Founding Club Spotlight · No. 1
KTC, Korean Tennis Club
KTC is built around Koreans living in the Champaign-Urbana area, from working professionals to students, one club night that mixes ages and jobs that would never otherwise share a court. Membership is not closed either: friends of members are welcome, Korean or not.
Being minutes from the University of Illinois shapes the club's character. The roster turns over every year and every semester, students graduate out, new arrivals join in, and the club keeps absorbing fresh faces, including people picking up a racquet for the first time.
Skill covers the whole range: complete beginners on one end, players noticeably stronger than league level on the other, and most of the club somewhere in between. Members compete in USTA leagues from 3.0 to 4.0 and on 6.5 to 7.5 combo teams, and some have taken tournament runs as far as the sectional level.
Saturday club night
- Four hours of doubles every Saturday evening, outdoors at Lindsay under the lights, or indoors at Dodds.
- Rotation play: partners change through the night, so a first-semester beginner and a league regular end up on the same court.
- Bring a friend: first-timers join by just giving their name at check-in.
Where KTC meets
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Saturdays run mostly at Lindsay Tennis Center (2214 Sangamon Dr, Centennial Park, 8 lighted outdoor courts) and move to Dodds Tennis Center (2802 Farber Dr, 6 indoor courts) when the club plays inside. Both are Champaign Park District facilities about a 10-minute drive apart.
Public tennis courts around Champaign-Urbana
| Venue | Courts |
|---|---|
| Lindsay Tennis Center2214 Sangamon Dr, Champaign (Centennial Park). Champaign Park District, lighted. | 8 outdoor |
| Dodds Tennis Center2802 Farber Dr, Champaign. Champaign Park District. | 6 indoor |
| Atkins Tennis Center1800 S Wright St, Urbana. University of Illinois facility, open to the community, court reservations available. | 6 indoor + outdoor |
| Hessel ParkChampaign. Outdoor public courts plus a practice wall. | outdoor |
| Blair ParkUrbana. Outdoor public courts. | outdoor |
Questions people ask
When and where does KTC play?
Every Saturday, 5:30 to 9:30 PM, mostly at Lindsay Tennis Center and sometimes indoors at Dodds.
Who can join?
Koreans in the Champaign-Urbana area, from working professionals to students, and friends of members are welcome too, Korean or not. Complete beginners are welcome, new members join every semester.
What level is the club?
Everything from complete beginners to players well beyond league level shares the same club night. In between, members compete in USTA 3.0 to 4.0 leagues and on 6.5 to 7.5 combo teams, and some have reached sectionals in tournament play.
What does "founding club" mean?
The first 50 tennis clubs and 50 pickleball clubs in each country run on CourtShuffle free for life. KTC holds the first spot worldwide, the rest are open.
Run a club yourself?
KTC's Saturday matchups are drawn up on CourtShuffle. Build a schedule for your own group right now, it is free and needs no sign-in, and a founding spot may still be open in your country.
This spotlight is written by CourtShuffle as part of the founding clubs series. Club details were provided by KTC.