On the outskirts of the casinos, wedding chapels and nightclubs, there’s actually quite a few tennis courts in Las Vegas, where a thriving tennis community finds its home. What you may not know about Vegas is that it’s the place where a professional tennis player became inspired to give back to the community and inspired many more to do the same. It’s the place where a hip hop artist participated in a flash mob at the site of a professional tennis tournament. And its the place where several MyTennisLessons instructors are passionate about helping students learn, improve and find their own love for the game. So put on your tennis shoes and follow us to Las Vegas, the Entertainment Capital of the World, where tennis provides plenty of entertainment.
History
For many years, Las Vegas was a hot bed for professional tennis tournaments. From 1972-1985 it was home to the Alan King Tennis Classic, played at the famous Caesars Palace hotel. The city also hosted the WCT Tournament of Championships for one year in 1978, where Bjorn Borg claimed the title on carpet-surfaced courts. In 2006, the Tennis Channel Open arrived in Sin City from Palm Springs, but the event was abolished in 2008. Currently Las Vegas hosts the Red Rock Pro Open, an ITF Women’s Circuit Tournament. It was formerly called the Party Rock Open after rapper Redfoo sponsored the event with his Party Rock clothing line. In 2012, about 500 local children attended the event and participated in a flash mob on the court with Redfoo.
Players
You may know Andre Agassi as one of the greatest American tennis players of all time — an eight-time grand slam winner, gold medalist and former world no. 1 — but the retired pro turned philanthropist now hopes to transform public education in his hometown of Las Vegas and beyond. In 1994, Agassi founded the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, and in 2001 opened his charter school, Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a k-12 institute that strives make a difference in the lives and education of socioeconomically disadvantaged youth. He has since opened 39 charter schools across the nation and inspired other tennis players to start their own philanthropies, among them Andy Roddick, Bob and Mike Bryan and Roger Federer.
Watching
In addition to catching the action at the Red Rock Pro Open in September, fans can also watch top-notch college tennis this spring at University of Nevada Las Vegas. The men’s tennis team produced the Mountain Region Freshman of the Year in 2013 and sent a singles player and doubles team to the NCAA National Championships in 2011. The women’s team has produced six Mountain Region Players of the Year, most recently in 2013. The year before, the women earned their fifth consecutive bid to the NCAA Championships after winning their sixth consecutive title at the Mountain Region conference tournament.
Playing
Tennis players can easily find courts across Las Vegas — some in parks, others at rec centers and schools. Among the walking trails and fishing areas at Sunset Park, you can find eight hard surface tennis courts, while Whitney Mesa Recreation Area has four courts adjacent to its nature preserve. Sierra Vista High School has eight total courts, while the Siena Community Association has four beautiful courts alongside a golf club and pool. Find tennis instructors who can teach at this Las Vegas locations through MyTennisLessons.
Are you inspired to start playing local in Las Vegas? Meet qualified tennis instructors in your area and sign up for lessons today!
