Roger Federer launches NikeCourt tennis project with pink courts
Seven-time Wimbledon tennis champion Roger Federer pitched up in South London, UK over the weekend to help launch sports goods giant Nike’s legacy project for this year’s Wimbledon tennis tournament.
Nike has taken over four community tennis courts in Tanner Street Park, Bermondsey, investing £17,500 in resurfacing the ageing courts with a designer touch in pink and blue and setting up a branded tennis and activity hub.
The NikeCourt Club initiative will allow local residents benefit from a free 10-day tennis academy, which will run a host of training programmes ranging from beginners courses to high intensity workouts – such as Fast Tennis.
In addition to tennis programming, Nike will also provide Nike+ classes, yoga sunrise sessions and screenings of key Wimbledon matches, as well as other events featuring music and entertainment.
The NikeCourt Club programming will end on 4 July, but the resurfaced courts will be left as a permanent space for the London community. They will be serviced and managed by Nike in partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).
Each school in the area will also be entitled to 12 hours of free LTA tennis after the 10 day programming has finished.
“I think the new court is really cool," Federer said. "I've never played on a pink court before – although I am surrounded by pink in my life because of my daughters.
“In an area like this, to create something for the long term, for kids to take up tennis, I’m all for it. I hope it’s going to work out for the people here in the community.”
Councillor Barrie Hargrove, Southwark Council’s cabinet member for public health, parks and leisure, added: "We’re excited to welcome Nike and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to Southwark this week to launch a fantastic community engagement programme that will run alongside this year's highly anticipated Wimbledon Championships.
"Over the next 10 days there’ll be more than 30 hours of free LTA coaching available to local people, and lots of other active classes run by Nike at the Tanner Street courts.
“There will also be an amazing opportunity for many local school children to try their hand at tennis for the first time with extra special coaching from some of the sports' elite players.”
LTA’s head of region Lisa Pearce said the partnership will create long-term playing opportunities for residents.
"The NikeClub Court is a fantastic facility and to have free events over the next 10 days, and is an opportunity not to be missed. To have world class athletes like Roger here today is truly inspiring for local young people to pick up a racket in their local park.”
To visit the NikeCourt website set up for the event, click here.
Europe's premier Evian Spa unveiled at Hôtel Royal in France
Clinique La Prairie unveils health resort in China after two-year project
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Four Seasons announces luxury wellness resort and residences at Amaala
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Aman sister brand Janu launching in Tokyo in 2024 with design by Denniston's Jean-Michel Gathy
Three years after Pegasus Capital bought Six Senses, how close is the private equity firm to realising its goals for its first spa and hospitality investment? Pegasus’ founder Craig Cogut tells us what’s been achieved and what comes next