Houston is not the first city tennis fans think of when planning a tournament trip. It might not have the same glamour as some of the other tour events but it’s a good destination to have in mind. Also, what it does have is something genuinely unique: the only ATP Tour event in the United States played on clay.
The Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship has been part of American tennis since 1910, making it one of the oldest professional tennis tournament in the world. Since 2008 it has been held at River Oaks Country Club – a private members’ club tucked into one of Houston’s most affluent neighbourhoods – where tournament tennis has been played on the same grounds since 1931 (!). While all four Grand Slams have changed venues since River Oaks first staged a tennis tournament, this one has stayed put. Rod Laver won here. Björn Borg played here as a teenager. Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, Arthur Ashe, Andre Agassi – all have won here.
The 2026 edition runs March 28 to April 5, with the main draw beginning March 30. Let’s look a bit closer at the event and also some good clubs and tennis courts where to play tennis in the Houston area while visiting the tournament.
The Tournament (ATP Houston): What to Expect
The atmosphere at River Oaks is unlike anything else on the ATP calendar. The stadium seats around 3,000, with green wooden bleachers that look like they belong at Wimbledon or a 1970s Grand Prix clay event. There are no corporate mega-screens or festival food villages. Instead: custom Maroon Har-Tru clay, an immaculate country club setting, spring flowers and a crowd that actually knows the game. It is intimate, social and very Houston, which means well-dressed people, good food, and an easy-going warmth that makes watching tennis feel like a proper occasion rather than a stadium event. I think many tennis fans appreciate these kind of tournaments compared to some of the bigger events.
The tournament is the only ATP Tour event in the US on clay, making it a useful tune-up for the European clay season. The timing (bridging Miami and the start of the clay swing) means the field tends to include Americans pushing for ranking points before the big European events, alongside clay specialists looking for form. Past winners in recent editions include Jenson Brooksby (2025 winner), Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz, and the entry list typically features Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and others from the American generation coming through.
Tickets: Available through the official site at mensclaycourt.com. The venue is small enough that almost any ticket gives you a good view. Practice sessions on the outer courts can be watched during any session you have tickets for.
Getting there: River Oaks is squarely in central Houston, and Houston is a driving city. There is no nearby metro stop, and while Uber and rideshare work well (there’s a dedicated drop-off/pick-up zone just outside the gates), expect traffic on match days. A shuttle service operates from noon until the end of play. Plan accordingly and allow extra time.
Where to Play: Courts and Clubs in Houston
Houston’s public tennis infrastructure is more substantial than most visitors expect. The city operates three dedicated Tennis Centers with over 60 lighted hard courts between them, plus more than 200 neighbourhood courts across the city parks – many of which are free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Memorial Park Tennis Center
1500 W Memorial Loop Dr, Houston, TX 77007
The most central and well-known public facility in the city. Memorial Park itself is one of Houston’s most beloved green spaces – thousands of acres just west of downtown with running trails, golf, and a great food scene on the edges. The Tennis Center has 18 lighted hard courts, a practice wall, locker rooms, and pro shop. Reservations are recommended and can be made through the Houston Parks system. Open Monday–Friday 6am–9pm, weekends from 7am.
The location alone makes it worth the visit. After your session you can run or walk the park’s trail network, grab food at one of the spots along Memorial Drive, and feel like you’ve properly experienced Houston rather than just passing through. It is about a 10-minute drive from the River Oaks tournament venue.
Lee LeClear Tennis Center
9510 S Gessner Rd, Houston, TX 77074
Houston’s largest public tennis facility, with 26 lighted hard courts in southwest Houston. Less central than Memorial Park but the sheer number of courts means you will almost always find court time here. It has a practice wall and runs a busy programme of lessons, leagues, and tournaments. Open Monday–Friday 8am–9pm, weekends 8am–6pm. Modest hourly fee. Contact via the Houston Parks & Recreation Department at 832.395.7561.
Homer Ford Tennis Center
Sunnyside Park area, Houston
The third city-run Tennis Center, with 16 lighted hard courts on the south side of the city. Well-run and affordable, useful for visitors staying in that part of Houston. Same booking system as the other two city centres.
Lost Forest Tennis Club
5775 Lost Forest Dr, Houston, TX 77092
One of the more interesting mid-size club options in the city. Lost Forest has been a fixture of Houston’s tennis community for over 40 years and has genuinely good facilities: 11 outdoor floodlit courts, 4 indoor courts, a gym, sauna, cold plunge, and a clubhouse. Drop-ins are welcome, making it accessible for visitors who want a proper club atmosphere without a membership. They also offer a complimentary first drill session for newcomers. An ATP and D1 college coach are both on the coaching staff.
The northwest Houston location is less convenient for tournament visitors staying central, but it’s a legitimate tennis community and a step up from the public parks in terms of facilities and coaching access. Booking via their app or lostforesttennisclub.com.
AD-IN (Advantage Indoor)
Houston
Previously called Westheimer Indoor Tennis. Nine climate-controlled indoor courts, regularly cited as the best indoor facility in the city. Houston’s summer heat and humidity make outdoor tennis increasingly uncomfortable from May onward, and indoor options are worth knowing about. For visitors in spring the outdoor courts are perfectly comfortable, but if you’re extending the trip or planning a summer return, Westheimer is the practical choice.
Club Westside
1200 Wilcrest Dr, Houston, TX 77042
Worth a mention for its history alone. Club Westside hosted the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship from 2001 to 2007 before the tournament moved to River Oaks, and before that it was arguably the most ambitious tennis facility in America. It once had courts on all four Grand Slam surfaces, including red clay identical to Roland Garros and grass courts installed under the supervision of Queen’s Club in London. The clay courts are long gone (converted to pools in 2006 when it became a family club), but it still has 30 courts across indoor and outdoor, pools, a gym, and a waterpark. It’s primarily a private members club as far as we know but worth knowing about if you are in the area or considering membership.
Also Worth Knowing
Houston’s neighbourhood parks are well-stocked with free public courts: Spotts Park, Jaycee Park, Nottingham Park, and Memorial Park’s outer courts are all decent options for a casual hit without booking ahead. Emancipation Park in South Central has a recently renovated single court with lights.
River Oaks Park: A small public park right in the River Oaks neighbourhood, very close to the tournament venue. Walking distance from the club if you want to warm up or cool down with a casual hit on public courts near the action.
For finding hitting partners or booking sessions, the UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) platform and houstontennisleague.com are both useful for connecting with local players.
The Surface: Clay in America
The tournament at River Oaks uses Har-Tru green clay, the same surface used at Crandon Park in Miami in the old days, and still the predominant clay surface in the eastern United States. It plays differently from the red clay of Roland Garros or Barcelona: a touch faster, with a slightly lower and truer bounce. For recreational players, the city’s public tennis centres are all hard court. If you want to practice on clay before arriving at the tournament or heading to Europe, the Key Biscayne Tennis Association in Miami (from our previous Miami article) is closer, but Har-Tru courts do exist in some of Houston’s private clubs.
A Few Practical Notes
Weather in late March / early April: This is genuinely good tennis weather. Temperatures are typically in the low-to-mid 20s Celsius (low 70s Fahrenheit), dry with light wind. Houston’s notorious heat and humidity don’t really arrive until May. Spring is comfortably the best time of year to be here and to be playing outdoors.
Getting around: Houston is designed for driving. A car or Uber is effectively essential. The distances between areas of the city are large by European standards, and public transport coverage outside downtown is limited. Plan each day around one or two areas rather than criss-crossing the city.
The tournament neighbourhood: River Oaks is one of Houston’s most beautiful and well-heeled areas, with excellent restaurants and bars within short driving or rideshare distance. The area around Kirby Drive and Westheimer Road has the best concentration of dining options for before and after matches.