Dear affiliates,

We are pleased to share with you the update of how we can return to the court - across the state!

Thank you for your patience as we have worked through the many nuances in the State Government directives. From today, Metropolitan Melbourne can safely return to the court under the below restrictions. As communicated recently, the Chief Health Officer's directives were published early this morning and the below is the interpretation of these directives for tennis.

Unfortunately, late last night the City of Latrobe has entered a 7-day lockdown. This area now joins Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire's restrictions.

There have been no further changes to Regional Victoria's restrictions.

Please continue to use and encourage venue users to practice COVIDSafe principles at all times.

Metropolitan Melbourne COVID-19 restrictions:

Tennis Coaches fall under the Personal Training classification and follow the newly established COVID-19 Vaccinated Activities Directions.

• Group coaching can return with two people plus a coach (for participants and the coach who are not fully vaccinated).

• Group coaching can return with five people plus a coach (for participants and the coach who are all fully vaccinated). The coach must sight evidence of vaccination for all five people and record this information. We have created a template to help you with this.

• Participants younger than 12 years of age are treated as a fully vaccinated person.

• As per the COVID-19 Vaccinated Activities Directions, there is a requirement of coaches or coaching business operators to collect, record, hold and sight vaccination information, if they are in excess of the patron limits (column 4 below).

• As per the Stay at Home Directions recreational tennis (Book a court / casual court hire);  

  • Singles play can return for two people for participants who are not fully vaccinated.

  • Doubles play can return for four people from no more than two households for fully vaccinated participants. Participants must carry proof of vaccination and may be required to show this to an authrised officer at any time.

• As per the COVID-19 Vaccinated Activities Directions, in the instance where a person that has obtained certification from a medical practitioner that the person is unable, due to a medical contraindication, to receive a dose, or a further dose, of a COVID-19 vaccine; they are classified as an excepted person and are classified as fully vaccinated for the categories outlined above.

• Players must reside within 15km of the tennis facility that they are playing at and exercise activity can be for up to four hours.

• Face coverings are to be worn except if a medical exception applies. They can be removed when participating.

• Competition is not permitted.

• All tennis venues must have Service Victoria QR code check-in signage clearly displayed in a prominent location and all venue attendees must check in.

• Indoor facilities, including toilets, must remain closed.

• Some tennis venues may require approval from your council before opening.

Please continue to use and encourage venue users to practice COVIDSafe principles at all times.

The Restricted Activity Directions for authorised and permitted worker permits information can be viewed here.

To support all tennis clubs and coaches with returning to the court, please visit our Tennis Victoria COVID-19 Return to Tennis Toolkit available on the Tennis Victoria website.

In the meantime, please continue to check public exposure sites and reach out to the Tennis Victoria team if we can offer further support.

Kind regards,
Tennis Victoria