Tennis Courts

The Central Park Tennis Center offers the largest collection of public courts in the city, with twenty-six clay and four hard courts. The courts are open from April – November. And if you need a little help with your backhand, you can sign up for lessons.  You might even see a tennis great. Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, and John McEnroe have all played in the Park.

The modern game of tennis originated in Great Britain in the 1870s. The lawn tennis craze quickly spread to the U.S. and was part of Central Park's array of sports activities.

In the 1880s, virtually all of the open meadows in Central Park were used for temporary lawn tennis courts during the summer months. The house you see today was built in 1930, making tennis a permanent fixture in the Park.

What makes playing on these courts so memorable is the unparalleled surroundings. From mulberry and pin oaks to eastern cottonwoods and black cherry, to American elms and crabapples…the Center is surrounded by some of the Park’s best foliage. Caring for this collection is a full-time job for the Central Park Conservancy’s tree crew, which routinely prunes and fertilizes, improving tree health. Speaking of keeping limbs in shape…tennis promotes physical fitness and builds self-confidence.

Whether you’re an expert or wondering how to improve your backhand, the Central Park Tennis Center welcomes you.