Aiken Tennis Club, tennis venue in Aiken, South Carolina
The Aiken Tennis Club is a historic tennis venue built in 1902 in Aiken, South Carolina, constructed specifically for court tennis, a rare indoor sport. The two-story brick building with a hip roof contains seven bays marked by pilasters and double eight-over-eight windows on the upper level, alongside a single-story annex called the Aiken Club Room that was relocated around 1928.
The Aiken Club was founded in 1898 by wealthy New York businessman William C. Whitney, who introduced court tennis as an attraction for winter visitors to the region. The building was constructed around 1902 and underwent renovation around 1936 while retaining its historic character, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984.
The Aiken Tennis Club reflects the passion of wealthy winter visitors for European sporting traditions brought to the American South. The place shows how an exclusive game originating in France found a home here and continues to be played by those who value its centuries-old customs.
The building is located on Newberry Street Southwest and is recognizable from the outside, but private membership is required for interior access. Visitors can view the historic exterior, photograph the property, and take advantage of its proximity to other local historic sites including the William Aiken Statue and County Courthouse nearby.
This court is one of only nine such indoor courts in the entire United States and the southernmost location where this rare English sport is played. Legendary players such as G. H. Bostwick and Robert Fahey have trained here, and in 2008 a world championship match took place between Camden Riviere and Ruaraidh Gunn.
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