Destination Tennis: USTA National Campus

There’s no tennis center like the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, Fla. Players of all levels cross-cross the 100-court complex, from beginners taking clinics all the way up to the best American pros training between tournaments. On any given day, the grounds are abuzz with wheelchair players, juniors, USTA league teams, college programs, standard clinic-goers and USTA staff—not to mention padel players and pickleballers.

Built in a manicured, resort-style neighborhood within Orlando, a visit puts a tennis twist on a sunny Florida vacation when combined with theme parks and pool time.

The National Campus has a unique business model. It’s a training facility, a tournament venue and a community tennis center (without membership). Each contingent has its own zone, and the public can access any area except the indoor training facility (during the day), and the red-clay courts, where ATP and WTA players train for the European spring season.

About 60 percent of the Campus' recreational players are local. That leaves a healthy chunk of out-of-towners who want to play on short notice. The programming schedule accommodates them with ample drop-in availability. Usually, visitors can find a same-day lesson or clinic.

With 35 pros and dozens of public courts, the center can easily open up another court or clinic if a waitlist forms.

“We want to avoid saying we’re full,” said Simon Gale, the site’s director of racquet sports. “Most clubs would love to say they are full.”

Most clinics are kept to four to six players. Drop-in match play and three-day adult camps are also available. Standard “spot” camps include 13 hours on court. Custom camps for groups can include pickleball and padel instruction. Tennis and Wellness camps mix court time with meditation and massages at the Lake Nona Performance Club, a deluxe, cutting-edge facility with a Deepak Chopra wellness program.

To take the intimidation out of starting out in tennis, the center offers a free 30-minute evaluation session, followed by recommendations for how to continue lessons. Because the nation’s largest Veterans Affairs hospital is close by, former service members have their own clinics at the National Campus; some participants get to attend Military Appreciation Night at the US Open, and play on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The national campus is well integrated with the Lake Nona community, an upscale development with shopping, dining, hotels, restaurants, a farmer’s market and a weekly art fair. Some hotels run shuttles to the Campus—at each hotel bar or pool, “Are you here for tennis?” is a reliable ice-breaker.

A luxury hotel option is Wave, combining modern high style with a wellness focus. It includes more than 100 complimentary fitness classes, and state-of-the-art technology, like windows that automatically adjust to daylight for sustainability. The brand-new Aloft has a similar cool factor with loft-style rooms, a combined game room and bar in the lobby, vibey music and a fantastic pool area.

The National Campus has a full-service restaurant on-site, a stringing bar in the lobby, a large pro shop and shaded lounge areas around the grounds. For tennis fans, it’s a fun place to spend half a day, or more if college teams are on property. The center’s collegiate zone is the University of Central Florida’s home court, and last year, the campus hosted all three divisions of the national championships, a first among all NCAA sports.

What You Need to Know

• USTA National Campus, 10000 USTA Blvd., Orlando, FL
• 407-675-2504
• Hotels start at $175 per night
• You’re most likely to see pro players on the grounds in March/April, and September/October—when the playing surfaces change on tours—and during the off-season.

Tennis at a Glance

• Facilities: 32 hard courts, 32 Har-Tru courts, eight 36-foot courts for beginners and kids, four pickleball courts, four padel courts, six indoor courts, two pop-up courts and 12 outdoor hard and red-clay courts exclusively for USTA Player Development. A Family Zone will be expanded this summer.
• Lights: Yes
• Rates: Drop-in clinics start at $35, three-day spot camps are $650, Tennis and Wellness camps start at $2,200, private lessons start at $80 per hour.
• Good to know: The center offers racquet demos for a small cost, and free use of adaptive wheelchairs.