With Wimbledon underway, three new pay-and-play outdoor tennis courts have opened.

They are at in Victoria Park, Deal, thanks to investment by Dover District Council and a £5,500 grant from the Lawn Tennis Association, the governing body for the sport in Great Britain.

The three courts will be LTA-registered venues for Clubspark a seamless system that integrates online court bookings through the LTA Rally digital platform.

It also provides players with coded entry to the court via a smart gate.

The three courts have also been completely refurbished by DDC with new surfacing, robust fencing, nets, and court markings.

Your Leisure will operate, manage, and maintain the outdoor tennis courts, enabling them to further develop links with the LTA-registered Deal Indoor Tennis Centre.

The new gate access systems will also allow the council to better regulate and track usage of tennis courts and help make it more straightforward for participants to play the sport.

The project forms part of the LTA’s nationwide strategy to make tennis facilities more accessible, and to drive participation by making the journey to court easier.

Cllr Oliver Richardson, cabinet member for community, environment and corporate property, said: “It is the council’s priority to ensure good quality outdoor spaces are accessible for everyone to enjoy and we are pleased to be able to use this money to refurbish these courts."

John Golding, LTA head of region for London and the South East, said: "It is great to see the installation of new gate access systems at Victoria Park, Deal completed.

"Alongside LTA Rally, it helps to overcome what we know is one of the biggest barriers people experience in wanting to play tennis in easily finding and booking a court.

" In other areas where we have seen gate access technology introduced, participants have found the journey to court much easier, and we have also seen significant increases in usage.

"Tennis is a hobby for life."

"We hope the new systems will encourage more people within the Dover District to get active through tennis, regardless of their age, background, ability or disability.

Gavid Vickers, Head of Leisure Services for Your Leisure, said; “We now have a real opportunity to help improve the health and well-being of the people of Deal through the power of tennis. Tennis is a uniquely social sport that is a hobby for life and enables people of all ages to maintain a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle.

The courts can be booked online at lta.org.uk/rally and via the same direct link on both the DDC and Tides Leisure Centre websites.

The 2021 Wimbledon Championships began on Monday and continue until Sunday, July 11.

Kent teenager Emma Raducanu won in her debut match there yesterday.

Read more: all the latest news from Deal