The newly resurfaced Trust Aoraki Tennis Centre will get its first official workout when it hosts the Junior Spring Open on Monday.
Work began on the courts in December 2021, with an initial, optimistic completion date of April 2022.
Because of factors such as Covid, delays with contractors, staff shortages and being unable to work through the winter, the project, which cost about $1 million, has only just been completed.
It will be the first time in nearly two years that the centre will hold a tournament.
Tennis South Canterbury coach Connor Brosnahan said it was really good to have the courts back.
‘‘I’ve had to coach at all the little courts, at the likes of Aorangi Stadium and Wai-Iti, so it will be great to get everybody back.’’
The club had always held the big open every year in the school holidays between term three and four .
The competition is open to children from all over New Zealand and features four age groups, ranging from under 10s to under 16s.
Mr Brosnahan said for a lot of the children he had been coaching, it would be their first tournament.
‘‘The most popular age group at the moment is the under 10s.
‘‘So we will have a lot of beginners.
‘‘There’s also a few kids that have been playing at national levels that have entered so there will be some top level entrants as well.’’
In 2021 there were 97 entries into the tournament, and Tennis South Canterbury administrator Anna Telfer hoped they would reach a similar number this time around. ‘‘It might be asking a lot with having just got the courts back and people outside of South Canterbury not knowing they are back open but we’d love to see more entries.’’ At present there are 36 entries into the tournament. Tennis South Canterbury board member Ferg Hazlett said it was important the resurfacing was done.
‘‘We couldn’t leave it the way it was, it was all cracking, we’ve got to keep up to speed with everything.
‘‘Another year and it would keep getting further and further behind.
‘‘There’s always something going on, repairs and maintenance, it’s just the nature of the beast.’’
Miss Telfer said it was important the club kept up to date.
‘‘Tennis is still a popular sport, we’re hoping it’ll definitely be an attraction having this here.’’
Mr Hazlett said the main issue the club was facing now was converting their junior members into senior members.
‘‘The scenario we have here is lots of juniors but a lack of seniors.
‘‘We get them to about 15, then they get boyfriends and girlfriends and go on to different things in life and they just drift off, out of a crop you only get one or two stay on.
‘‘We’re always trying to grow the sport.’’
The club only have a few more areas to work on — such as installing some gazebos, seating repair and signage — and then aim to hold an open day for the public once the spring open tournament had concluded.
There are hopes to hold another large-scale event in the future like the Davis Cup, which was previously held there in February 2000.
The surroundings of two of the courts were made bigger than the rest so that they were up to an international standard.
For now though, the club will focus on the upcoming Junior Spring Open starting on Monday, the Junior Closed tournament at the start of November and the Senior Timaru tournament in December.
Anyone wishing to sign up for the Spring Open can do so on the Tennis South Canterbury website.
