Tennis, pickleball courts ready to reopen for business

Darling Tennis Center didn’t let the shutdown go to waste, using it as an opportunity to paint most of the facility and prepare for when the time would come to reopen.

That time is Friday after Gov. Steve Sisolak’s order to allow certain sports facilities, including tennis and pickleball courts, to again welcome participants. He had restricted such use because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re going to be opening up on kind of limited terms,” said Tyler Burt, Darling Tennis Center operations director. “Obviously, our big events won’t be happening right away, but we’ll go back to court reservations and a small, limited number of group clinics and also allowing private lessons to get back to normal.”

Burt said players must abide by social-distancing guidelines on courts and disinfectant will be provided. Only coaches will be allowed to pick up the ball during clinics. Shared drinking dispensers were removed, so players need to bring their own liquids.

Ryan Wolfington, the Nevada executive director of the U.S. Tennis Association, said a task force was created so that instructors and players returning to the courts would have a safe environment. Pros will wear gloves and masks, and only one person will be allowed to touch the balls.

“I think they’re just going to have to go without serving for a period of time until we know everything is safe,” Wolfington said. “Now if you’re playing with a family member and you know they’re (healthy), they can touch the ball and you can touch the ball. But if you’re playing with someone you’re not quarantined with, then you’d be smart if only one person touches the ball.”

He said he expects about 90 percent of the clubs to return right away.

J.D. Green of the Henderson Parks and Recreation Department said its tennis and pickleball courts will be open, and monitors will be on hand to make sure safe guidelines are followed. The courts also will be available at night.

“I think this is a big step for us to get back to normal,” Green said.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.