Joburg Tennis Grassroots Foundation

Great news!

A win for Joburg's heritage! This morning, the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation unveiled a blue plaque at the Ellis Park Tennis Centre. The plaque serves as an internationally recognised marker on a building, site or home to indicate it's historical and social significance, and encourages the protection of these sites for future generations.

Photo: Alec Galanakis

Joburg Tennis Grassroots Foundation are taking it to the streets.

This Sunday, we’re stepping out from behind the walls of Ellis Park Tennis Centre and onto Main Street for Main Street Sundays – no cars, just people, play and city energy on full blast.

We’re bringing street tennis, mini matches, tennis lessons and tennis coaching into the middle of the CBD and flipping what a Sunday in Joburg looks like.

Because the city isn’t meant to be watched through a windscreen – it’s meant to be walked, ridden, played in and claimed. We’re proud to be part of the Jozi My Jozi rebellion that says these streets belong to us, our kids, our neighbours and our ideas.

Pull through, find us on Main Street, and get stuck in.
Make Main Street your playground – we’ll be waiting in the middle of the road.

https://youtu.be/6o8bLajJfnU?si=w14wIpC8vfHNoh33

🎾 A HUGE THANK YOU! 🎾

From everyone at the Joburg Tennis Grassroots Foundation, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the incredible individuals and organisations who have so generously donated tennis balls throughout the past year.

A special thank you to Play it Forward Jozi, https://www.facebook.com/PlayitForwardJozi/
Marks Park Tennis Club, Bryanston Sports Club, Joburg Tennis, Tennis South Africa (TSA), Ryan from Advantage Tennis, Gavin Kampers from Parkview Tennis Club, Renee Plant from St Marys and the many wonderful supporters who have chosen to remain anonymous.

Because of your generosity, we have not only been able to sustain our programmes but also continue to grow, with a consistent supply of tennis balls that has made a real difference on court.

More than 200 school learners, tertiary students and university students to date have benefited from your donations, helping them develop their skills and passion for the game.

Your support is changing lives, one tennis ball at a time.
THANK YOU for being part of our journey and helping us create opportunities through tennis. ❤️

A huge thank you to Katie and her mom, Karen Doyer, for their incredible generosity, enthusiasm, and unwavering support of the Joburg Tennis Grassroots Foundation! 🎾💚

Katie, a scholar and a talented tennis player at Helpmekaar, has been a tremendous supporter of JTGF and recently spent time volunteering at the Ellis Park Tennis Centre, helping our coaches introduce 42 mostly new-to-tennis scholars to the game. Her energy and passion made a real difference to the children’s experience.

After the coaching session, the kids were treated to delicious oranges and packets of chips, thanks to Katie and Karen’s kindness.
Their support extends far beyond the court. Katie and Karen have also played a huge role in generating valuable media attention for the programme, helping to promote JTGF through The Good Things Guy
https://www.goodthingsguy.com/johannesburg-tennis-grassroots-foundation-revives-ellis-park-courts/
and other upcoming social media platforms, bringing greater awareness to the work we do and the lives we are changing through tennis.

Katie and Karen, your generosity, commitment, and belief in our mission inspire us all. Thank you for making such a positive impact on our JTGF family—you are truly amazing! 🙏

Every champion starts with a first swing. 🎾💚

On Thursday last week scholars from Troyeville Primary School and Bertrams Junior School stepped onto the tennis court for the very first time, beginning what we hope will be a lifelong journey of learning, confidence, and opportunity through sport.

Seeing the excitement, smiles, and determination on their faces reminds us why grassroots tennis matters so much. Every child deserves the chance to discover their potential, one rally at a time.

A special thank you to the incredibly dedicated and enthusiastic Miss Vosloo for capturing these beautiful moments on video and helping us celebrate this milestone.

Here's to many more first serves, first rallies, and unforgettable memories! 🌟🎾

🎾💙 Thank you to the wonderful St Mary’s Waverley parents, students and staff for the incredibly generous donation to the Joburg Tennis Grassroots Foundation!

A very special thank you to legendary tennis coach and educator Rene Plant for helping make this possible. The donation of racquets, tennis balls, and especially water bottles will make a huge difference in keeping our JTGF scholars equipped, hydrated, and refreshed both on and off the court.

Your kindness, support, and belief in our young athletes is deeply appreciated.

Ready to go! 🎾💧👏

🎾 A beautiful winter’s day at Ellis Park brought out an incredible turnout for our coaching programmes!

Before stepping onto the court, our young players focused on the importance of warming up and stretching — an essential part of building strong, healthy athletes and improving performance on court. 💪☀️

It’s inspiring to see so much energy, commitment, and enthusiasm from the future stars of tennis. Thank you to everyone who joined us and continues to support the growth of grassroots tennis in Johannesburg! 🎾👏

A heartfelt thank you to and for the lovely article published in the goodthingsguy.
https://www.goodthingsguy.com/johannesburg-tennis-grassroots-foundation-revives-ellis-park-courts/

Thank you to Karabo Peter Katie Doyer
Your support and dedication to sharing positive stories about grassroots tennis and community development are truly appreciated. You are both doing sterling work, and we are grateful for the spotlight you’ve shone on our mission at the Joburg Tennis Grassroots Foundation. 🎾👏

Thank you for helping us inspire and uplift through sport!

Joburg Tennis Grassroots Foundation Revives Ellis Park Courts The Johannesburg Tennis Grassroots Foundation is transforming empty inner-city courts into spaces of mentorship, sport, and youth development