Where to Play Tennis in London
There are two main places to play table tennis in London:
- Private tennis clubs
- Public tennis courts
This guide will explain how to find the best place to play tennis in London
How to Book Tennis Courts in London
London Tennis clubs
If you join a tennis club in London, you can play, get coaching and enter tournaments. The cheapest clubs may charge £150 per year for an adult membership, and as clubs get more exclusive and elite they will charge a lot more. Some sports centres like Virgin Active, will also offer tennis court usage with their club membership. Most clubs will charge a monthly or annual fee and court booking would be unlimited, with small fees for use of floodlights or other costs. The LTA has a filtered list of Clubs in London to Join. Some of these locations also offer indoor tennis courts in London
Outdoor Tennis Courts
Many of London’s parks have outdoor tennis courts. Some of these are free to play on and subject to availability. Others are pay as you play and are likely to cost £10-£25 an hour. These venues also offer facilities like changing rooms and racket hire. Parksports offers tennis court bookings for a few outdoor courts within central London.
Cumberland Tennis Club London
Cumberland is one of London’s oldest and most premium tennis clubs. They are located in West Hampstead and charge around £1,000 a year for membership.
Queen's Tennis Club London
Queen's Tennis Club is a private members Tennis Club in London. It has some of the best tennis facilities in London and its membership costs reflect this. It was also the host of the Real Tennis 2023 British Open.
Free Tennis Courts in London
There are a few parks in London which offer freely available tennis courts. Tanner Street Park near London Bridge has free courts, as well as Southwark Park. This is also the same with Hammersmith Park. To find free courts in your local area, contact your local council. It is worth going to these courts at an off-peak time, to avoid having to wait to play.
Tennis Lessons in London
Local clubs in London will offer tennis lessons. Lessons can be in groups or private. You should expect to pay £40+ for a private hour of tennis coaching in London. This will be cheaper if you go as part of a group sessions. The LTA website has a list of tennis clubs which would offer coaching, it is best to contact the clubs individually.
Other Tennis Playing FAQs
Where to buy tennis rackets London
In London, you buy rackets at shops such as Sports Direct in London. The cheapest rackets are £15-20 and many more experienced players would pay £100 or more.
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis Elbow is a swelling on the outside of the elbow, which could be caused by regular specific movements of the arm in activities such as tennis. If you think you may have this, you should consult a doctor.
How many sets in tennis?
This can vary, but in professional tennis men play best-of-three or five set matches whilst women play best-of-three set matches.
How many games in a set of tennis?
There are 6 games in a set of tennis.
Who invented tennis?
Lawn Tennis was invented by a British army officer Major Winfield, who published the rules of the game, which they had distinguished from other similar games at the time.