The Midtown Tennis Club

As a Private-Membership Organization

by: Robert Zielinski



The Midtown Tennis Club, located in Chicago, IL, was established in 1969. Currently, it is one of the world's largest indoor tennis facilities. The club provides its members with courts and instruction, as well as structured league play. Inside, the location offers up 18 indoor tennis courts, a fitness center with both cardiovascular and strength equipment, a sauna, a whirlpool, cafe, pro shop, and supervision for kids. The purpose of this presentation is to take a closer look at the club as a private-membership organization.


Founded over 40 years ago, The Midtown Tennis Club boasts a variety of tennis-related activities, complete with courts and personalized instruction. Many tennis legends have come to this exact club, located at 2020 West Fullerton Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, including John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe, and Andre Agassi. It was created to provide the best available tennis instruction as well as offer world-class tennis services. The club has even patented their own method of teaching, entitled: Tennis in No Time, which has introduced a variety of new players to tennis, most of whom are now members themselves.



Inside the Midtown Tennis Club are a select group of tennis instructors as well as personal trainers. Employment opportunities are offered to those interested in teaching the game of tennis. These positions require a heavy knowledge of the game as well as countless years of experience. However, to those lacking in tennis skills, there are positions available which require the supervision of kids, at the member-only KidTown.




This recreation agency faces many issues regarding current trends in the sport of tennis. Since it is a private-membership organization, Midtown is always keeping an eye on its membership rates. Unfortunately, due to the recent economic downturn, membership rates have had to increase due to lack of new members. On the other hand, current trends in sport and recreation have led to a higher increase in participation. Due to issues such as childhood obesity and the overall need for more exercise, the public has begun to learn how to play tennis and experience it as a fun way to spend their time.





The Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago defines leisure in terms of experiencing the game of tennis. It strives to provide its members with a place to play tennis indoors, and also teach the sport to younger generations. The private membership may or may not be affordable to all, however, this allows the agency to control the environment as well as allow personalized instruction and service. Not only does the club serve all those that play tennis, but it also offers fitness opportunities, social events, and child supervision to all its members.



My experience of this recreation delivery service was absolutely breathtaking. The amount of courts was overwhelming, as I have never seen as many as eighteen at one time. Not only the tennis courts, but the fitness center was also quite nice and the child supervision seemed like a very viable option for parents. Undoubtedly a private-membership agency, the Midtown Tennis Club fits in as a recreation-sponsoring organization. A career at this location would require years of experience as well as extensive knowledge of the game of tennis. However, upon acquiring the necessary qualifications, the club offers many benefits, including job security as well as the respect that comes with the title of tennis instructor at such a prestigious club. Nevertheless, the Midtown Tennis Club offers top-notch, private instruction, high-quality tennis courts, and a variety of valuable services, all of which combine to create an indispensable part of the leisure delivery system.








All photos were taken with permission from The Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago website.
For more information, or to purchase a membership, please visit:
http://www.midtown.com/Chicago/Pages/default.aspx