Dear Sir,

The following is addressed to Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

I write to you concerning the instalment of pickleball courts at the WER Joell Tennis Stadium. At present, two courts have been converted to pickleball play, a move that was taken without the consultation of tennis users and affiliate clubs. And now, sadly, plans to also convert the tennis practice wall, which is the only public tennis practice wall, into pickleball courts have been realised.

It seems that the sports ministry has dropped the ball concerning the sport of tennis on island, as WER Joell Stadium, which was once an International Tennis Federation-sanctioned venue, has now lost its ITF status. This means that the stadium no longer has the requisite number of courts to allow it to be ITF-designated for tennis competition. It means also that our youngsters will no longer have the opportunity to compete in a locally held, ITF-sponsored tournament to gain ITF ranking for future competition abroad. This is a snub to any sports tourism, as these competitions drew young athletes and spectators from abroad to participate.

Early days we heard the pickleball players were looking for a home court and it was said that they would use the vacant courts at CedarBridge Academy. I would like to know what happened. Also, there are many other locations that could have been established as pickleball courts. The abandoned courts at Harmony Hall and those at Southside in St David’s come to mind.

Some explanation must be given as to why the WER Joell Stadium, which is a dedicated single-use public facility, is being made to share courts with privately funded pickleball interests.

It is appalling that WER Joell Stadium, which has a rich tennis history and has hosted such greats as Althea Gibson, Jimmy Connors and Ken Rosewall should come to such a sad demise. Other illustrious tennis names who have graced these courts include Patrick Rafter, Pancho Gonzales and MaliVai Washington from the men’s arena, and Zina Garrison, Lori McNeil, Barbara Schett and Chanda Rubin among the women. We wonder what level of respect is left for the sport of tennis, which Bermuda historically claims to have introduced to the United States through Mary Ewing Outerbridge, who first brought tennis equipment to America from Bermuda in 1875.

WER Joell Stadium is host to members of the All Bermuda Tennis Club who have for decades suffered frustration with the lack of lighting on the clay courts, which would enable play for night tennis. Poles were erected three years ago, but there is still no installation of lights — to the detriment of the tennis stadium, which loses considerable income from the lack of night play.

The stadium loses further from any tennis player who would want to swing a racket on a sunny public holiday, as the entire stadium is closed on public holidays.

Further, you may wish to engage with tennis pros who earn their livelihoods teaching generations of young players. What explanation should they give as to why their aspiring athletes can no longer achieve ITF ratings on their own local courts?

I therefore ask you to rescind the installation of pickleball courts at WER Joell Tennis Stadium and restore it to its original, dedicated, single-use sport of tennis.

ANNE GRACE FRANCIS

Hamilton Parish

Editor’s note: Pickleball Bermuda is a registered charity (No 1025), so is not privately funded.