The tennis and padel competition will start outside. But whether the game has yet to be played, is halfway through or is almost finished. At tennis association MLTC from Meppel, all matches will be stopped for the time being at 10.45 pm.
The canteen of the tennis club has received a warning from the municipality. If the canteen stays open one more time too long, a penalty of 10,000 euros awaits.
The MLTC canteen is run by Harold and Ruerdtsje Jans under the name Bij Jans. It can be open until 11 p.m. “But a tennis match sometimes takes a bit longer,” says Harold Jans. “After a match or training, you all go for a drink in the cafeteria. Yes, MLTC participates in the regional competition of the KNLTB on Friday evenings. Since there are no start and end times for tennis and padel matches, So it is possible that matches are still played between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. After that, it’s nice to have a drink, just like with other sports.”
His peak was 1995: then he was in the top 1000 in the world. Now he enjoys playing a recreational game of tennis or padel, giving training and being behind the bar. Although, the latter no longer happens with great pleasure. “This takes a lot of energy. That makes you think: do we really want to continue like this.”
“We are going to stop the games at fifteen minutes to eleven,” says Walther de Hart, chairman of MLTC. The tennis club is not about the canteen. “But we work together. We are not going to play when it is completely dark here in the cafeteria. In addition, that is not responsible.” Canteen closed, also means dressing room and toilets closed, terrace closed and no facilities for first aid. “You are not allowed to use the terrace after 11 p.m. It will be locked,” Jans adds.
“Can you already see it?”, Jans points to one of the clay courts outside. “Then Robin Grit (as number 101 in singles in the Netherlands and number 34 in doubles, he is the captain of the MLTC team in the major league) plays an amazing match and then you have to break it off halfway. That is not fair. “