Special Feature
Welcome to the USTA National Campus
by
Colette Lewis, 10 January 2017
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While in Florida last month for the big junior tennis tournaments, I took a few hours to tour the USTA's vast new 64-acre National Campus in Lake Nona. With the 100-court facility opening to the public last week and its first tournament complete, the USTA is hoping to build momentum for the sport in this country, from grass roots to the top of the professional tours. The Home of American Tennis was not entirely complete when I visited before Christmas, and with the USTA Florida sectional offices and the USPTA headquarters still in the early stages of construction, much more will be added in the coming months. The Lake Nona area, just south of the Orlando airport, has an abundance of housing developments and medical facilities, but few of the tourist-related amenities associated with Orlando, so until those materialize, the campus will have a secluded feel.
The scale of the project is difficult to grasp even when visiting in person, but here are 18 photos to provide a glimpse into what is available at the public facility.
Located next to the parking lot, the Welcome Center serves as a focal point for visitors.
Rather than hidden away in a back room, the racquet technicians are prominently featured in the lobby of the Welcome Center. They were busy working on racquets of the many American pros doing pre-season training there
Two of those pros, Christina McHale and Irina Falconi, were practicing with Luisa Chirico and Jennifer Brady the day I visited
The second floor of the Welcome Center provides office space for the facility's staff and the USTA's Community Tennis division
The pro shop in the Welcome Center is operated by Fromuth Tennis
The adidas Performance Center serves as the headquarters for USTA Player Development, with offices, training rooms, a strength and conditioning center and 20 courts, including eight DecoTurf courts, the surface of the US Open
