British Sports Minister Stuart Andrew was on hand to launch the completion of 1,500 public tennis courts across England, Scotland and Wales, as part of over £30 million worth of investment in the sport.

Andrew, along with Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Chief Executive, Scott Lloyd, were present at the recently renovated Buile Park in Salford, where they joined a family tennis session and encouraged more members of the community to participate in tennis.

The duo visited Buile Park on the final day of the Davis Cup group stage event, where a new record was set for spectator attendance at a Davis Cup match in Britain. Over 13,000 fans watched Great Britain battle France, with the Brits advancing 2-1 after a thrilling decisive doubles rubber match.

Having easy access to high quality sport facilities is vital to staying fit and healthy," said Andrew. "These park tennis courts in Salford are just a few of the 1,500 recently renovated thanks to the £30 million partnership between the Government and the LTA. We're giving thousands of people across the country more opportunities to play tennis and getting people active in previously underserved communities."

The £30 million investment, through which £21.9 million has been committed by the UK Government and £8.4 million by the LTA Tennis Foundation, is the most significant investment in parks tennis courts across Britain for a generation.  This is designed to support the Government’s commitment to levelling up sports provision across the UK.