Tennis Hall of Fame Serves Three Purposes for Players and Fans – Newport, Rhode Island
What is It - The International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum in Newport, Rhode Island is a wonderful place to visit for both sports fans and tennis players. Over the past 140 years, the facility has served as a major center for promoting the sport in the United States and around the world. In addition, the beautiful grounds and the Museum’s long history in Newport make it a popular attraction for visitors to the seaside city.
Originally known as the Newport Casino, the buildings were constructed in 1880 as a private club and place for public gatherings. The Casino served as the unofficial social center of the city during the Gilded Age and the early decades of the 20th century. It contained a ballroom, theater, shops, reading and card rooms, a billiards parlor, squash courts, and lodging rooms for members and guests. The wide-open porches and manicured lawns used for tennis, bowling, archery, and other outdoor activities appealed to both athletes and high society.
The connection between the Newport Casino and the sport of tennis emerged quickly. The first national championship convened in the United States was held at the location in 1881. Today the facility serves three important purposes:
Hall of Fame and Museum
First, the International Tennis Federation has designated the organization and the facility as the official hall of fame and museum for the sport. Ever since 1955, select tennis players and other professionals involved in the sport have been inducted into the hall of fame at a ceremony held there and recognized for posterity with a plague describing their accomplishments and contributions. As of 2022, two hundred and sixty-two men and women have been inducted into the Hall of Fame including its founder James Van Alen and great players from different eras. Great rivals like Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, and Peter Sampras and Andre Agassi are just a few from recent history. In coming years, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic will be enshrined and the debate about which professional was the greatest of all time in the sport will continue to enthrall fans.
The museum section of the Hall is Fame is full of exhibits which depict the sports evolution from amateur competitions among the elite to international tournaments featuring incredibly fit male and female athletes. There are more than 15,000 artifacts from tennis history on display including pictures and films of historic matches, a special display about Grand Slam tournaments, innovations in equipment, and the evolution of tennis clothing. Whether you enjoy looking at a hologram of Roger Federer showing his techniques, or the “ancient’ racquets used to play the sport, the museum does a good job explaining the world of tennis to avid fans and the public. There is also a pro shop and museum gift store near the front entrance to the buildings on Bellevue Avenue.
Public Tennis Facility
The second purpose of the International Tennis Hall of Fame is that it is a living and breathing tennis club where members and the public can rent courts and play on grass courts or indoor hard surfaces. Certified professionals provide private lessons and tennis clinics for juniors and adults on the site, or you can play with your friends. Most tennis players have never played on a grass court, so hitting the ball on the well-cut lawns of the Hall of Fame is a memorable experience. Similarly, junior players cannot help being inspired by seeing the museum and then jumping into action themselves. The thirteen grass courts and one clay court at the site are open for public play during the summer and six indoor hard courts are available during the winter. Tennis whites are required to play on the courts.
Professional Tournaments
The role of the Tennis Hall of Fame as a site for tournaments has ebbed and flowed over the past 140 years. There is no question, however, that the present men’s tournament held at the site since 1976 is continuing to grow in prestige in the professional ranks. The 2022 ATP tournament held the week after Wimbledon brings together many top U.S. players for singles and doubles play along with an increasingly diverse group of other pros. The tournament offers a rare opportunity for fans to see the grounds and fast action on grass courts up close in the preliminary rounds and to view key matches in the 3038 seat Bill Talbert Stadium Court for a reasonable price. The 2022 Infosys Hall of Fame Open was quite popular, and the sponsors added more interactive displays and better concessions for attendees to enjoy. Hopefully, the future will bring a return of some “senior” tournaments which feature champions retired from the tour.
Interesting Facts - The magic and charm of the courts at the Tennis Hall of Fame cannot be underestimated. Twenty-five years ago, the author attended an industry convention in Newport which featured a tennis tournament on the grass courts for sixty participants sponsored by ESPN and hosted by tennis commentator and Hall of Fame inductee Cliff Drysdale. After eight long hours of round robin play and an amazing upset of a superior player, the cup was won by a scrappy underdog from Connecticut demonstrating that anything can happen between the white lines at Newport.
When to Go – The Museum is open seven days a week year-round from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with extended hours to 5 pm during the summer except during the tournament when the museum is closed. Newport is on the water and can be foggy and cool in the off season. However, the city is crowded with visitors from Memorial Day to Labor Day when the weather is excellent so make reservations for visiting the Hall of Fame or playing on the courts in advance if going during the high season.
How to Get Here - Newport is located less than 40 minutes from T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island and is readily accessible from Interstate 95, Route 1 and Amtrak’s Northeast trains when traveling along the coast. American Airlines, Southwest and Frontier have the most direct flights to Green.
Cost -Admission to the Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and free for children under twelve. Court rates to play on the grass are $150 per hour for two players or $285 per hour for four.