up and continue playing tennis once they have seen the magnificent trophy. It is truly a once in a life time opportunity.”
Follow the Davis Cup Trophy Tour at https://www.lta.org.uk/major-events/davis-cup-legacy/davis-cup-trophy-tour/.