More than a hundred children came to TV Breekpunt yesterday to play tennis during the Kidsday of the Billie Jean King Cup. On the first Krajicek square of the Netherlands they met top tennis players of TeamNL who will be in action during the tennis tournament. They inspired the children to pick up the racket themselves and start playing tennis.
The ladies of TeamNL who have been training all week on the newly constructed gravel tennis court in Sportcampus Zuiderpark, had found the time to play tennis with over 120 enthusiastic children. The children were introduced to tennis in a playful way, partly supervised by professional trainers.
“Who is your best friend on the tennis court?”
TeamNL had their picture taken with the children and answered a barrage of questions during a real children’s press conference. The children from various primary schools in The Hague took on the role of journalist and, together with sports alderman Hilbert Bredemeijer, asked the players and trainers questions that they normally don’t get to ask them very often. For example, the children were curious about how to become good at tennis and who the best friends of the tennis players are on the tennis court.
Alderman Bredemeijer sees that top-level sport inspires children to take up sports themselves: “These top tennis players deliver fantastic sporting performances during the Billie Jean King Cup and proudly represent the Netherlands. They show children how much fun sport can bring and that motivates them to take up sports themselves. It’s fantastic that these children meet their sports heroes in this way.”
The Kidsday is part of a total social program during the Billie Jean King Cup. On Thursday April 10, around 500 children will first do sports activities themselves in Sportcampus Zuiderpark before they watch the matches against Germany.
On behalf of TeamNL, Suzan Lamens, Eva Vedder, Anouk Koevermans, Demi Schuurs, coach Elise Tamaëla and former player Kiki Bertens were present at the Kidsday.
Text and images provided: Gemeente Den Haag
Translation by The Hague Online