The World’s 28 Most Beautiful Tennis Courts
To enjoy beautiful tennis courts one doesn’t have to be Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. With exquisite design and picturesque surroundings, you can perfect your strokes on some of the world’s most beautiful tennis courts, located in places like villages, busy streets of bustling cities, the Amalfi Coast in Italy, or high over New York City.
Designing tennis courts—or any sport facility, for that matter—has both a structured simplicity and an artistic challenge. In many ways, all courts are the same: They measure 78 feet long and 36 feet wide, they’re ideally oriented from the north to the south, and they’re all marked with the same baselines, service boxes, and cut by the same three-foot net. With so many predetermined elements, designing something unique presents a difficult but satisfying opportunity when carried out correctly.
With the US Open gearing up to take center court, AD looks at the 28 most breathtaking spots to go game-set-match around the world.
Photo: Courtesy of Jumeirah Maldives Olhahali Island1/28Jumeirah Maldives, Olhahali Island
Beachside tennis takes on a whole new meaning at the courts within the Jumeirah Maldives Olhahali Island. Even if your serve isn’t perfect, the views overlooking your match will be.
Photo: Getty Images2/28Mürren, Switzerland
The town of Mürren offers spectaular views of the surrounding Swiss Alps. It makes sense that locals decided to put a tennis court to take in the natural beauty. This might be the one location where tennis fans would have trouble keeping an eye on their beloved Roger Federer, should he ever decide to play here. Located at the Sportchalet in Mürren, these courts are situated some 5,400 ft above the Lauterbrunnen Valley.
Photo: Getty Images3/28San Paolo Converso (Milan, Italy)
In the above picture you’ll find two things: a work of art by US artist Asad Raza and a fully functioning tennis court. Titled Untitled (Plot for Dialogue), the piece was inspired by Raza’s love for the sport. This was one of many rotating art installations hosted by the architectural firm CLS Architectti, which transformed the church into its headquarters in 2015.
Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images4/28Burj Al Arab Helipad (Dubai, UAE)
Back in 2005, Roger Federer and Andre Agassi were invited to play a friendly match atop a helipad at Dubai’s Burj Al Arab. The landing spot was temporarily converted into a court to promote the Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open. The pad floats 656 feet above sea level, providing unparalleled and slightly heart-stopping views.
Photo: Romain Reglade5/28Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc (Antibes, France)
The former mansion turned hotel is among the most idyllic settings for a vacation. The location has been immortalized by writers such as F. Scott Fiztgerland and Ernest Hemingway (both stayed on the grounds in the 1920s), as well as Marc Chagall, who drafted many sketches in several of the beachside cabanas. But for the serious tennis player, all that really matters are the five clay tennis courts on the grounds. Situated beneath a verdant canopy of pines and olive trees, this is a setting for tennis that can’t easily be beat.
Photo: Courtesy of Conner & Perry Architects Inc.6/28The Sheats-Goldstein Residence (Los Angeles, California)
Located at the John Lautner–designed home of real estate tycoon and NBA superfan James Goldstein (he reportedly attends over 100 games a year), an infinity-edge tennis court with a glass partition allows for sprawling views of the Los Angeles skyline. The most recent iteration of the tennis court, which was completed in 2013, was designed by Nicholson Architects and Conner & Perry Architects (with consultation from Zaino Tennis Courts, Inc.). There are current plans to build an adjacent theater building with rooftop seating to overlook the court.
Photo: Alamy7/28International Tennis Hall of Fame (Newport, Rhode Island)
Rhode Island’s Newport International Tennis Hall of Fame is quintessentially New England: Weathered shingle buildings surround traditional grass courts, which in 1881 played host to the first US National Lawn Tennis Championships.
Photo: Courtesy of La Quinta Resort & Club8/28La Quinta Resort (Palm Springs, California)
The Center Court at La Quinta Resort in California offers unique views of towering palms and rugged rock formations. With excellent weather and breathtaking surroundings, it’s no surprise that professionals like Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic have practiced here.
Photo: Courtesy of Il San Pietro di Positano9/28Il San Pietro di Positano (Amalfi Coast, Italy)
With towering cliffs to one side and the sparkling Mediterranean to the other, it’s all but impossible to keep an eye on the ball at the courts of Italy’s Il San Pietro di Positano resort.
Photo: Michael Freeman/Alamy10/28Astor Courts (Rhinebeck, New York)
In 1902, Ava and John Jacob Astor IV enlisted noted American firm McKim, Mead & White to create a custom sporting pavilion in Rhinebeck, New York, for the wealthy family’s use. Besides indoor and outdoor tennis courts, the facility houses squash courts, a bowling alley, a shooting range, and reportedly the country’s first indoor residential swimming pool.
Photo: Courtesy of The Courts11/28The Courts Anza-Borrego (Borrego Springs, California)
The beautiful tennis courts in Borrego Springs, California were seemingly plopped in the middle of nowhere. And that was exactly the point. The space was created to allow guests to enjoy a match of tennis without distraction (except, of course, the spectacular surrounding views).
Photo: Courtesy of MVRDV12/28The Couch (Amsterdam, Holland)
Designed by the firm MVRDV for Tennis Club IJburg in Amsterdam, The Couch aims to combine the clubhouse and viewer stands to maximize playing space. Even though the clubhouse’s windows provide easy viewing to the match beyond, the roof also holds up to 200 people.
Photo: Courtesy of the Related Group13/28Hyde Midtown Suites and Residences (Miami, Florida)
Tucked between Miami’s Design District and Wynwood, Hyde Midtown Suites and Residences is the ideal place to play a game while overlooking the city’s skyline from the seventh floor court.
Photo: Courtesy of Singita14/28Singita Sasakwa Lodge (Serengeti National Park, Tanzania)
To say this would be the most dramatic match of tennis in anyone's life would not be an understatement. And that’s because the tennis courts at the Singita Sasakwa Lodge are situated in the heart of the Serengeti National Park in southeast Africa. (Presumably backhands might be tougher to return with nearby wildebeests watching.)
Photo: Getty Images15/28Mexican Open Floating Court (Acapulco, Mexico)
If playing on a stationary tennis court seems challenging, image one bobbing in water. This floating tennis court was designed for the Mexican Open in 2014 and welcomed players such as Eugenie Bouchard and Grigor Dimitrov (pictured) to play friendly exhibition matches.
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Photo: Courtesy of Enchantment Resort16/28Enchantment Resort (Sedona, Arizona)
Burrowed in central Arizona, the tennis clubs at Enchantment Resort in Sedona are some of, if not the most, stunning tennis courts in the Southwest desert. With green floors and maroon half-moon barriers, the courts coordinate seamlessly with the surrounding xerophytes and red rock mountains.
Photo: Courtesy of the Grand at Sky View Parc17/28The Grand at Sky View Parc (New York, New York)
Forget hunting down an open court at the city park. There’s no need to leave home if you live at the Grand at Sky View Parc, a 14-acre property that is one of the largest mixed-use development buildings in New York City.
Photo: Courtesy of Passalacqua18/28Passalacqua (Lake Como, Italy)
Located directly on the stunning blue-green waters of Lake Como, Passalacqua is a luxury hotel originally crafted in the 18th century. Guests can enjoy a match of tennis on clay courts while taking in the unparalleled views of the lake, as well as nearby vegetable and herb garden.
Photo: Getty Images19/28Vanderbilt Tennis Courts (New York City)
Vanderbilt Tennis Courts might be one of New York City’s worst kept secrets. Located on the fourth floor of Grand Central Station, anyone can book play time at the courts and even hire a pro for a lesson or two.
Photo: Courtesy of La Cavalerie Club20/28La Cavalerie Club (Paris)
Sitting on the top floor of a seven-story Art Deco building constructed in 1924, you’ll find one of the most stunning tennis courts in the world. Designed by French architect R. Farradèche, the facilities straddle the border of the 7th and 15th arrondissement and include a terrace with impeccable views of the Eiffel Tower.
Photo: Courtesy of Stanglwirt21/28Stanglwirt Wellness Hotel (Going am Wilden Kaiser, Austria)
While there are several indoor courts at the Stanglwirt Wellness Hotel in Austria, it’s really the ones outdoors that should be on every tennis lover’s radar. And that’s because with the stunning mountain range in the distance, one would be hard-pressed to find a better place to unwind while playing a match.
Photo: Getty Images22/28Cres, Croatia
Located on the edge of the Croatian island of Cres, these clay tennis courts offer a stark contrast of color to the verdant trees and the turquoise waters of the nearby Adriatic Sea.
Abstract Aerial Art23/28Hong Kong
When one thinks of Hong Kong, the images that typically come to mind are skyscrapers and delicious street food. Which is to say, not tennis courts. But something needs to go on the ground between all of those skyscrapers, including spaces for physical activity. Were you to visit Hong Kong, keep your eyes open for the various tennis courts, as they are nestled within the sky-high buildings.
Photo: Getty Images/Roberto Nencini24/28Tremosine sul Garda, Italy
Overlooking the majestic Lago di Gardo, this tennis court in Tremosine sul Garda is a must visit for anyone traveling through the north of Italy. The clay courts, which are located on the northwestern end of the lake, are open year-round, weather permitting.
Photo: Getty Images/Nisian Hughes25/28Jardin du Luxembourg (Paris)
Nestled within Paris’s historic Le Jardin du Luxembourg are two pairs of tennis courts. The courts, which are tended to by the Paris City Council, are free of charge so long as you have a Paris-Tennis pass (to sign up for the pass, you’ll need a passport or government issued ID card).
Photo: Courtesy of Sea Island26/28Cloister Tennis Center (Sea Island, Georgia)
The Cloister Tennis Center at Sea Island, Georgia, is perfect for private lessons with a view. In the middle of a luxury resort, the eight courts offer plenty of space with a serene backdrop.
Photo: Getty Images/Barbara Neal27/28Bunabhainneadar Tennis Court (Isle of Harris, Scotland)
Nestled among the craggy hills of the Scottish Outer Hebrides, this pristine court is a bright pop against the weathered coastline. The toughest part of playing on these courts might be the stiff wind blowing in from the Sea of the Hebrides.
Photo: Courtesy of Grand Hotel Tremezzo28/28Grand Hotel Tremezzo (Lake Como, Italy)
It would be hard to find a more stunning setting to play a tennis match than at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo. The clay courts are nestled within a verdant park that’s overlooking Lake Como. Matches can be played at night, too, thanks to floodlights.
