“The club of all Montrealers”

If the eyes of the whole world are turned towards Canada when it comes to tennis, those inside Canada are riveted on Montreal, the national capital of tennis.

At the start of the season, Tennis Montreal intends to broaden its horizons, but also to accentuate the sense of belonging of players in the city.

Hugues Léger, general manager of Tennis Montreal, and Ariane Joly, one of the club’s coaches, were chatting on the edge of one of the grounds in La Fontaine Park. Around a wooden picnic table housed under a mature tree of which there are hundreds in this area of ​​the Plateau Mont-Royal.

Tennis Montreal launched its summer programming on Monday. New management, new image, new ambitions.

“I want Tennis Montreal to be the club for all Montrealers,” said Hugues Léger, himself from the Ahuntsic district, where he cut his teeth at Nicolas-Viel Park.

“We want a club that is accessible in terms of costs, land and activities. And the pride we have in being part of a club. We want people to be happy to play at La Fontaine, Nicolas-Viel or Jeanne-Mance park, ”he continued.

Moreover, Tennis Montreal has launched a collection of clothing, precisely to amplify the feeling of belonging to a group, or to a park.

Although she is from Lachine, Ariane Joly wore a hoodie in the colors of La Fontaine Park on which was written the slogan “The net is too high”. Other pieces with other funny sentences related to tennis will be distributed during the summer.

In the meantime, this concern to emphasize the “hyperlocal” side of the various parks is real and necessary for the enthusiasm, believes Joly: “Tennis is at the heart of Montreal sport, with the IGA stadium and all the outdoor courts . We see the future players, everyone knows each other. In recent years, we have grown even more. »

Joly has been coaching at Tennis Montreal since she was 16 years old. She has been teaching and passing on her passion to the youngest for 11 summers now. The beauty of the thing is that his story is not unique: “We are like a small family. It’s fun, because everyone has somewhat the same background, from player-student to coach. »

Moreover, all Tennis Montreal coaches are certified by Tennis Canada and the Association of Tennis Professionals.

Upon taking office at the turn of 2023, Léger wanted to emphasize the diversity of ages, genders and origins within the organization. At the start of this new season, he is proud to say that “we have 16-year-old coaches, but also 58-year-olds. According to the different clienteles, we will always be adapted”.

For all tastes

Tennis Montreal also makes it a point of honor to promote all levels and all ambitions. Leylah Annie Fernandez and Gabriel Diallo are glaring examples of players who managed to break through after passing through Tennis Montreal.

Originally from Villeray, Diallo even pointed out a few weeks ago that “Tennis Montreal is the only real option when you want to play tennis seriously in Montreal”.

Nevertheless, the organization also wants to allow recreational players to flourish.

“It’s super important,” says the general manager. Exactly half of Tennis Montreal’s revenue comes from recreational tennis. This ratio is about the same for age groups, since 55% of club members are adults and 45% are juniors.

“We identify new champions, but we are there for all levels. So you start playing small tennis and it’s the discovery of the sport at 3, 4 or 5 years old, ”says Léger, when municipal employees destroy dead branches on the edge of the park.

“It’s not complicated to convince people to play tennis,” says Joly, alluding to the increase in interest in the sport during the pandemic.

Teaching players to hit a ball and serve is just the tip of the iceberg, however. The real desire of Tennis Montreal is to train athletes capable of evolving.

“We also focus on learning. Learn to play when you start, but also learn to win when you’re a champion, argues Leger. I always tell our coaches that I want to see two things on the pitch: that everyone has fun and that they progress. The priority is not necessarily to perform. »

Respond to the request

Tennis Montreal’s offer is enticing: 15 parks are accessible to players all over the island.

“But the courts are filling up quickly, it’s a sign that the demand is there”, formulates Léger.

To try to meet everyone’s wishes, Tennis Montreal will organize several events during the high season.

It is a question in particular of a circuit of tournaments at the center Claude-Robillard. Three adult tournaments and three junior tournaments where everyone can play, like in a challenger. There is also “L’apéro tennis”, a weekend happy hour where people can play mixed doubles. Or the “A Thousand Keystrokes” program, to offer more volume.

“We create products that make us have even more fun,” maintains Léger. We adjust all the time. »