Despite all the odds and repeated restrictions and closures due to Covid, Congresbury Tennis Club has nearly doubled its membership since last year.

The club had invested in resurfacing two of their courts just before the pandemic first hit the UK and, ironically, as a result of Covid a number of people in the area have more time on their hands and others are looking to play tennis more locally than Bristol.

One couple have now decided to start playing tennis after living in the village for more than 10 years and additional men’s C and D teams are being formed and just a few more ladies are needed to start a ladies B team.

Two local tennis clubs have kindly offered to host the men’s C and D teams while the club investigates the feasibility of building a fourth court, which would also increase the possibility of more junior tennis, cardio tennis, walking tennis, wheelchair tennis and club tournaments.

After a number of years where the numbers were too small, social tennis is now thriving on a Thursday evening and Sunday morning (outside of lockdown) and a new Singles Box league has been started.

Although the social calendar had to be put on hold, some enterprising members managed to organise both a socially distanced cycle ride and a socially distanced pre-Christmas circular walk from Congresbury via Wrington.

In what is a difficult time for tennis coaches, Congresbury now has four coaches including a level 5 performance coach, but they are taking other jobs to see them through this period.

The club are now looking forward to both the end of lockdown and warmer weather when new junior and adult coaching sessions will restart.