Fair Play for Everyone, Right?
The Swedish tennis club, Fair Play Tennisklubb, is dedicated to its name and mission in every way.
Operating in Malmö, Sweden, the club is one of the country’s largest and most active, having around 3,500 members and Sweden’s biggest tennis school with over 1,500 players.
"We are a club for everyone. We want to be a meaningful organization locally, catering to all skill levels and age groups. Whether you’re booking a single tennis session, training with serious goals, or playing professionally, you are welcome here”, says Fair Play TK’s Club Manager, David Gustafsson.
Fair Play was founded in 1972 by a group of tennis friends. They had experienced negative situations at another club and decided to create their own, built on openness, fairness, and a strong sense of community.
"Fair play is the foundation of our existence—and we want it to guide everything we do. In our new operational plan we talk about installing the Fair Play identity not just for players but also for coaches, parents, and all our stakeholders.”
To ensure fairness is more than just a name of the club, Gustafsson shares concrete actions—steps that will have any reader nodding in approval.
"We are actively involved locally, making school visits and organizing internal lectures on the Fair Play theme, especially for our competitive players. One key initiative is our proactive communication with tournament organizers. As a competitive club, it is common in Sweden for tournament directors to reach out if a player from a club has behaved poorly. We decided to flip the script—we don’t want to wait. Now, our sports director calls every tournament organizer monthly to check in on our players’ behavior. This provides us valuable insights and allows us to genuinely act by our club’s core values."
”Fair Play – Development More Important Than Wins”
The club’s home is the System Verification Fair Play Stadion, featuring nine tennis courts, four padel courts and a multi-sport court for various disciplines. In summer, the clay courts at Limhamn provide players with top-class playing conditions. The Fair Play Stadion is also equipped with the Zenniz smart tennis system.
"Electronic line calling perfectly supports our operations. The calls are precise and fair for everyone," Gustafsson summarizes.
Tennis, as a sport, is both a pioneer in technology and still somewhat in its early stages. Professional tennis has long used data and electronic line-calling, and wooden rackets are now relics of the past. However, recreational players largely continue playing as they always have—hitting the ball over the net, rally after rally, without any digital footprint. But technology is changing this reality.
"I like technology, and whether you like it or not, it’s becoming a bigger part of our sport. It’s best to embrace the benefits. We are now witnessing technology making its way to the grassroots level, while spectators have already enjoyed its advantages on TV for years."
Technology will not erase the rich traditions and strengths of tennis—quite the opposite. It enhances the sport’s development while preserving its essence.
"The beauty of Zenniz is that it doesn’t take the focus away from the game."
Among Fair Play members, Zenniz is used by both young players and seniors.
"Young players have wondered why this wasn’t available sooner. Even players over 80 years old have used the system from day one. Zenniz is user-friendly, no unnecessary hassle. Just step on the court, press start and begin playing."
"It’s only a matter of time before this technology is present across the entire tennis world."