Greater
Miami has a variety of public tennis facilities and
learning centers, as well as a number of tournaments
each season. The City of Miami Beach Parks and
Recreation Department (305/673-7730 or
(305/673-7725) manages two major tennis facilities
– Flamingo Park in South Beach and North Shore
Tennis Center in Miami Beach.
There are a number of
other facilities headed under the different City of Miami
Parks and Recreation Department division call
(305/416-1308 or (305/419-2154) for more
information. Most tennis centers charge a minimum
fee; neighborhood tennis courts are free on a first
come first serve basis.
The
Crandon Tennis Center is one of the country’s top
public tennis centers, as a number of certified
instructors provide visitors daily with individual
private or semiprivate lessons. Since its 1987
opening, the center has achieved international
status, due mostly to the fact that it hosts the
annual Lipton Championships. In 1991, the United
States Tennis Association chose the center for its
Player Development Headquarters. The 45-acre USTA
athletic facility seats 7,500 people and holds 17
hard courts, eight clay courts, and two grass
courts. The facility is excellent for players of all
levels to practice on different surfaces and utilize
the center’s fitness development program. Along
with the stadium’s 7,500 permanent seats, another
6,500 temporary seats can be added for tournaments
like the Lipton.
Held
on Key Biscayne at the Crandon Park Tennis Center,
the Ericsson Open is a tournament of top men and
women tennis players competing for more than $5.7
million in prize money. The dream of the Ericsson
Open began more than three decades ago, when
renowned tennis players such as Jack Kramer, Frank
Sedgman, Pancho Gonzalez, Pancho Segura and Butch
Buchholz toured the country in a station wagon,
playing tennis in darkened arenas and fairgrounds.
It was before the days of open tennis, and they
traveled with a portable canvas court and plenty of
hopes. The first tournament turned out 84 of the top
100 men and 97 of the top 100 women. ESPN telecast
the first weekend and the men's semifinals; ABC
telecast the finals live. Networks from Australia,
England, France, Italy, Japan, Sweden and West
Germany also were present. Currently heading into
its 16th year of showcasing world-class tennis, the
Ericsson Open has earned its place in the world as
the fifth largest tournament in prestige, prize
money and attendance, surpassed only by the four
Grand Slams. Games begin March 23—April 2. For
more information visit www.ericsson-open.com.
Miami-Dade
Park is one of the nicer parks in Miami Beach.
Consisting of 12,000 acres of parkland, the area is
home to 200 tennis courts. The courts are free to
the public and are acquired on a first come first
serve basis. The park is operated under the
Miami-Dade Park and Recreation Department. The land
also has eight golf courses, 19 swimming pools,
baseball/softball fields, beaches, marinas, nature
study areas and water sports. For more information
visit www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/parks.com.
The
City of Miami Parks and Recreation Department
operates three tennis centers and more than 50
tennis courts in the Greater Miami area. Tennis
centers charge a minimum fee, but other tennis
facilities are free. For information on facility
locations call (305) 416-1308 or (305) 755-7857,
Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
