National Tennis Centre (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
The United Kingdom
's National Tennis Centre at Roehampton
in south west London
is the Lawn Tennis Association
(LTA)'s high performance training facility. It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 29 March 2007.
The centre has 16 outdoor courts, covering all the Grand Slam
surfaces, 6 indoor courts, a gymnasium and sports science and medical facilities. It also houses the administration of the LTA, which was previously based at the Queen's Club
in West Kensington
.
The National Tennis Centre was built in response to a 1999 review by the LTA of the reasons for its sustained failure to produce world class tennis players (the only British players of either sex to make the world top fifty in the 1990s were Tim Henman
, who didn't come up through the LTA system, and Greg Rusedski
, who learned to play in Canada
). It was inspired by the national tennis centres in the more successful tennis nations of France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and the United States and serves as a focus for high performance players and coaches.
Previously the LTA's elite training facilities were at Queen's Club
, but they were inadequate for the purpose and Queen's is better known as a social club for wealthy Londoners than as a centre of sporting excellence. The LTA hopes that relocating to a facility dedicated to competitive tennis will help to bring about new culture in British tennis in which competition is given priority rather than social tennis. It sold Queen's Club back to the club members. The south west London location was chosen because it is close to the All England Club, home of the Wimbledon Championships, and many leading British players live in the area.
The National Tennis Centre was designed in 2007 by Hopkins Architects
, the designers of Portcullis House Westminster, London, UK in 2000 with offices for 210 MPs and a suite of Select Committee Rooms, across the road from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's National Tennis Centre at Roehampton
Roehampton
Roehampton is a district in south-west London, forming the western end of the London Borough of Wandsworth. It lies between the town of Barnes to the north, Putney to the east and Wimbledon Common to the south. The Richmond Park golf courses are west of the neighbourhood, and just south of these is...
in south west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
is the Lawn Tennis Association
Lawn Tennis Association
The Lawn Tennis Association is the national governing body of tennis in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.As the governing body, the LTA is responsible for the coaching and development of junior players, offering courses and qualifications on coaching, as well as the...
(LTA)'s high performance training facility. It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 29 March 2007.
The centre has 16 outdoor courts, covering all the Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
surfaces, 6 indoor courts, a gymnasium and sports science and medical facilities. It also houses the administration of the LTA, which was previously based at the Queen's Club
Queen's Club
The Queen's Club is a private sporting club in West Kensington, London, England. Founded in 1886, the Queen's Club was the world's first multipurpose sports complex and named after Queen Victoria, its first patron...
in West Kensington
West Kensington, London
- Commercial/education :Local business consists of small shops, offices and restaurants, with the Olympia Exhibition Centre nearby. Indeed, it is the mix of local shops that give the area its character....
.
The National Tennis Centre was built in response to a 1999 review by the LTA of the reasons for its sustained failure to produce world class tennis players (the only British players of either sex to make the world top fifty in the 1990s were Tim Henman
Tim Henman
Timothy Henry "Tim" Henman OBE is a retired English professional tennis player and former British Number One. Henman played a serve-and-volley style of tennis that suited the grass courts of Wimbledon. He was the first player from the United Kingdom since Roger Taylor in the 1970s to reach the...
, who didn't come up through the LTA system, and Greg Rusedski
Greg Rusedski
Gregory "Greg" Rusedski is a British Canadian former tennis player who turned professional in 1991 and played until his retirement on 7 April 2007, at the age of 33...
, who learned to play in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
). It was inspired by the national tennis centres in the more successful tennis nations of France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and the United States and serves as a focus for high performance players and coaches.
Previously the LTA's elite training facilities were at Queen's Club
Queen's Club
The Queen's Club is a private sporting club in West Kensington, London, England. Founded in 1886, the Queen's Club was the world's first multipurpose sports complex and named after Queen Victoria, its first patron...
, but they were inadequate for the purpose and Queen's is better known as a social club for wealthy Londoners than as a centre of sporting excellence. The LTA hopes that relocating to a facility dedicated to competitive tennis will help to bring about new culture in British tennis in which competition is given priority rather than social tennis. It sold Queen's Club back to the club members. The south west London location was chosen because it is close to the All England Club, home of the Wimbledon Championships, and many leading British players live in the area.
The National Tennis Centre was designed in 2007 by Hopkins Architects
Hopkins Architects
Hopkins Architects Partnership LLP is a prominent British architectural firm established in 1976 by Sir Michael and Lady Patricia Hopkins. The practice has won many awards for its work and has twice been shortlisted for the Stirling Prize, including in 2011 for the 2012 London Velodrome and in...
, the designers of Portcullis House Westminster, London, UK in 2000 with offices for 210 MPs and a suite of Select Committee Rooms, across the road from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.