Birmingham, AL Tennis Guide

Quick Start Guide for Visitors & New Residents

Best Public Courts for Drop-In Play

Find Hitting Partners

Top Tennis Shops

Quick Lesson Options

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find hitting partners as a resident?

Join the Birmingham Area Tennis Association (playtennis.usta.com) for USTA leagues and tournaments. Use PlayYourCourt (playyourcourt.com) to match with players of similar skill level. For women, the Softcourt League has 18 clubs across metro Birmingham competing at levels 2.5-5.5. Visit public facilities like Highland Park Tennis Center where players regularly gather, or join a private club like Brook Highland Racquet Club (bhrclub.com) or Homewood Tennis Club (hwdtennisclub.com).

Where can visitors find hitting partners?

Use PlayYourCourt (playyourcourt.com) to connect with local players before your visit. Public courts at Highland Park, George Ward, and James Lewis Tennis Centers are community hubs where players gather daily. Contact USTA Alabama (ustaalabama.com) at (205) 995-2280 for temporary league play options. Many private clubs offer guest passes through members.

Best court access for 7-day visits?

For public courts, purchase a monthly pass at George Ward Tennis Center ($40/month) or pay hourly ($6/hour). Highland Park Tennis Center has 12 courts available for drop-in play. For private facilities, Birmingham Tennis Academy (birminghamtennisacademy.com) previously offered $5 guest fees. Contact clubs directly about week passes. Vestavia Country Club (vestaviacc.com) and Brook Highland Racquet Club (bhrclub.com) may accommodate visitors with member sponsorship.

How do I join private or group lessons?

Contact Birmingham Tennis Academy (birminghamtennisacademy.com) for comprehensive programs for all ages. Highland Park Tennis Center offers free adaptive tennis clinics and skill-level grouped adult programs - call (205) 251-1965. Levite JCC (bhamjcc.org) has Dale Clark teaching for 27 years, (205) 879-0411. Homewood Tennis Club (hwdtennisclub.com) offers clinics for all ages. Private lessons average $45-65/hour through platforms like MyTennisLessons (mytennislessons.com).

Finding players for beginners to intermediates (NTRP 2.0-4.0)?

Join USTA leagues through Birmingham Area Tennis Association (playtennis.usta.com) with level-specific divisions. The Women's Softcourt League includes levels 2.5-5.5 across 18 clubs. PlayYourCourt (playyourcourt.com) matches by skill level. Attend beginner/intermediate clinics at Highland Park Tennis Center, Homewood Tennis Club (hwdtennisclub.com), or Birmingham Tennis Academy (birminghamtennisacademy.com) to meet players at your level.

Tennis Community & Associations

USTA Alabama

Address: 1108 Herrington St, Birmingham, AL 35205

Phone: (205) 995-2280

Website: ustaalabama.com

Established in 1957 with over 11,000 members. Organizes tournaments, leagues, and the annual Alabama Championships. Provided $25,000 in grants for court resurfacing at James Lewis and George Ward Tennis Centers.

Birmingham Area Tennis Association (BATA)

Phone: (205) 223-0470

Mailing: P.O. Box 131114, Birmingham, AL 35213

Website: playtennis.usta.com/birminghamareatennisassociation

Community tennis association offering USTA League Tennis, Team Tennis for Youth and Adults, and NJTL programs.

Women's Softcourt League of Birmingham

The largest non-USTA league in the Birmingham Metro area with 18 clubs competing at levels 2.5-5.5. Matches consist of four singles and four doubles courts. Players can participate in both.

Ladies Interclub Tennis League

Address: 3279 Greendale Road, Birmingham, AL 35243

Local league connecting teams from private and public clubs throughout the Birmingham metro area.

Tennis Courts & Facilities

Public Tennis Centers

Highland Park Tennis Center

Address: 3300 Highland Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205

Phone: (205) 251-1965

Courts: 12 hard courts and clay courts

Amenities: Pro shop, clubhouse, racquet stringing, sport wheelchairs

Known as "The Heartbeat of Tennis in Birmingham." Offers free adaptive tennis programs including wheelchair tennis and programs for players with visual impairments. Home to junior, adult, and senior leagues. Skill-level grouped programs for beginners, intermediate, and advanced players.

George Ward Tennis Center

Address: 331 16th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205

Phone: (205) 259-2391

Courts: 8 hard courts

Fees: $6/hour, $40/month, or $250/year

Amenities: Pro shop, racquet stringing

Website: jltsfi.com/tenniscenters/gwtc

Located at George Ward Park in Glen Iris. Offers lessons, clinics, league and tournament play. Pickleball lessons Monday 6pm, adult tennis lessons Saturday 9am. Recently received USTA funding for court resurfacing.

James Lewis Tennis Center

Address: 2800 K Ave, Birmingham, AL 35218 (Ensley Park)

Phone: (205) 781-4558

Courts: 10 hard courts (recently resurfaced)

Amenities: Pro shop, gym, racquet stringing, improved fencing and windscreens

Website: jltsfi.com/tenniscenters/jltc

Named for James "Buddy" Lewis, who taught tennis free of charge starting in the 1960s. Operated by the James Lewis Education and Tennis Foundation. Recently upgraded with USTA grant funding.

UAB Lakeshore Tennis Courts

Address: 3700 Ridgeway Dr, Birmingham, AL 35209

Website: uabsports.com

University of Alabama at Birmingham athletic facility. Lakeshore Foundation also offers wheelchair tennis programs, leagues, clinics, and tournaments.

Private Tennis Clubs

Brook Highland Racquet Club (BHRC)

Address: 3157 Brook Highland Dr, Birmingham, AL 35242

Phone: (205) 980-1000

Courts: 13 soft courts, 8 hard courts, 1 pickleball court

Amenities: Olympic-sized pool, pro shop, gym, clubhouse

Website: bhrclub.com

Instruction for all skill levels with USPTA professionals. Derek Tarr, UAB Men's Tennis Coach, serves as Director of Teaching Programs. Hosted the Eddleman Pro Tennis Classic ATP Challenger Tour from 1991-2003.

Homewood Tennis Club

Location: West Homewood Park, Birmingham, AL

Courts: 8 brand new hard courts

Email: HwdTennisClub@gmail.com

Website: hwdtennisclub.com

Family friendly facility offering clinics for juniors and adults of all ages and ability levels. Home to the Patriots tennis team. Hosts special events and tournaments year-round.

Vestavia Country Club Tennis Center

Address: 400 Beaumont Dr, Birmingham, AL 35216

Courts: 15 tennis courts

Website: vestaviacc.com

Amenities: 24-hour restringing, regripping, diagnostics, demos

2015 Facility of the Year. Full array of racket services and professional instruction.

Pelham Racquet Club

Location: Pelham, AL (Greater Birmingham area)

Courts: 20 outdoor clay courts, 5 hard courts

Website: pelhamracquetclub.com

Full calendar of USTA leagues and tournaments. Hosts Women's Softcourt League and Ladies Interclub Tennis League. Seasonal league memberships available.

Levite Jewish Community Center

Address: 3960 Montclair Rd, Birmingham, AL 35213

Phone: (205) 879-0411

Website: bhamjcc.org/tennis

Dale Clark, USPTA Elite Professional with 27 years teaching experience. Offers private lessons, group lessons, adult clinics, youth clinics (red ball, green/yellow ball). Flexible two-tier junior program with no long-term commitment. Tuesday-Thursday classes.

Lessons & Coaching

Birmingham Tennis Academy

Website: birminghamtennisacademy.com

First-class instructional program for juniors and adults of all ages and ability levels. Year-round coaching developing players from beginner to national level. Partners with Vestavia Hills Parks and Leisure for summer programs at Wald Park Tennis Courts.

Inverness Junior Tennis Academy

Location: Birmingham, AL

Website: invernessjuniortennisacademy.com

Works with juniors ages 5-18. Certified coaches with over 20 years of experience.

PlayYourCourt

Website: playyourcourt.com/locations/birmingham-al-tennis-lessons

Features highly rated USPTA-certified pros. Coach John F. has 15 years teaching experience. Offers junior and adult tennis lessons year-round.

MyTennisLessons

Website: mytennislessons.com/locations/birmingham-al-tennis-lessons

Private tennis lessons average $45-$65/hour with package deals available. Over 38 certified tennis coaches in Birmingham area.

Notable Coaches & Tennis Figures

Derek Tarr

UAB Men's Tennis Coach and Director of Teaching Programs at Brook Highland Racquet Club. Winningest coach in UAB program history (428-251 record over 32 seasons). Former top-100 professional player with wins over Andre Agassi.

Paul Rosner

Former UAB player who won National Collegiate Championships in Indoor (1994, 1995) and Clay (1994). Professional career victories over Jim Courier, Lleyton Hewitt, Mardy Fish, and Goran Ivanisevic. Coached men's tennis at Birmingham-Southern 2004-2011.

Dale Clark

USPTA Elite Professional teaching at Levite JCC for 27 years. Offers programs from beginner to advanced levels.

James Giles Jr.

18-year-old rising star from Ramsay International Baccalaureate High School. Signed with Webster University. Multiple state and national accolades as an emerging talent.

Tennis Shops & Services

Player's Choice Tennis

Location: Hwy 31, Vestavia Hills, AL

Website: playerschoicetennis.com

Established 1993, celebrating over 30 years serving Birmingham. Unsurpassed selection of racquets, paddles, strings, bags, shoes, and clothing in Alabama. Premier specialty tennis shop for equipment and stringing services.

Pro Shop Services at Tennis Centers

General Sporting Goods Stores

Why Birmingham is Great for Tennis Visitors

Year-Round Play

Birmingham's climate allows tennis from March through November with comfortable temperatures (64-86°F). While summers are hot and humid (75-90°F), many facilities have covered areas and evening play options. Spring and fall offer ideal conditions.

Affordable Public Access

Birmingham offers exceptional value with public courts at just $6/hour or $40/month. Three major public tennis centers (Highland Park, George Ward, James Lewis) provide quality facilities without expensive memberships.

Rich Tennis Heritage

Birmingham has produced notable players like Derek Tarr (top-100 pro, UAB coach) and Paul Rosner (National Collegiate Champion). The city hosted the ATP Challenger Tour's Eddleman Pro Tennis Classic for over a decade. The James Lewis Education and Tennis Foundation continues the legacy of making tennis accessible to all.

Welcoming Community

Birmingham's tennis community is known for hospitality. Over 11,000 USTA Alabama members, 18 clubs in the Women's Softcourt League, and numerous meetup options make it easy to find games. The Birmingham Area Tennis Association actively welcomes visitors into league play.

Diverse Facility Options

From 31+ public courts to elite private clubs like Brook Highland (21 courts), Pelham (25 courts), and Vestavia Country Club (15 courts), Birmingham offers options for every budget and playing style. Clay court enthusiasts will appreciate Highland Park's clay courts and Pelham's 20 clay courts.

Adaptive Tennis Leadership

Birmingham is a leader in adaptive tennis with free wheelchair tennis programs at Highland Park Tennis Center, Lakeshore Foundation's wheelchair tennis tournaments, and vision-impaired tennis programs. All clinics provide racquets and sport wheelchairs at no cost.

Convenient Location

Birmingham's central Alabama location makes it an ideal tennis destination for travelers exploring the Southeast. The city combines southern hospitality with a vibrant tennis scene, excellent coaching, and well-maintained facilities.

Additional Resources

Last Updated: 2025
Birmingham offers 31+ tennis courts, 11,000+ USTA members, and a welcoming community for players of all levels. Whether you're visiting for a week or moving to the Magic City, the tennis community awaits you.