The Enthusiasm of the Members Made the Purchase of Zenniz Possible

"It all started with a sudden idea."

That idea got the tennis club's members moving, and eventually, the necessary funds were raised to acquire a smart tennis court. Now, Kemi is home to the northernmost smart tennis court in the world.

Mikko Henriksson, chairman of the Karihaara Tennis Club (KVS), has tennis and voluntary work in his blood. His grandfather helped establish the club back in 1929, his father also served as chairman, and now Henriksson has been leading the club for about ten years.

“We're a small club with just over 100 members. Our club originally got started through the forest industry. In the summer, we play on two sand-artificial turf courts and two clay courts, and in the winter, we play in the new Kemi Areena,” Henriksson explains.

Henriksson says both he and the club had been interested in the Zenniz system for years. For one reason or another, it didn’t move forward at the time, but now the timing was right.

“At the end of 2024, I contacted Zenniz to ask for more details about the device and the cost. After that, I started asking around and involving people here. Some got super excited right away, and others not so much. The enthusiasm came from many different reasons - from the ability to review line calls to the data and video features. Plus, some had positive personal experiences from Oulu.”

But enthusiasm alone doesn’t make an investment possible.

The club’s funds weren’t enough to cover the cost.

Henriksson didn’t give up. He started thinking about how to make the Zenniz purchase happen.

“I wondered if the members would be willing to chip in to improve playing conditions and the overall experience. I thought: you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

That thought led to a message in the club members' WhatsApp group, where Henriksson described the situation and the benefits of Zenniz. He said he was personally willing to put in 200 euros. What about the rest?

I'm in.
I'm in.
I'm in.
I'm in.
I'm in.

The momentum started building.

“That beginning was a critical moment. Very quickly, we had about twenty people on board. Then a sponsor joined in with a significant contribution to get us started. It only took a few days, and we had the required amount raised.”

Now in Kemi, every shot, every movement of players and the ball is tracked - shot by shot.

Article main photo: Niilo and Leevi Dianoff, Karihaara Tennis Club
Article photo: UKI Architechts