Sunshine will be centre-stage of a tennis boom in coming years, according to Brimbank council … and the brother of one of Australia’s best players agrees.
The council’s support for tennis won it a local government recognition award at the MCG in March, and according to its most recent strategy – which found Delahey and Sydenham were the most tennis mad – the biggest growth in tennis is set to be at Sunshine, with projections of more than 550 new players by 2031.
North Sunshine Tennis Club coach Anthony Guccione, brother of world number 47 Chris, said tennis is thriving in the Sunshine area.
“There’s been a significant increase in recent years at our club,” he said.
“And a lot in our coaching program. We always get a big intake around the Australian Open.”
The strategy recommended upgrades at tennis pavilions at Keilor Park Reserve, JR Parson Reserve, Lionheart Reserve and Green Gully Reserve.
It also recognised an exodus of the more than 2000 registered players, almost half going to clubs outside the municipality.
The council has invested more than $1.7million into tennis over the past five years.
