New Ash Green Tennis Club

It was back in 1969 that New Ash Green Tennis Club, the oldest sports club in the Village was formed.  Using the courts Bovis had built next to the Manor House for the use of their employees, a small group of eager enthusiasts looking for a social game founded the first sports club in the Village that summer.

Two years later in 1971, the first Club Championship was held, with Ferdi Leitgeb emerging from a small entry to win the Men's Singles.  The men's side of the Club was much stronger than the ladies' in those days, and the first Ladies' Singles competition was not held until some eight years later.

With a number of players looking for competitive tennis, the Club joined the North Kent League in 1972, with a men's team playinhg in Division H.  Success as immediate, a the team won Division H that first year.  The following year a mixed team was also entered, and there was double success as they won Division H, and the newly promoted men won Division G.  In 1974 the men were triumphant again taking the Division F title.  A ladies team joined the men and mixed teams in North Kent competitions a few years later, and towards the end of the 70's the teams enjoyed a fair amount of success, the mixed getting as high as Division C, (the fourth division) at one point, and the Men's I team reaching Division E (the fifth division).

The 80's was a time of mixed fortunes, with four of the Club's junior members representing Kent and another four making up the New Ash Green Middle School  team that won the Midland Bank sponsored South East England Under-13 Schools Championship in 1984.  Unfortunately, Bovis's decision to reclaim the land the courts stood on for car parking threatened to bring the Club to an end.  An increidble amount of hard work by the Committee at the time resulted in the building of new courts by the Sportsfield in 1986, a large portion of the cost of their construction being underwritten by Club members at the time.  These are the courts the Club currently occupies.

Over the years the Club's fortunes rose, fell and rose again so that the start of the 21st century saw the Men's 1 team in Division A (top division) of the North Kent League and the complete resufacing of the court surfaces.

Today, we have an excellent coach, junior coaching during the summer, and on the social side, a range of events to suit everyone.  There are opportunities for both social and  competitive play with Club tournaments and teams entered in the Kent and North Kent leagues.  In 2019, our 50th anniversary year, the courts had a complete makeover with the reduction of the conifers to introduce more light, and a repair and renovation of the court surfaces.

Throughout its history, New Ash Green Tennis Club has prided itself on its friendly, family atmosphere and the warm welcome it gives new members of all ages and abilities.  These are things that will not change, as is the fact that there is no playing-in test, and there never will be - New Ash Green Tennis Club is the tennis club for everyone!