Former champion tennis player Casey Dellacqua caused a “racquet” at a Lake Macquarie public school on Monday.
The talented left-hander, who won 23 ITF doubles titles, seven WTA doubles trophies and one Grand Slam mixed doubles crown, dialled in to Blacksmiths Public, via Zoom, much to the delight of the youngsters.
Fifteen students from the school also received new equipment, thanks to ANZ.
The successful initiative will see 30,000 new racquets delivered to pupils in more than 700 primary educational facilities across the country.
This builds on the 170,000 distributed throughout the nation over the past five years.
As part of the program, Tennis Australia ambassadors Todd Woodbridge, John Fitzgerald and Dellacqua will pop into schools virtually to inspire students to pick up their new racquets and swing into action.
The fifth edition of the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Racquet Roadshow comes as new survey data shows that 92% of Australian parents surveyed believe children should learn tennis from a young age.
The desire for them to partake in sport and physical activity is particularly relevant.
Nearly half of parents surveyed said they were concerned their families were not as fit when compared to the start of the pandemic.
“The ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Racquet Roadshow has been an outstanding success,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said.
“It is a credit to our team involved in the Tennis in Schools’ program and our longstanding partnership with ANZ.
“Getting more kids involved in tennis is part of what we do every single day.
“And, to be able to put racquets in the hands of 200,000 kids across the country is a tremendous milestone to celebrate.
“I look forward to seeing more courts throughout the nation full of children playing tennis with their friends and families.
“Hopefully, we can help inspire the next generation grow a lifelong love of the popular sport.”
Twenty-two-time Grand Slam champion Woodbridge said he had handed out thousands of racquets to school kids across the country over the past five years and continued his classroom visits virtually over the past year.
“The ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Racquet Roadshow is a project I’m excited to be involved with every single year,” he explained.
“To be able to introduce so many kids, and their families, to the sport I’ve loved for my whole life is so rewarding.
“As is seeing the positive impact tennis can have on their lives.”
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