USTA Colorado letter to public officials

The following letter was sent to numerous public officials around the state for their consideration….

USTA Colorado – the governing body for tennis in our state and the local affiliate of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) – thanks you and all those who are serving the public in these uniquely difficult times. From the outset, USTA Colorado has fully supported state and local decisions regarding the health and well-being of our residents, and we will continue to support the decisions made by state and local governments to help keep our communities safe and healthy. 

At the onset of the pandemic, the USTA brought together a medical task force (comprised of nationally-respected physicians and health officials) to develop extensive guidelines and recommendations to help providers and players return to tennis when deemed appropriate by their state and local regulations. They are linked at the bottom for your review.   

Recreation is especially critical in times like these. Tennis is a sport that inherently incorporates social distancing, and can play an important role in supporting the mental and physical well-being of residents, while also adhering to state and local protocols. Similar to golf, a small change to tennis protocol – like having each player bringing their own set of balls to serve with – can eliminate ‘shared’ equipment while still providing much-needed exercise and an emotional reprieve from the stress of the pandemic.  

USTA Colorado shares the concern of doing all we can to protect the health and well-being of Coloradans. When it is appropriate for people to return and engage in recreation and sport, we respectfully ask you to recognize that tennis already incorporates certain key elements (i.e. social distancing) and can be made even safer when thoughtful guidelines (i.e. like those linked below) are followed. 

We’re in this together. Please reach out to us if there’s anything we can do to support your efforts.  

With gratitude, 

USTA Colorado 

---

From the USTA:

Playing Tennis Safely: Player Tips and Recommendations  

Playing Tennis Safely: Facility and Programming Recommendations