Memorial Drive roof just the beginning as tennis returns to Adelaide

The $11 million project to redevelop and put a roof over Adelaide’s Memorial Drive tennis complex is just the beginning of a new era with professional tennis returning to Adelaide.

Darren Cahill helps to launch the construction of the new Memorial Drive tennis complex with young tennis players Eliza, Ian, Jordyn and Adon. Picture: Dean Martin

• Memorial Drive northern grandstand could be rebuilt
• Adelaide’s home of tennis ready to take the next step

Adelaide’s return to be a stop on the international tennis calendar began to take shape on Wednesday with Premier Steven Marshall officially launching the $11 million construction of a roof covering the centre court area.

It was a cornerstone in securing professional tennis events — an ATP and WTA tournament in January 2020 — for the first time in more than a decade.

The main court and northern grandstand at Memorial Drive before the start of the redevelopment.

But South Australian tennis great Darren Cahill — the coach of three world No. 1s in Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi and Simona Halep — said it was only the start of becoming a world-class venue and that further investment would be needed over the years.

“There would be no ATP venue without this development going forward so it’s been incredibly important to be able to lure the ATP and WTA events back.

“We are behind when it comes to facilities in Australia and this is certainly going to give us a massive boost.

“To not only attract bigger events but also for our junior development, which is really important.

“But I think that you have to continually evolve and improve.

“I don’t think it’s going to be good enough to keep us for the next 50 years.

“I’ve been around for about 50 years and not much of this stadium has changed in those 50 years and we’re behind.

An artist’s impression of the proposed new Memorial Drive Tennis Centrel complex in Adelaide. Picture: Tennis Australia

“So you have to keep improving, keep evolving, keep developing and keep up with the times because sport is changing.

“We see it with the Crows and Port Adelaide — high performance is forever moving forward and evolving, facilities are getting better and tennis in Australia has to do that.

“But this is a big step forward for us.”

Cahill’s words came as Tennis SA chief executive Steven Baldas said a long-term vision was already being formulated.

Baldas said the roof — which was subsidised by a $10 million grant from the state government — helped secure the professional event.

It came at a time when the international tennis schedule was changing dramatically because of the new ATP Cup, which will be played in Sydney and Brisbane next year.

With Adelaide again hosting elite international tennis and estimates suggesting the event will bring in more than $8 million to the economy studies will be made for what the next step is for Memorial Drive.

High on the agenda is to demolish the northern stand.

It can be done with the roof remaining in its place and opens up the opportunity to do more inside a new building, such as having better player facilities or more office space.

“The exciting thing is that we’re going to have world-class facilities for our event in January,” Baldas said. “From there, we’re looking to do a feasibility study about what is the best next step for Memorial Drive.

“We want to build something that will be right for South Australia, the right build for our event.

“But at this stage we’re focusing on the roof and making sure that the event has what it needs for January.

“Then for the next few months we’ll look at what’s right for the centre.”