The wooden tennis racket is making a comeback.

An Taoiseach, Michéal Martin visited Douglas Lawn Tennis Club over the weekend as a unique new world-ranking event was announced for this autumn.

The club will host the International Wood Tennis Organisation inaugural event over the weekend of September 3rd to 5th, 2021,

Mr Martin also formally re-opened the club’s six flood-lit all-weather courts after their recent resurfacing and the addition of a new state-of-the-art lighting system.

“As we are about to celebrate 40 years on this site as a club, Douglas LTC is proud to be part of this new evolution of tennis, an evolution that involves returning to the roots of the sport.” said club president Mike Ryan.

“We are thrilled that IWTO chose our club to host its first international event. We want to welcome as many players as possible to Cork in early September to enjoy not only the tennis – but all that the city has to offer.”

Sponsorship for the weekend event has come from Lehane Motors, O’Leary Insurances and Clonakilty Distillery, with on-site catering supplied by a new local business called Box Pirates.

“The International Wood Tennis Organisation is dedicated to the development of wood tennis as a new standalone category of Tennis through the IWTO Tour.” said Steve O’Sullivan, Founder and CEO of the International Wood Tennis Organisation.

“I am incredibly proud and excited that the Irish Open, our inaugural world-ranking event, is being held at Douglas Lawn Tennis Club. The support and passion that Mike Ryan and Club Captain, Triona Buckley have for Wood Tennis makes Douglas LTC the perfect place to begin the IWTO adventure”.