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Now that Leftwich Tennis Center’s renovation is complete, there is optimism about where this could place Memphis in the regional and national tennis scene moving forward.
Those involved in the $30 million project believe that Leftwich is now one of the best tennis facilities in the country and that it can be an economic driver for Memphis — especially as the city now has a venue that can hold all types of tennis tournaments for various ages.
Tennis Memphis CEO Scott Mitchell said Memphis has about 4,000 league tennis players, but in the past they've always had to travel to other parts of the state to compete in events. That won’t be the case anymore, and players will now be coming here to partake in tournaments.
“They’re staying in hotels, eating at restaurants, and so forth,” Mitchell said. “We could never do that. That’s why players know all about [other parts of] this state, but not here. Now we’re able to get a handful of those tournaments, it elevates us not just in the state but around the country. There’s not another facility like this.”
The nonprofit Tennis Memphis runs Leftwich. The redeveloped property at 4145 Southern Ave. features 12 new indoor and 24 outdoor tennis courts, spanning 200,000 square feet. It is the only center of its size opening in the U.S. in 2023, according to officials. Leftwich's grand opening was held Nov. 11.
The number of indoor courts is another differentiator for Memphis, Mitchell said.
“Usually, you’re finding [indoor courts] outside the U.S. Other countries have started to invest in tennis, like Canada and Italy. It's crazy for us in Memphis to have a facility like this — [there's] probably nothing like it in the U.S.,” Mitchell said.
The University of Memphis’ men’s and women’s teams will play at the new Leftwich, and it is open to the public. Mitchell said Leftwich could give the U of M a recruiting edge it previously didn’t have, especially once potential student-athletes see the facility in person.
Tennis Memphis also desires to bring a professional tennis tournament — for both men and women — back to the city. The Memphis Open was held at the now-demolished Racquet Club of Memphis until 2017.
The Leftwich project, announced in 2019, is a joint public-private partnership between the City of Memphis, University of Memphis, Tennis Memphis, and private donors.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) also played a role in Leftwich’s renovations, contributing $100,000; and its Tennis Venue Services team acted as “de facto project managers” throughout the entire process.
Todd Carlson, USTA Tennis Venue Services director, echoed Mitchell’s sentiment that this is one of the best facilities in the country and cited its potential for making a strong impact on the community. He compared what Leftwich could represent for Memphis to a facility in Mobile, Alabama.
“The Mobile Tennis Center is the biggest economic driver in the city of Mobile,” Carlson said. “They have 60 outdoor courts. They don’t have any indoor [courts].
“With Memphis and this Leftwich facility, this could be one of the main drivers for economic impact for the city of Memphis," Carlson continued. "Obviously, you have the Memphis Grizzlies and the University of Memphis, but I do see this as probably a top-three driver within the city. I know that’s why Mayor Jim Strickland was such a proponent of this facility.”