Memorial Drive Tennis Club

The Club has been located at its current site since 1923 when a clubhouse and grandstand were built. The Club started in 1914 as South Australian Lawn Tennis Club, and for more than seventy years the Club was the headquarters of South Australian tennis. Tennis SA is now the governing body of tennis in South Australia.

‘Memorial Drive’ took its name from the winding avenue known as War Memorial Drive which follows the River Torrens from Hackney through North Adelaide.

For a detailed history of Memorial Drive Tennis Club, please refer to Bernard Whimpress’s book, available in the Club’s office.

A Brief History of International Tennis Tournaments and Events at Memorial Drive

In its early days the Club has played host to a number of Davis Cup ties between Australia and visiting countries, including during Australia’s most dominant Davis Cup era in the 1950s and 1960s and most notably in 1952 and 1956 with Australia’s wins against the USA when Harry Hopman was captain and players included Frank Sedgman, Ken McGregor and Lew Hoad.

Memorial Drive hosted the Australian Open in 1926, 1929, 1932, 1936, 1938, 1946, 1949, 1952, 1955, 1959, 1963 and 1967.

Modern Era

The Next Gen building, with gym, squash courts, swimming pools and social facilities, was opened in 2000. Next Gen, Tennis SA and Memorial Drive Tennis Club work together to support tennis at all levels at this inner-city location.