Over 100 years of history
The Royal King's Park Tennis Club is one of the world's last great inner city grass court tennis centres. Due to its location in Western Australia's most famous park, the club has scenic beauty and environmental features that are unrivalled.
The birthplace of tennis in Western Australia
The tennis club was founded in 1899 when Sir John Forrest served the first ball to Lady Forrest. At this point there were only two asphalt courts and it was called the Mount Tennis Club.
By 1902 the first grass tennis courts and a croquet lawn had been laid and they were available on opening day of 1903. In 1904 lady members resigned en masse because Saturday play was reserved for the men.
The effect of the First World War began to be felt by 1915 as 42 members enlisted for active service. Fifteen did not return. Enlistments for active service soon increased to 53 and the club struggled due to the loss of members and subscription fees.
After the First World War
After 21 years of being excluded women were readmitted in 1925.
The main pavilion was built in 1926 and is a wonderful example of period architecture. The McGibbon Stand was built in 1935. Both buildings are heritage listed.
In 1928 the club achieved a major first for tennis in Western Australia when it hosted an international match between Australia and France. Jack Crawford, who with Gerald Patterson and Harry Hopman made up the Australian team, described the clash as "perhaps the best tennis ever seen in Australia".
The French team included Borotra and Brugnon. Borotra later wrote that after travelling around the world it was left to a "little place like Perth" to provide the best courts anywhere for him to play on.
In those days, Australia was a month's voyage from Europe and Perth was (and still is) the most isolated capital in the world. To the champions of the Eastern States, WA seemed as far away as Europe, but they still made the long journey to grace the courts at Royal King's Park. After the Second World War In 1947 the club made its third and final name change to become the Royal King's Park Tennis Club. In 1953 Royal King's Park Tennis Club hosted its first Davis Cup tie which was between Belgium and India. During the 1950's and 1960's Australia entered its golden era of tennis and, of the WA tennis clubs, only Royal King's Park Tennis Club was host to our most famous champions. Firstly there was Sedgman and McGregor, then the mighty Lew Hoad and Ken Rosewall. Laver, Newcombe, Cooper, Fraser, Anderson, Emerson followed. In 1963 the Club agreed to erect a building to hold squash courts on the site of the existing Old Wooden Pavilion. It was opened in 1965 and the building subsequently became known as the Eastman Building.
The modern era Over the last 25 years the club has hosted several Davis Cup ties between Australia and visiting countries including Yugoslavia (as it was called in 1984), France, Belgium, Ecuador and Morocco. During the 80's and 90's Pat Cash, John Alexander, Mark Edmondson, John Fitzgerald, and doubles specialists McNamara and McNamee all played at the club during these Davis Cup ties.
Over the last eight years grand slam winners like Patrick Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt and Todd Woodbridge have played for Australia at Royal King's Park Tennis Club. The new NGCA building, with gymnasium, squash courts, swimming pools and social facilities, was opened in 2007. This building replaced the Eastman building.
The balcony area of the Next Generation Clubs Australia (NGCA) building provides an opportunity to view the full magnificence of the canopy of the Park's mighty kingdom of trees. In 2008 His Excellency Dr. Ken Michael AC Governor of Western Australia agreed to become the patron of Royal King's Park Tennis Club.
For those interested in more detail there is a history of the first 50 years of Royal King's Park Tennis Club called "The McGibbon Years".
This was researched and compiled by long time club members Lindsay Cox and his son Graeme.