The Northern Lawn Tennis Club, or simply The Northern, is a members-owned sporting club in West Didsbury, Manchester. It was home to the prestigious Northern Championships, considered one of the most important tournaments in the world for many years (the others being Wimbledon, the U.S. National championships and the Irish Championships).[1][2][3] It was later the venue for the Manchester Trophy (the successor to that former event), which was played on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Women's Circuit.
 | |
| Formation | 1881 |
|---|---|
| Type | Private Members Club |
| Location |
|
Region served | Manchester |
Official language | English |
| Website | Official website |
History
editThe club was established in December 1881 in nearby Old Trafford on grounds leased from the De Trafford Estate. Initial membership was limited to 250 people who had to pay one guinea entrance fee as well as one guinea subscription.[4] In 1909 the club moved to its current location in Didsbury. Over the years the club has hosted many international tournaments including the Manchester Open,[5] which started in 1880 as the Northern Lawn Tennis Championships,[6] and the current Manchester Trophy[7] on the ITF Women's Circuit and formerly part of the ATP Challenger Tour. The club has hosted many players including Ken Rosewall, Maureen Connolly, Pete Sampras and Martina Navratilova.
Facilities
editThe club is a member of the Lawn Tennis Association and has facilities offering 22 tennis courts: three indoor courts, nine grass courts, three clay courts, six synthetic tiger turf, an indoor half wall and a junior court. In a normal season, outdoor play will commence on the grass courts around the second week in May and finish around the second week of September.[8]
It also has large squash facilities: six courts in total and is an affiliated member of England Squash & Racketball.[9] There is also a gym on site with fitness classes and a bar and restaurant area.
Notable tournaments
edit- Greater Manchester Grass Court Championships
- All England Ladies Doubles Championship
References
edit- ^ Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: Allen & Unwin. pp. 266, 267. ISBN 9780047960420.
- ^ Meyers, A. Wallis (1903). Lawn Tennis at Home and Abroad. New York: Charles Scribner and Sons. p. 55.
- ^ Lake, Robert J. (2014). A Social History of Tennis in Britain. Routledge. p. 49. ISBN 9781134445578.
- ^ Allaby, David (1981). Wimbledon of the North : 100 years at the Northern. Didsbury: E.J. Morten. pp. 9–10. ISBN 978-0859720472.
- ^ "RESULTS PLUS". The New York Times. 24 June 1990. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
- ^ Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: Allen & Unwin. pp. 294–295. ISBN 9780047960420.
- ^ Kahawar, Adheel (29 December 2007). "Aisam brings laurels for Pakistan in 2007". Daily Times Newspaper Pakistan. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
- ^ Prettyman, Louise (23 May 2015). "Northern Lawn Tennis Club looking great for ATP event thanks to Johnsons Sports Seeds". Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ "England Squash and Racket Association". Retrieved 20 September 2011.
Further reading
edit- Allaby, David (1981). Wimbledon of the North: 100 Years at the Northern. Didsbury: E. J. Morten. ISBN 978-0859720472.