LOCAL tennis coach Bill Madafferi is pushing for a Premier League-style format to be played during Mildura Lawn Tennis Club’s (MLTC) summer competition.
The former touring professional said local tennis needed to look at ways of attracting new players.
“We need to provide a pathway for our younger players and provide them with singles competition if they are going to progress their games,” Madafferi said.
A Premier League format was introduced by the Sunraysia District Tennis Association (SDTA) in 2019 after local tennis identity Nick Reck raised the idea.
At the time, Reck believed there needed to be a higher level of competition for the region’s best players – with an emphasis on singles.
Although only two years into the new format, it has proven to be very popular with local players.
Madafferi said a Premier League format would have the potential to grow membership for the MLTC.
“I think since the Premier League was introduced by the SDTA, it has proven very popular with players,” Madaferri said.
“You only have to look at this year to see how much more interest there was.
“I know we only played three rounds before we had to shut the season down, but look at the numbers we had. In 12 months we have gone from struggling to get enough sides to have a competition, to having six sides with plenty of reserves.”
Traditionally, during summer, the MLTC has played a sectional format, with doubles the preferred format.
Madaferri said sectional tennis should still be retained, but believed the Premier League format would complement it.
“There are still lots of players out there who love playing doubles and Saturday afternoon sectional tennis caters for them perfectly,” Madafferi said.
“I just think it is time we stepped things up a bit as a tennis community and added a bit more interest.
“A Premier League-style competition, that has a ladder and finals series, will create a lot of interest, I think, and more importantly get the best players in the region playing over the summer months, which at the moment doesn’t happen.
“But one of my real reasons for pushing this idea is to give our juniors something to strive for.
“I’m not saying every young girl or boy is going to go on to become a tennis star, but this format is invaluable for those kids who are looking to take the next step up to tournament-level tennis.”
Madafferi said he would raise his idea, along with a number of other initiatives to help grow participation, when the MLTC committee next meets.
