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About Jensen's Tennis Centre
Meet the Team
History of Jensen's Tennis Centre
History of Prince Alfred Park & Tennis Courts

Jensen's Tennis Centre is a four-court artificial grass facility located in Prince Alfred Park, Surry Hills, just behind Sydney's Central Railway Station on the corner of Chalmers and Cleveland Streets.

Established in the 1930's by Eddie Jensen, Jensen's currently offers a range of tennis services including court hire, social tennis, competition, private and group tuition as well as a small pro-shop for racquet hire, purchase and restringing. There is also a small kiosk to buy drinks and snacks.

The culture at Jensen's is personal, informal, good-humoured, genuine, caring, spontaneous and inclusive. You do not have to be a member to play at Jensen's, although membership does have it’s privileges!

Courts are available for hire 7 days a week 24/7 via the Jensen's on-line booking system or by phoning Jensen’s on (+61 2) 9698 9451 and speaking to one of our friendly staff.

Jensen’s services the surrounding communities of Surry Hills, Redfern, Chippendale, the CBD of Sydney and is also the home courts of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Tennis Club. [link to UTS tennis club] Being within walking distance of the CBD and other local universities (Sydney Institute Ultimo TAFE and the University of Sydney) also informs the cosmopolitan and international mix at Jensen’s.

Feel free to contact any of our staff below if you have any further questions or would like to book a time for a coaching session.

Edward (Eddie) Patrick Jensen: 1912 – 2003

Eddie Jensen was born in Kings Cross and began his career at the age of sixteen as a Junior Tennis Coach under the watchful eye of G.P Lane, who was then the official Coach of the Lawn Tennis Association of NSW. By the age of eighteen Eddie had become a fully qualified tennis ‘Pro’, being the second person to be certified by the NSWLTA (the first being G.P.Lane). Eddie worked for a further two years with the legendary Lane, teaching at Private Schools within the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney and giving tuition to well known identities such as the family of the Governor of NSW. By the age of twenty Eddie had grown in maturity and ability to start his own business on a court by the waterfront in Billyard Avenue, Elizabeth Bay which later became the site for Larry Adler’s Boomerang residence.

During the depression years, courts sprang up all over Sydney as people sought additional income by renting a court in their backyard and because of this phenomenon Australia became the first country to bring tennis to the masses. Eddie was ideally placed to meet the booming demand for people wanting to learn the game. This revolution made Australia the first country in the world where tennis was a popular sport available to everyone which eventually led to Australia producing a line of world champion tennis players.

In 1931, Eddie moved a stone’s throw away and took on five courts in Roslyn Gardens, Rushcutters Bay. His dashing good looks and cosmopolitan style contributed to his enormous success in his ambition to become one of Sydney’s leading tennis coaches. He turned down an offer from John Hopman to teach at the King of Siam’s court and another offer for a position in Monaco because he was keen to build his business in Sydney, eventually opening additional courts at Kings Cross where the El Alamane Fountain now stands and another in Double Bay on the site of the Golden Sheaf Hotel.

After the war there was huge feeling of euphoria, people wanted to enjoy themselves and flocked to play tennis and joined Eddie’s Social Club. Eddie was by then a well-known local personality with his own radio program on tennis, coaching at many of the major GPS schools and being featured regularly in social columns and magazines.

In the fifties, Australia began to dominate world tennis and Jensen’s Tennis Centre became a base for the Australian Davis Cup players when White City was unavailable and on some occasions was invited to play practice doubles with members of the Australian Davis Squad.

An innovator, Eddie incorporated into his tennis business the creation of a successful cosmopolitan cafe "The Round House" where he introduced espresso coffee and cappuccinos in 1962. The sixties saw the advent of the Vietnam war and an increase in international travel because of the long jets. Jensen’s Tennis Centre became an international focal point for airline crews and famous visitors passing through Sydney. Eddie taught American service men who were on ‘r & r’ as well as many celebrities such as Shirley Bassey, Carol Burnett and Glen Campbell who were keen to learn tennis from an Australian coach. Even the famous sailor, Sir Francis Chitchester, dropped into Eddie’s café for a hamburger on his record-breaking single-handed circumnavigation.

Eddie retired in 1975 and it was not untill 1986 that Jensen's tennis College began again at Woodcock Tennis & Swim Club in Varna St, Waverly by his two sons Patrick and Anthony Jensen. In 1988 Jensen's Tennis Centre began again at its present location in Prince Alfred Park, Surry Hills.

Prince Alfred Park was originally part of the old Cleveland Paddock which stretched from Devonshire St to Cleveland St, and from Buckingham st across to Chippendale. The Park was dedicated on the 22 of December 1865 and has an area of 18 acres and 3 roads (7.534ha) and is managed by the city of Sydney Council.

Prince Alfred Park Tennis Courts were built in 1924 and have retained their unique staggered North/South layout.