The Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre will be able to stage action in all weather conditions as of November 2019 after it was announced the Ken Rosewall Arena will be fitted with a roof.
As part of a A$50.5m (US$36m) upgrade to the tennis complex, the arena named after Australian Tennis player Ken Rosewall will undergo construction of a canopy roof to cover the venue and Show Court 1, to prevent rain stopping play and keep the heat off the court.
The redevelopment, which was announced by New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Sports Minister Stuart Ayres, also detailed upgrades to player and media facilities, additional lighting, seating, and public amenities, and a new sprung floor to allow for multipurpose use for other sports such as netball.
“The redevelopment of Ken Rosewall Arena and Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre is extremely exciting for tennis in NSW. Primarily, as it ensures the facilities here remain among the best in the country and allow us to bid for new world-class events such as the ATP Cup,” said Lawrence Robertson, Tennis NSW CEO.
“Sydney has a long tennis history and these upgrades will go a long way to ensure we are in the best possible position to continue that tradition have the ability to host major international events in all conditions.”
The project is expected to commence in early 2019 with its first stage completed by November 2019.