October 2020 - Parks & Recreation - 66

TENNIS

It is on public tennis courts that
many individuals picked up a racquet for the first time. It's in the
parks that countless others have
rediscovered the sport during
the pandemic. And, it's on those
same courts that athletes have
found themselves able to enjoy
the outdoors and stay engaged
with friends - in one of the safest
sports around, health-wise.

A host of free services are
available from the United States
Tennis Association
But maybe at the moment, your
courts are looking a little worn out
- and with budget cutbacks, maintenance and improvement projects
have been deferred. If you want to
use tennis to create new energy,
you're going to need some help.
A host of free services are available from the United States Tennis
Association (USTA), the national
governing body for the sport, that
wants municipal and park projects

to thrive as much as you do. From
consulting on the design of a stateof-the-art multi-court facility with
spectator seating, to helping with
information about setting lines
for 30-foot and 60-foot courts for
youth play, to providing assistance
with cracked courts, the USTA's
services are free.
The USTA has a proven history
of success in the partnerships it has
formed with organizations over the
years - partnerships that are benefitting tennis, as well as the larger
communities. Here are three examples of cities that leveraged a variety of benefits to help reconstruct,
renovate and realign tennis facilities
to achieve maximum impact and elevated community involvement.

Memphis,
Tennessee:

Creating a New Tennis Hub
Memphis, Tennessee, is looking at
tennis as the catalyst for a number
of programs, not only to create
sports opportunities but also, ulti-

mately, to elevate the overall profile
of this Southern city.
The Leftwich Tennis Center will
feature 24 outdoor courts and 12
indoor courts, a pro shop, offices
and classroom space, as well as
spectator and concession areas,
and is expected to house everything
from league play to college teams
to mentoring programs for disadvantaged youth. In addition, the
local convention and visitors bureau believes it has the potential to
attract international tournaments
and create a much-needed tourism
boost for a city that, like others, has
seen its economy ravaged by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
When the city's biggest facility, the Racquet Club of Memphis,
closed several years ago, it took with
it the potential for tournaments (it
had hosted the Memphis Open, an
Association of Tennis Professionals
Tour stop) and subtracted a number
of courts from an already dwindling supply - something the city
could ill afford, considering the demand. The University of Memphis,
a growing force in collegiate tennis,
needed practice and competition
facilities, as did local high schools
and middle schools. In addition,
there was an enormous USTA
League tennis population, as well
as a strong National Junior Tennis
and Learning (NJTL) program in
the area. And, all those requests for
court time were weighing heavily
upon the city's supply.
" We had other courts located
around the city, but they were generally in banks of four or six - and
it's really hard to send people to
different locations to play, " says

In Memphis, Tennessee, tennis not only
is creating sports opportunities, but also
is elevating the proﬁle of the city.
64

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October 2020 - Parks & Recreation

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