The Rare Court of Hendon
In the unassuming sprawl of northwest London, where the Middlesex University campus hums with student life amid Hendon's post-war brick and green pitches, sits a relic of royal intrigue reborn in modern concrete. The Middlesex University Real Tennis Club at The Burroughs, NW4 4BT, isn't your local park tennis spot—it's one of Britain's scant 26 real tennis courts, a game of cunning bounces off penthouses and tambours, played with pear-shaped rackets and balls stitched by hand. Opened in October 1999, this facility fuses ancient sport with cutting-edge design, drawing a niche band of tacticians to its shadowed vault.
Hendon's Hidden Allure
Hendon pulses with the everyday rhythm of Greater London suburbs: families spilling from semis, students weaving between lectures, and commuters darting to nearby Hendon Central tube. The Burroughs cuts through this as a leafy campus artery, flanked by the university's fitness studios and floodlit MACS courts, yet the real tennis club stands apart in Burroughs Sports Club—a sleek addition to an otherwise crinkly tin shed of a health hub. Players arrive not in droves but in quiet determination, often by Northern Line from central London or bus from Brent Cross, parking in the campus lots that swell on weekends. The vibe skews cerebral: think professors plotting volleys, alumni reliving glory, less the grunts of baseline bashers and more murmurs of strategy amid the court's elliptical roof.
Mastering the Game Here
Real tennis demands guile over power, its irregular walls turning every rally into a puzzle unique to this very court—floated concrete floor with methacrylate sheen, reinforced walls plastered in Armourcoat, penthouses of maranti plywood sloping like old market roofs. Built for £1.5 million (equivalent to £2.7 million today), it boasts 1500 lux lighting, under-floor heating by Wirsbro, and a glazed Kal-Zip roof diffusing shadow-free daylight, ideal for year-round play even in London's drizzly winters. Booking isn't casual walk-on; contact the club directly via the Tennis & Rackets Association for court time, lessons with resident pros, or society matches—expect fees starting around £20-£40 per session, plus pro coaching at £50/hour, though newcomers might trial via university ties if eligible. Beginners face a steep curve: pear-shaped rackets feel alien, balls harder than squash, but the coaches' digital video system—CCTV feeds to a workshop screen—breaks it down frame by frame, blending 16th-century craft with tech. Seasonal note: winter's heating keeps it playable, but summer's terrace viewing gallery tempts outdoor loungers; lighting holds steady for evening sessions past dusk.
Visitor's Playbook
Ease in with practical smarts. Park in the campus lots off The Burroughs—free for short stays, but arrive early as they fill with uni traffic; public transport trumps it, with Hendon station a 15-minute walk. Safety's solid in this student enclave—well-lit paths, campus security—but stick to daylight if solo, as Hendon's fringes quiet down post-9 PM. Weather? London's fickle: layer for chill winds off the Welsh Harp reservoir nearby, but the court's sealed envelope shrugs off rain. Fuel up pre-game at the on-site café/bar in the social space west of the court—quick coffee or post-match pint amid the coaches' office buzz—or wander five minutes to Hendon High Street for greasy spoons like The Hendon Kitchen, where bacon butties chase away morning fog, or Rio's for flat whites that rival Soho. Hydrate, stretch those wrists; the court's resilient surfaces forgive little.
Finding Your Rally Partner
For those scanning Hendon for a hit—new to town, post-move, or just rusty—the hunt can feel as quirky as the sport itself. Enter Doyouplay, the no-fuss connector stitching players like those hand-felt balls. Browse free by skill level, from greenhorn to penthouse pro, filtering for Hendon's rare real tennis faithful or nearby modern courts. Low-stakes 1:1 chat sparks quick plans—"Fancy a doubles trial at The Burroughs?"—in an active community buzzing with locals and expats. Newcomers, fear not: it's built for you, reassuring recent movers that Hendon's tight-knit scene welcomes intros without the awkward pub standoff. One tap links you to court time, a pro tip, or that perfect partner eyeing the tambour—simplest path to belonging on this elegant outlier of a court.
Legacy in Concrete
Two decades on, Middlesex's court endures as a modern homage to Hampton Court palaces, hosting World Doubles championships and drawing devotees who prize its vaulted grace over picturesque peers. Amid closure whispers for student space, it persists as Hendon's quiet beacon—resilient walls echoing guileful shots, inviting the next generation to claim its peculiarities. Step through those hazard-end double doors, and you're not just playing; you're inheriting a slice of sportive history, right here in the Burroughs.
