The Tennis Center in Central Park offers lessons and programs.
Location: MAP | Enter the park at 93rd Street near the West Drive Phone: (212) 316-0800 (main office) / (212) 360-8131 (permits) / (212) 280-0205 (weather conditions and court availability) Hours: Open everyday from 6:30am till dusk
Located at 96th St. and Central Park Drive.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player looking to improve your game, the Tennis Center is a great place to practice your skills. Its 30 outdoor courts, managed by the Parks Department, are surrounded by beautiful elm, black cherry, and mulberry trees. Their popularity is such that famous tennis players Andre Agassi, Bjorn Borg, and others have frequented these picturesque courts.
For hours, permits, lessons, groups, and summer camp information, please visit our tennis page.
About the Tennis Center
The Central Park Tennis Center is a public facility that offers a variety of professional lessons and programs for all ages and at any level. The premises includes 26 newly reconditioned Har-tru (clay) courts, 4 hard courts, a pro shop with on-site stringing, a snack bar, and locker rooms.
History
Sometime after 1910, permanent courts were built, and over time they acquired backstops and fencing. By 1927, there were 30 courts (the present number) and then there were demands for a fieldhouse with lockers and showers. In 1930, the Tennis House was completed and more than 5,000 season permits for the courts, costing $2, were issued.
In the 1970’s the Central Park Conservancy and NYC Parks Department started to reexamine the park, its function, the layout along with the few permanent structures and buildings that exist in the park. The Tennis House was never part of the original design of the park. The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission gave permission to demolish the existing Tennis House in April 1986 and there were no protests at that time. Then a group of people gathered to object to the plans and said that the plans for the new Tennis House would be too small and situated too far away from the courts. Due to the financial crisis of that time, the Tennis House was left standing and the plans for a new one were forgotten. Instead, money was raised and donated to renovate the existing structure. The structure that you see standing today looks very much as it did 80 years ago.