Tennis on lockdown? 5 must-try ideas!

Everyone from Queen Elizabeth to Roger Federer is currently confined to their home on lockdown. So, to help keep you entertained at this difficult time, we have put together five ideas to help you pass the time, have fun and stay fit in your living room! #stayathome

Whether you are a keen player denied access to their local tennis court, a self-confessed couch potato or a frazzled parent having to juggle work with home-schooling, why not give yourself a break and invite the world of Roland-Garros into your home?

1 – Lockdown and tone up

Got pins and needles in your legs after sitting around all day? Get your blood pumping and your body moving with Venus Williams’ live workouts! Every day, join #coachvenus for an exclusive training session, broadcast live on her Instagram account. At the end of every afternoon, Venus invites you to follow her daily workout, along with her virtual team. Every session features a new celebrity guest, from her sister Serena Williams to Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov and even model/actress Camille Kostek! When else would you have the chance to do your burpees alongside such a star-studded line-up?

2 - Attempt the #hattapchallenge

A host of new challenges pop up on social media every day, so what happens when one of the tennis world’s greatest stars is forced to stay at home? He jumps on the bandwagon, of course! This is how Roger Federer ended up launching the #hattapchallenge. The challenge is very straightforward: put on your best hat – a Roland-Garros panama, for example – grab your racquet and a ball, find a wall and off you go! The aim of the game is to tap the ball against the wall as many times as you can and film your exploits so you can share them for all to see on social media.

3 - Roger and Rafa live from your living room

Every day, our favourite champions take to social media to share videos of what they are getting up to on lockdown. One such clip is the now-legendary video call between Rafa and Roger, which the champs shared live with their followers on Instagram. This unique exchange was a rare opportunity for their fans to witness such a personal chat between these two tennis maestros. Other players regularly do the same, so keep your eyes peeled!

4 – The Roland-Garros atmosphere on your TV

After so many nights in, you are probably searching for new things to do in the evening, and watching a film is one of the best ways to pass the time and take a break from reality. Good news for film-lovers: there are plenty of movies around that put tennis in the spotlight! Borg McEnroe by Janus Metz, Match Point by Woody Allen and even Battle of the Sexes by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, these films give you the chance to get away from it all and immerse you in the special atmosphere of the tennis world, in your own living room. #RolandGarrosAtHome

5 – Tennis lessons at home

We are now into our 37th day on lockdown and there is no denying it: you are itching to play tennis again! As you wait patiently to be allowed back on court, stay in the game and improve your serve or backhand thanks to the tutorials posted on the new tennis platform FFT TV.