About Us
Portsmouth Indoor Tennis Centre was opened by the Royal Navy Lawn Tennis Association (RNLTA) in 1993 as the home of Royal Navy (RN) tennis. It was one of the first public indoor tennis facilities under the LTA’s Indoor Tennis Initiative (ITI). The facility was managed by Portsmouth City Council with Kevin Baker operating the tennis programme until 2013 when an opportunity arose to revise the management arrangements.
A deal was struck with the Royal Navy allowing Kevin and wife Tessa to manage the Burnaby Road site for 15 years. This management agreement would give them complete control over both the operations of the facility, including the 5 outdoor courts; an offer they couldn’t refuse. This led to a personal investment of £250,000 by Kevin and wife Tessa which was supported by a £500,000 investment from the Royal Navy, permitting a new canvas roof to be fitted together with the construction of a car park and conversion of grass courts into all weather floodlit Astroturf.
Kevin and Tessa's investment was used to transform the café and changing facilities which helped give the centre a completely new look and feel. Since the reopening of the centre in May 2013 PTA has become recognized as the leading tennis provider within Hampshire with strong partnerships with Portsmouth Grammar School and Portsmouth University. The Academy has continued to increase success in participation across both junior and adult programmes and has players travelling from all over the county to access its Junior Development programme.
Portsmouth Tennis Academy has been recognised both locally and nationally for its contribution to tennis, winning the Hampshire Community Venue Award at the 2016 Aegon British Tennis Awards. The love for the sport will continue to shine both on and off the court, and the ethos of Portsmouth Tennis Academy will remain constant - Tennis for all people in the Portsmouth area and beyond, regardless of age, ability or level of fitness.