Declining volunteers and participation rates force cancellation of annual Geraldton Easter Tournament

Easter will look different this year for WA’s tennis community, as the Geraldton Tennis Centre has announced its annual Easter Tournament will not be going ahead in 2026 and is unlikely to return in the future. On Wednesday last week, the committee published a statement on social media, calling it a “tough decision” to cancel the event which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. “In recent years, we have experienced numerous ongoing challenges in delivering the event, including ongoing decline in participation (due to varied factors) and a lack of volunteer capacity, which have made it unsustainable to continue,” it said. “Our focus is now on growing tennis locally through junior development, inclusive and social tennis, strong governance, and quality facilities. “Thank you to everyone who supported the tournament over the years. We truly appreciate it.” The Geraldton Easter Tournament is one of WA’s oldest tournaments and has attracted some of the State’s top players who have gone on to play internationally. Maddison Inglis, who made it to round four of this year’s Australian Open, won the women’s singles event in 2015 at 17 years old and again in 2018. Other past participants include 2023 Australian Open doubles champion Jason Kubler in 2018, Casey Dellacqua in 2005 and the Patten brothers. It also welcomed amateur players from around the State to compete in the prestigious tournament, but overall numbers have dwindled, according to the Geraldton Tennis Centre committee. In an email sent to its members, they cited increased travel and accommodation costs as key factors ruling out travelling players. “There are now several alternative competitions, closer to Perth, that offer competitive fields or more convenient scheduling and less travel time,” the email read. “These options have also understandably drawn some players away.” The email also stated they were unable to secure volunteers needed to run the tournament, despite “widespread and repeated efforts”. The Geraldton Tennis Club committee also noted they had recently adopted a new strategic plan designed to grow tennis in the Mid West. This includes junior development, promoting inclusive and social tennis opportunities, training coaches and providing high-quality facilities. “Our priority is to direct our limited resources and volunteer capacity into these areas to rebuild participation and strengthen the club for the future,” the email read.