Tennis court guide

Alice Marble Tennis Courts

1200 Greenwich St, San Francisco, CA 94109, United States

Courts: Hard blue
Season: Year-round
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Setup: Outdoor · No lights
Pricing: $5/hr reserve, walk-up free
Transit: Powell-Hyde194145
Contact: (415) 292-2012

Practice wall available · Panoramic views of SF Bay

Alice Marble Tennis Courts sit at the top of Russian Hill in George Sterling Park, and they are among the most scenic public courts in San Francisco. From the baseline, you look out over the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the downtown skyline. The trade-off is the wind, which can be a real factor on this hilltop site.

Courts and surface

Four hard courts: two full-size courts and two singles-only courts
No lights, so play is limited to daylight hours
The park also has a basketball court and a practice wall

Booking and fees

The courts are free to use. If you want to reserve one, San Francisco Rec & Park charges a $5 per hour holding fee through its online booking system. Reservations generally open seven days in advance.

Walk-on play is also allowed. If a reserved court is still empty 15 minutes after the start of the time slot, walk-up players can take it.

Getting there

The courts are at Greenwich and Hyde, commonly listed as 1200 Greenwich Street, at the top of Russian Hill. The Powell-Hyde cable car stops about a block away at Hyde and Greenwich.

There is no dedicated parking lot, and street parking nearby can be tight. For many players, transit, biking, or walking is easier than driving.

When to play

Because there are no lights, it is best to plan around daylight. If you want calmer conditions, earlier in the day is usually better, since wind can pick up later off the bay.

About the name

The courts are named for Alice Marble, the San Francisco player who became world No. 1 and won 18 Grand Slam titles across singles, doubles, and mixed from 1936 to 1940.

Before this became the park it is today, the hilltop site was used as a radio station during World War II.