We’ve made a name for ourselves as a legendary Tampa Bay tennis resort, equally suited to training professional tennis players, avid tennis enthusiasts and the beginning player seeking Tampa tennis lessons. We trace our tennis roots back to 1986 when the Tampa Tennis Academy was acquired from the legendary tennis coach Harry Hopman. Today’s Harry Hopman Academy at Saddlebrook Resort sets the standard for the best adult and junior tennis experiences in the world.
Hopman in Australia
Born in 1906 and inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1978, Henry Christian Hopman made his name as the most successful of all Davis Cup captains, leading his native Australia to 16 World Championships between 1939 and 1967. Emphasizing super fitness, he drove and inspired some of Australia’s greatest tennis players.
Hopman in the US
In 1969, Hopman immigrated to the US and became a highly successful teaching pro at the Port Washington Tennis Academy in New York. A fine player, particularly in doubles, he won the Australian Men’s doubles with Jack Crawford in 1929 and 1930 and four mixed doubles titles. He opened his first Hopman Tennis Academy with his wife, Lucy, in Largo, Florida, and lived in the city until his death in 1985.