Leftwich Tennis Center named USTA Featured Facility of the Year

The Leftwich Tennis Center in Memphis, Tenn. has been named the USTA's Featured Facility of the Year for 2024, the highest honor bestowed by the USTA on a tennis facility. The Leftwich Tennis Center was one of 41 winners of the USTA’s annual Outstanding Facility Awards program, which recognizes excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country.

All 41 recipients were honored on Tuesday at an awards reception held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York as part of the 2024 US Open.

The Leftwich Tennis Center completed a multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion in 2023. The joint venture by the City of Memphis, the University of Memphis and Tennis Memphis, a non-profit affiliated with the USTA Foundation, boasts 24 outdoor and 12 indoor tennis courts. Beyond the new courts, which all featured covered viewing areas, the facility includes space for the University of Memphis varsity tennis teams, a pro shop, public locker rooms, a VIP suite and an educational space for Tennis Memphis’ after-school programs.

“The Leftwich Tennis Center is a great example of the ways in which a well-managed, world-class facility can enhance lives through the sport of tennis,” said Theodore Loehrke, Managing Director, Section Partnerships, USTA. “Facilities like this one are integral in the USTA’s mission of growing tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere. We are proud to recognize their remarkable efforts and we salute all 41 of these facilities for the impact each has made on their respective communities.”

Facilities were judged on the following criteria: overall layout and adaptation to site; excellence of court surface and lights; ease of maintenance; accommodations for players, spectators and press/officials; aesthetics; graphics (including the use of signs and landscaping); amenities such as casual seating for spectators, food services and social areas; and the facilities’ participation in grassroots tennis programs.

Nominated facilities were voted on in the following categories: public courts that are either small tennis centers with 2-11 courts or large tennis centers with 12 or more courts; private facilities that offer both USTA and public programming designed to help grow tennis (small: 2-11 courts; large: 12 or more courts); and education institutions such as colleges, universities, public and private grade schools, middle schools or high schools. All 2024 award winners will receive a wall plaque and an all-weather sign, which can be mounted at the facility.