Durban — One of Durban’s landmark sporting venues, the Westridge Tennis Stadium, is this week’s old and new feature.
In 1956 the Durban Lawn Tennis Association, now known as eThekwini Tennis Association (ETA), signed a 99-year lease with the City Council of the City of Durban to build and maintain a tennis stadium with a centre court and outside courts, at Westridge Park Tennis Stadium in Mayville.
Over the years, the centre court has attracted many big successful national and international tennis events, including the Davis Cup and International Tennis Federation tournaments. It has also been the venue for many events such as popular music, cultural, religious and sporting acts, including the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) in 2013.
It has also been host to political rallies, and its large parking area was one of the main testing sites during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Since 2008 the ETA has conducted Play and Stay coaching sessions at Westridge, free of charge, for pupils from quintile 1-3 schools in and around the area.
Today it has 25 tournament-level hard courts, including seven floodlit courts, and a centre court with seating for 7 500 spectators.
The ETA is responsible for the administration of various tennis leagues during the year, with 22 affiliated clubs and schools participating in and around eThekwini.
The Westridge Park grounds are about 2.8 hectares, with parking for 660 vehicles, spacious verandah and lounge, fridge and braai facilities, and a fully-equipped boardroom facility for about 20 people.
Independent on Saturday