This page chronicles the construction of the real tennis court at Cheltenham, NSW from the early planning stage, through to construction and the final opening of the court on 29 March 2025.

29 March 2025 - opening day!

Opening day coincided with a visit from the US Jesters - this is how they wrote up their visit:

The tour began in Sydney because that was where the world’s newest real tennis court was. The previous Sydney court, at Macquarie University, lasted from 1997 to 2005, so after two decades, tennis was happily returning to the Emerald City. The only issue was that the court, supposed to be ready four months earlier, was still not playable when we landed. On our first day we went to the Cheltenham Recreation Club to view the court, and they were still painting the chase lines.

Upon arrival we helped Claire & Chris Cooper prepare for the opening. The Coopers were literally putting the club together in these first days: creating the club booking system, getting towels for the locker room, installing plumbing for the laundry machine and buying food for the opening barbie. They also were running a veritable boardinghouse at their house in Roseville: Chris Ronaldson & Maggie Henderson-Tew, in town to help launch the club started; the incoming head pro at Sydney, Alex Marino-Hume and his wife Charlotte; Archie Campbell, a gap-year apprentice; a Cooper child or grandchild; and the Zugs and Vern Cassin, when he eventually arrived. Late-night giant Jenga with homemade bricks was the customary Cooper way to stay calm amidst the bedlam. Other Sydney billeters were James & Alison Willis, Dick & Yvonne Crane and Damien O’Meara.

At noon on Saturday 29 March 2025, the paint just barely dry, we gathered at Cheltenham to open what some counted as the forty-seventh active, accessible court in the world. After a ceremonial first serve by Michael Fitzgerald, the president of the real tennis club (a successful bobble) and a group photo, it was an inaugural Jesters v Sydney match. Let the record show that the first competitive serve on the Sydney Real Tennis Club court was struck by Max Drake. Despite much dissenting from the dedans, Max unfortunately chose to attempt a railroad serve. He framed it directly into second gallery. Fault.

For six hours we played singles and doubles, off handicap, winning just four of twelve matches. Three of our victories came with Burton on court. El presidente in fact posted an overall record on tour of something like a dozen wins and just three or four losses. We weren’t sure if his handicap was incorrect, or if it was his subtly challenging leftie railroad or just that his Midwest Nice mien lulled his opponents into errors. The new court was very slow but lovely, with oceanic green walls and a grille that looked directly out onto railroad tracks and the occasional passing train.

Opening day ended with a barbie at the club for nearly a hundred people, including Toby Dolman, Robert & Lesley’s son, who lives in Brisbane. At Cassin’s suggestion (he wanted to play tennis all day every day), we returned the next day and played some more. I also officially handed back the old sign that had hung at the entrance to the Macquarie court. Haven Pell, as the last overseas visitor to the club in December 2005, had taken and framed it and kept in DC until Sydney might once again have a tennis court.

Two rousing dinners. One was Chinese food at a Marrickville brew pub dedicated to Bob Hawke, the legendarily social Prime Minster of Australia in the 1970s. “One for the country” was his motto and therefore ours too. The other was the Coopers hosting a farewell dinner party for two dozen, complete with a scrumptious lamb dish and Tim Tam cake. Baltimore’s Janet & Chris Haley, in Oz visiting their daughter, appeared, Burton gave a splendid speech and we handed out Jester tour merch, including lapel pins, dob kits, shirts and the most prized item, striped dress socks.

Jim Zug, US Jesters Tour Leader

15 March 2025

🎉 At long last, the real tennis court construction is finished, and we're now awaiting the final thumbs up from the Certifier, which should come next week. We're bursting with excitement and would like to invite all Sections of the Club to witness the court in action and join us for a celebratory drink and BBQ afterwards. 🍔🍹

We're absolutely thrilled to be taking on the US Jesters - a visiting team of real tennis players from the USA -who will be our first guests to grace the court. The match is on Saturday, 29 March in the afternoon. So, mark your calendars and join us at 5pm to watch some thrilling tennis and stick around for a celebratory BBQ and drinks from 6pm to 8pm. 🎾🔥

Don't miss out on this fantastic occasion, and please be sure to book in advance to avoid disappointment!

We can't wait to celebrate with you all! 🎉🥳


The Real Tennis Committee

November 2024 update

Today was a big day for real tennis in Sydney - we now have walls!

October 2024 update

Construction is coming on in leaps and bounds! Here is a stop-motion video of the work done over the past 4 months:

September 2024 update

Here are a few before and after photos of the real tennis development at Cheltenham. We are more than half way through the project:

• we made some essential repairs and underpinning of the 60 year old clubhouse building to stop it collapsing

• we remediated stormwater drains that had long since been clogged up with tree roots

• we coped with biblical amounts of rain in April and May - every hole we dug became a swimming pool

• our builder added extra drainage channels, a large underground detention tank and a waterproof lift shaft

• we moved the croquet building (parts of which are more than 100 years old) patched up the holes in the windows, gave it a new veranda and a lick of fresh paint

• all the footings are now in place and we are moving ahead with casting the tilt-up concrete panels that will form the walls of the court

Croquet building move

After several months of planning Stage One is now complete - moving the croquet building out of the way!

Here are some of the key milestones of the project