Every September, tennis fans from around the world descend on Flushing Meadows to watch the U.S. Open. The crowds, the noise, the energy, it's everything a Grand Slam should be.
But just three miles away in Forest Hills sits the place where it all began. The West Side Tennis Club hosted the U.S. Open for six decades, and those grass tennis courts witnessed history that shaped the sport forever.
Today, those same historic courts continue that legacy in a new form.
Here, beginners learn tennis together on Saturday mornings, avid tennis players keep up their skills, families spend entire days without leaving the grounds, and neighbors who've never held a racquet find community.
When Grand Slams Called Forest Hills Home
Between 1915 and 1977, The West Side Tennis Club defined American tennis. We hosted 60 editions of the U.S. National Championships (later renamed the U.S. Open in 1968). The club's 14-thousand seat stadium tennis venue drew the sport's greatest players to its grass courts.
Bill Tilden won six consecutive titles here in the 1920s. Billie Jean King became the first player to win a Grand Slam with a metal racket on these courts in 1967. Chris Evert claimed three of her six U.S. Open titles in Forest Hills.
On September 9, 1968, Arthur Ashe defeated Tom Okker in five sets to become the first African-American man to win a Grand Slam title. His victory at The West Side Tennis Club marked a turning point not just in tennis, but in the broader civil rights movement.
The stadium also witnessed tennis history in other ways. The introduction of seedings in 1927, equal prize money for men and women in 1973, night play in 1975, and tiebreakers in 1970 all started here.
Champions still play at The West Side Tennis Club. The difference is that now, anyone can join them.
From Tournament Venue to Community Space
The stadium that once held Grand Slam finals now hosts concerts throughout the summer. Grass tennis courts where Arthur Ashe made history are where beginners learn their first strokes.
Families spend entire Saturdays on grounds that intimidated recreational players for decades. Kids at the pool, parents trying tennis for the first time, everyone meeting for lunch on the terrace.
This meant changing how people thought about what a "tennis club" should be. The name itself, The West Side Tennis Club, carries weight that can make newcomers wonder if they belong.
Tennis clubs often conjure images of exclusive memberships and advanced players. The history adds another layer. How do you join a place where legends play when you've never held a racquet?
The message is clear: this history belongs to you now, too. Those 14 acres in the middle of bustling Queens provide room to breathe, space for children to run safely, and multiple activities in one location instead of scattered across the city.
The club's junior programs now serve hundreds of children each year, many of whom have never played tennis before joining. The summer months bring even more kids to the club with camps, events, and numerous activities beyond just tennis.
These programs focus on what matters to families—safe supervision, skill development, and friendships that last.
Finding Your Place Without the Pressure
Walk through The West Side Tennis Club on any given Saturday and you'll see what happens when history becomes accessible. The grass courts host matches between players at every skill level. The stadium that once held U.S. Open crowds is the backdrop for weekend concerts. The pool area fills with families who appreciate having everything in one location.
Parents who joined for their children's tennis lessons find themselves taking beginner clinics. Social members who never intended to play tennis watch a few matches and get curious. Playing members find they enjoy the yoga classes on the grass courts as much as their regular games.
None of this requires forgetting the history. But history works best when it opens doors.
Every person who joins thinking they're not quite right for a "tennis club" and then finds their community here proves this change worked. The courts remain the same. The people playing on them changed the story.
Building Community on Historic Grounds
When tournament crowds fill Flushing Meadows each September, The West Side Tennis Club operates as it does every other day. With neighborhood members playing their regular games, families using the pool, social events continuing without interruption.
The history still matters. But that history works best when it welcomes rather than intimidates. When it says "this is where champions play, and now it's where you can play too."
