COVID-19: GUIDANCE FOR PLAYERS
(Updated guidance in effect from 23 September 2020)

BEFORE & AFTER PLAY

WHO CAN PLAY 

• Before leaving home to play tennis, all participants should undergo a self-assessment symptom check for any COVID-19 symptoms using the information on the NHS website
• If you are symptomatic or living in a household with someone else who has a possible or confirmed COVID-19 infection you should remain at home and not go out to play tennis, following NHS and PHE guidance on self-isolation
• If you are required to self-isolate for any other reason then you should also not exercise outside your own home or garden and should not exercise with others. This includes if you have been asked to isolate by NHS Test and Trace because you are a close contact of a known COVID-19 case, or if you have returned from a travel destination not included on the Government’s travel corridor list. In all of these instances, you should not leave your home to play tennis
• If you are in a clinically vulnerable group (e.g. over 70) you can play tennis but should be especially careful and diligent about social distancing and hand hygiene
• If you are classified as clinically extremely vulnerable, from 6 July you can consider playing tennis, always maintaining social distancing and with robust hand and respiratory hygiene. Further guidance is available here, which will be updated further from 1 August as the Government pauses shielding

BEFORE LEAVING HOME & AFTER YOU RETURN

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before leaving home to go to the court (or use an alcohol gel if washing hands is not possible)
• Arrive at the venue changed and ready to play, and shower at home – even when the changing facilities are opened use of these should be avoided where possible

COURT BOOKINGS

• Courts must be booked in advance online via the tennis club website
• To support NHS Test and Trace, the club will collect names of all players when booking so that we have appropriate temporary records in place to assist this service
• Ensure you stick to the times you have booked to allow time for you to leave before the next players arrive

 
EQUIPMENT

• Take hand sanitizer with you
• Use your own equipment where possible. Equipment such as rackets can be shared, but where this happens ensure thorough cleaning before and after use. Players should not share items such as towels
• Only take the minimum amount of equipment with you that you need
• Clean and wipe down your equipment, including racquets and water bottles before and after use
• Bring a full water bottle, and do not share food or drink with others
• Bring your own tennis balls that are clearly marked (e.g. with your initials)
• Ensure you take all your belongings with you at the end of the session and do not leave anything on court

 
TRAVELLING TO AND FROM THE COURT

• You can help control COVID-19 and travel safely by walking and cycling, if you can. Where this is not possible, use public transport or drive - safer travel guidance is provided on the Government website
• Arrive as close as possible to when you need to be there
• Use alcohol gel after touching any court gates, fences, benches, etc, and avoid doing so where possible
• Allow others to leave before you enter the court – if you need to wait then do so away from the courts and clear of the gates
• Ensure you leave the court before the end of your allotted time so that it is empty for the next players
• Avoid congregating on or around the court after playing to allow access for others

 
USING VENUE FACILITIES

• Take particular care when using onsite toilet facilities and clean hands thoroughly after use
• Avoid using changing rooms where possible

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DURING PLAY

TENNIS ACTIVITY 

• Both singles play and doubles play is now permitted with people from outside of your household, as long as you remain 2 metres apart as far as possible – meaning that four people from different households can now play doubles
• For informal social play, group size is limited to a maximum of six people by law. This means you can play tennis providing you only meet up with no more than 5 other people from different households and observe social distancing guidelines 
• Players should continue to maintain social distancing from those that they do not live with or are in a support bubble with

 
MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING
Other than where players are from the same household or part of a support bubble, follow Government advice on staying alert and safe, and:

• Stay at least two metres away from other players at all times (including during play, when taking breaks and before and after play)
• Do not make physical contact with other players (such as shaking hands or high five)
• Avoid chasing the ball down to another court if other players are using it
• For doubles, consider agreeing in advance which player will take the shot if a ball travels to the centre of the court
• Players are advised to limit their interactions with anyone outside of the group they are attending the venue with (e.g. players on another court or in a different coaching group) 
• For coached sessions, pay careful attention to the instructions of the coach
• Where you cannot maintain a two metre distance then further precautions should be put in place as part of ‘one metre plus mitigations’ guidance (see the Government’s advice on ‘Staying safe outside your home’ for more details)

 
HYGIENE

• Hand hygiene is imperative - hand sanitise at intervals if you have to touch communal surfaces
• If you need to sneeze or cough, do so into a tissue or upper sleeve
• Avoid touching your face

EQUIPMENT & FACILITIES

• If players wish to, they can choose to use their own marked tennis balls
• If you choose to use shared balls then extra care must be taken to ensure you do not touch your face during play, and you should clean your hands before play and immediately after finishing (use alcohol gel if required)
• Players should still avoid using their hands to pick up tennis balls from other courts where possible - use your racquet/foot to return them as those players may have decided to use their own marked tennis balls
• Avoid using other equipment such as courtside benches or net handles where possible

SUPERVISION & SPECTATING

• Where attendance of a parent/guardian (non-participant) is required, or a carer for a disabled player, it is permitted and is not counted as part of the maximum group size, but should be off court and limited to one per player where possible
• Supporters, parents, and other spectators should remain socially distanced whilst attending events. Spectator groups must be restricted to discrete six person gathering limits and spread out, in line with wider government guidance