Tennis courts reopen in Sask., with restrictions in place to prevent COVID-19 spread

Depending on where you are in Saskatchewan, you might now be able to get a tennis match or two in.

The Lakeshore Tennis Club, located inRegina's Wascana Park, opened in late May. Ithas a set of guidelines players must abide by to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Anita Rose Brockman, the club's president, saidits courts havebeen limited to singles-only groups to ensure physical distancing guidelines can be met.

She said the clubhouse and washrooms are closed. The club uses an online booking system, which she said will allow an easy way for members to contact trace in the event someone contracts COVID-19.

Players are required to bring their own marked tennis balls they can only use their own and if someone sees their opponent touching their face, matches are required to stop so both players can sanitize their hands.

Players are also required to wear a glove on their serving hands, among other regulations.

Rose Brockman said in reopening, the club wanted to ensure everyone was safe. They brought their guidelines to two infectious disease doctors to look over before formally opening.

"We wanted to know, if, in their opinion, that they felt that tennis was a safe sport because it is non-contact," Rose Brockman said.

"They said under the proper guidelines and restrictions, that definitely, it was comparable to golf."

P.A., Saskatoon courts reopen

Elsewhere in Regina, as well as inPrince Albert and Saskatoon, municipal tennis and pickleballcourts have reopened.

Both Saskatoon and Prince Albert said guidelines will be in place on their courts, designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In Prince Albert, tournaments, lessons and leagues are restricted, while clubhouses are closed and gatherings are restricted to 10 people.

In Saskatoon, courts opened last Friday, incompliance with the outdoor individual recreation guidelines set out by the chief medical health officer, the city says.

Players in all cities have been asked to read and abide by guidelines created by Tennis Canada.

Individual outdoor recreation activities wereallowed under Phase 1 of the province's reopening plan, which came into effect last month.

The reopening of otheroutdoor and indoor recreation facilities falls under Phase 4 of thereopening strategy, which also increases the size of indoor public and private gatherings to 30 people.

There is no date yet for the implementation of Phase 4.