WHO NEEDS CENTRE COURT?
World’s top spots for tennis ... and one’s on Scots isle
ITS remote and very windswept location means it might struggle to be included as a venue for the ATP world tour.
But now a top travel guide has listed Bunabhainneadar on the Isle of Harris as one of the best courts in the world.
Built in 1998 after a fundraising campaign by locals, it serves the 2,000 inhabitants of the Outer Hebridean island.
The court has attracted a number of star visitors including Tim Henman and Sir Andy Murray’s mother Judy.
British travel magazine Wanderlust has included it in a list of the world’s top nine most ‘amazing’ tennis courts.
Bunabhainneadar finished eighth, with The Enchantment Resort in Arizona topping the list, closely followed by a temporary court on top of the Burj Al Arab Jumeira in the United Arab Emirates and the floating court in Doha, Qatar, in third place.
The magazine said: ‘All eyes are on Wimbledon this July, but we secretly wish the tournament finals were being played on one of these incredible tennis courts.’
In 2017, a tennis fan spotted the Bunabhainneadar courts while driving past and tweeted a picture of them to former Wimbledon champion Sir Andy. To her amazement, the tennis ace tweeted back: ‘Is that even real?’
Looking over Loch Tarbet, with views of mountains and heather-covered hills, the court received high praise from Judy Murray when she visited it five years ago.
Mrs Murray, 59, took part in a photo-shoot for an initiative sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland aimed at spreading tennis to rural areas. She later tweeted: ‘World’s most remote tennis court. Isle of Harris. Stunning.’
Mike Briggs, a local tennis coach, was the driving force
behind the court being built in 1998, at a cost of £62,000.
At the time of Mrs Murray’s visit, he said: ‘If Andy and Judy Murray want to play here then they are most welcome, but they will have to pay £14 like anybody else.’
It is owned by a charity which works to provide recreational facilities for people living on the island.