USTA Adult League Play — Chicago & North Shore
Chicago and the North Shore are served by two USTA Midwest districts: the USTA Chicago District (covering the City of Chicago and immediate suburbs) and USTA Northern Illinois (NITA) (covering the northern third of Illinois). Adult league seasons run year-round, with Early Start, Fall, Winter, and Summer leagues, along with the regional Chicagoland Indoor Tennis Association (CITA) doubles circuit that runs out of indoor clubs across the North Shore. District champions advance to the USTA Midwest Section and National Championships. For full results, visit USTA Chicago and USTA NITA.
USTA Chicago
City & Near Suburbs
Adult 18&O, 40&O, 55&O, 65&O, Mixed, Combo, and Tri-Level leagues. Junior Team Tennis, tournament tennis, adaptive and wheelchair programs also run out of this district.
North Shore & Suburbs
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois District covers the North Shore (Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Highland Park, Lake Forest), the far northwest suburbs, and Rockford. Early Start, Fall, Winter, and Summer league seasons run at approximately 10 indoor clubs year-round.
Chicago and NITA district champions advance to USTA Midwest Section Championships and, for winners, the USTA League National Championships. For USTA league registration and results visit usta.com/leagues.
Notable Tennis Players from Chicago & the North Shore
Chicago and the North Shore have produced some of the most iconic American tennis players in history — from Hall of Fame legends to modern WTA/ATP tour players. Below is a snapshot of notable professional players with Chicago-area ties.
Taylor Townsend
Chicago, IL
WTA Professional
Grand Slam Doubles Finalist
Former No. 1 ITF junior
One of the top American doubles specialists on tour with multiple Grand Slam doubles finals. Chicago native who continues to represent her hometown on the WTA Tour.
Andrea Jaeger
Chicago, IL
Former WTA No. 2
Grand Slam Finalist
Wimbledon 1983 / French 1982
Reached WTA No. 2 as a teenager and made multiple Grand Slam finals. Famously beat Chris Evert three times in a row on clay during her peak.
Katrina Adams
Chicago, IL
Former WTA Top-10 (Doubles)
Former USTA President & CEO
Career-high doubles No. 8
Chicago-born tennis executive and former professional doubles player who reached the quarterfinals or better at all four Grand Slams and served as chair of the US Open.
Donald Young
Chicago, IL
ATP Professional
ATP Tour Career
Former Junior World No. 1
Former junior world No. 1 and long-time ATP Tour professional with career victories over multiple top-10 opponents. Chicago-raised lefty who played on the men's tour for over a decade.
Marty Riessen
Hinsdale/Evanston, IL
Grand Slam Doubles Champion
Career Doubles Slam
U.S. Davis Cup Team member
Hinsdale Central grad and Northwestern All-American. Won Grand Slam doubles titles across all four majors and played on the U.S. Davis Cup team.
For up-to-date WTN and USTA rankings for Chicago area players, visit the USTA Play Tennis portal.
Chicago & North Shore Junior Tennis Development
Junior tennis development in Chicago and the North Shore is supported by one of the deepest networks of high-performance academies, park district programs, and club-based training in the country. The Chicago Park District runs public junior programs at dozens of facilities including the McFetridge Sports Center, while North Shore park districts (Winnetka, Wilmette, Highland Park, Evanston, Lake Forest) each operate strong in-house tennis programs for youth.
At the competitive level, XS Tennis Village (founded by 2017 US Open-winning coach Kamau Murray) and Midtown Athletic Club (recognized by the USTA as a pioneer in junior development) serve as the region's primary high-performance training hubs. The A.C. Nielsen Tennis Center in Winnetka anchors North Shore junior competitive play with year-round USTA-aligned training.
Junior Academies & Training Programs
27-court South Side academy founded by Kamau Murray (coach of 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens). High-performance and scholarship tracks for Chicago juniors, host of the 2021 WTA Chicago Tennis Festival.
16 indoor courts, USTA-recognized pioneer in youth tennis development. Tennis Explorers for ages 3–4, ROGY pathways, academy squads, and competitive junior training.
North Shore flagship with large junior academy, high-performance training, and competitive junior match play programs serving Highland Park, Lake Forest, and Deerfield.
Winnetka Park District public tennis center with 8 indoor and 12 outdoor courts. Year-round junior clinics, USTA tournament hosting, and former home of the Nielsen Pro Tennis Championship.
Lincoln Park indoor tennis facility with extensive junior programming, CITA league teams, and year-round camps and clinics for Chicago families.
Chicago Park District's flagship indoor tennis facility. Affordable public junior programs, clinics, camps, and year-round league play.
Family-owned club founded in 1961 with indoor and outdoor courts. Strong junior program and longtime CITA league team home.
Indoor year-round club serving North Shore juniors with clinics, teams, and tournament training pathways.
For current USTA junior rankings and tournament results for Chicago area players, visit the USTA Chicago District and USTA Northern Illinois pages.
Chicago & North Shore High School Tennis Programs
The Chicago metro area and North Shore are home to some of the most competitive scholastic tennis programs in Illinois, governed by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Boys tennis plays in the spring and girls tennis in the fall, with the state tournament divided into Class 1A (smaller schools) and Class 2A (larger schools). The North Shore is historically the state's most dominant tennis region, with New Trier, Loyola Academy, Stevenson, and Glenbrook North/South consistently among the state's top programs, while Northwest Suburban programs like Hersey have recently dominated the singles draw with back-to-back 2A state champions Mitch Sheldon (2024) and Matt Sikorski (2025). Chicago Public League selective-enrollment schools like Whitney Young and Payton College Prep lead competitive tennis within the city.
- New Trier High School Trevians (Winnetka) — IHSA 2A — Multiple state titles; consistently one of the most decorated boys and girls programs in Illinois.
- Loyola Academy Ramblers (Wilmette) — IHSA 2A — Private Catholic powerhouse with strong North Shore tradition.
- Hersey High School Huskies (Arlington Heights) — IHSA 2A — Back-to-back 2A boys state singles champions Mitch Sheldon (2024) and Matt Sikorski (2025); 2024 state runner-up team.
- Stevenson High School Patriots (Lincolnshire) — IHSA 2A — Perennial state finals qualifier with consistent top-5 team finishes.
- Conant High School Cougars (Hoffman Estates) — IHSA 2A — Program-best 2A state runner-up team finish at the 2025 state finals.
- Fremd High School Vikings (Palatine) — IHSA 2A — 2023 2A boys state singles champion Andrew Spurck; consistent top-tier team program.
- Glenbrook North High School Spartans (Northbrook) — IHSA 2A — Central Suburban League power with frequent state qualifiers.
- Glenbrook South High School Titans (Glenview) — IHSA 2A — Consistent state-level qualifier in both boys and girls programs.
- Highland Park High School Giants (Highland Park) — IHSA 2A — Established North Shore program with long tradition of sectional and regional success.
- Evanston Township High School Wildkits (Evanston) — IHSA 2A — Historic large-enrollment program with robust junior pipeline from Evanston feeder schools.
- Lake Forest High School Scouts (Lake Forest) — IHSA 2A — Northern Lake County program with strong private club feeder participation.
- Libertyville High School Wildcats (Libertyville) — IHSA 2A — North Suburban Conference program with consistent state qualifiers.
- Lake Zurich High School Bears (Lake Zurich) — IHSA 2A — Competitive tennis program with recent state finals qualifiers.
- Barrington High School Broncos (Barrington) — IHSA 2A — Frequent state tournament qualifier with top-5 team finishes.
- Maine South High School Hawks (Park Ridge) — IHSA 2A — Consistent sectional and state qualifier.
- Whitney Young Magnet High School Dolphins (Chicago) — IHSA 2A — Leading Chicago Public League program with strong state participation.
- Payton College Prep Grizzlies (Chicago) — IHSA 2A — Top selective-enrollment academic school with competitive Chicago Public League tennis.
- Jones College Prep Eagles (Chicago) — IHSA 2A — Chicago Public League program with rising junior talent.
- Lane Tech College Prep Indians (Chicago) — IHSA 2A — Chicago Public League's largest school with a longstanding tennis tradition.
- Francis W. Parker School (Chicago) — IHSA 1A — Private school tennis program in Lincoln Park with strong individual state qualifiers.
- Latin School of Chicago (Chicago) — IHSA 1A — Gold Coast private school with competitive tennis program.
- Deerfield High School Warriors (Deerfield) — IHSA 2A — Central Suburban League competitor with regular state sectional qualifiers.
Governing Body:
IHSA Boys Tennis — 1A & 2A classes |
IHSA Girls Tennis |
IHSA Scores
Chicago & North Shore College Tennis
The Chicago metro area is home to multiple NCAA Division I tennis programs, led by Northwestern University in Evanston — a founding member of the Big Ten Conference. Northwestern's women's program is one of the nation's elite under head coach Claire Pollard, who has 13 Big Ten regular-season titles, 15 Big Ten Tournament titles, and more than 600 career wins across 27 seasons in Evanston. The men's program holds nine Big Ten titles in its history (most recently 1990) and competes under longtime head coach Arvid Swan. UIC women's tennis made history in April 2025 by winning its first-ever Missouri Valley Conference Championship. DePaul women's tennis competes in the Big East, while Loyola Chicago competes in the Atlantic 10.
Big Ten
NCAA Division I, Big Ten. Competes at the Combe Tennis Center in Evanston. Women's program (head coach Claire Pollard) has 13 Big Ten regular-season titles, 15 Big Ten Tournament titles, 600+ career coaching wins, and reached back-to-back No. 1 NCAA seeds in 2008 and 2009. Men's program (head coach Arvid Swan) has 9 Big Ten titles in program history and made the NCAA Tournament in 2023.
UIC (Univ. of Illinois Chicago)
MVC / MAC
NCAA Division I. Women's program won its first-ever Missouri Valley Conference Championship in April 2025, going 17–4 (7–1 MVC) under head coach Elizabeth Lumpkin Robinson, with senior Mayu Ushio named MVC Player of the Year. Men's program competes in the Mid-American Conference, reaching the 2025 MAC Semifinals. Both teams play home matches at XS Tennis Village and UIC's Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts.
Big East
NCAA Division I, Big East. Chicago-based private university women's program under head coach Marisa Arce. Four-time Big East champions; 18 straight years on the ITA All-Academic Team.
Loyola University Chicago
A-10
NCAA Division I, Atlantic 10. Rogers Park-based Jesuit university that joined the A-10 in 2022, with strong conference competition and local Chicago-area recruiting.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tennis in Chicago & the North Shore
Where can I play tennis in Chicago and the North Shore? +
The Chicago & North Shore area has one of the deepest tennis ecosystems in the country, mixing public park district courts, large indoor tennis clubs, and historic private clubs. See our Chicago & North Shore Tennis Clubs section above for a full list of clubs, addresses, and contact information — including Midtown Athletic Club, Lakeshore Sport & Fitness, McFetridge Sports Center, A.C. Nielsen Tennis Center, Northwestern's Combe Tennis Center, and North Shore Racquet Club.
What major professional tennis events have been held in Chicago? +
Chicago hosted the
2018 Laver Cup at the United Center, featuring Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Team World captain John McEnroe — Team Europe won 13–8 before 93,000+ fans over three days. The
Chicago Fall Tennis Classic — a WTA 500 event held at XS Tennis Village in 2021 — was won by Garbiñe Muguruza over Ons Jabeur 3–6, 6–3, 6–0 in the final. The
Nielsen Pro Tennis Championship at the A.C. Nielsen Tennis Center in Winnetka ran from 1984 to 2019 as an ATP Challenger event, featuring Pete Sampras, John Isner, Taylor Fritz, Kevin Anderson, and Frances Tiafoe. Chicago was also home to a
World TeamTennis franchise (the Chicago Aces, later Fyre) that won the 1983 league title under Billie Jean King.
Does Chicago offer junior tennis programs or USTA leagues? +
Yes. Chicago is served by the
USTA Chicago District and
USTA Northern Illinois (NITA) within the USTA Midwest Section, which run adult leagues (18&O, 40&O, 55&O, 65&O, Mixed, Combo, Tri-Level), Junior Team Tennis, and year-round tournament play. Premier junior programs include
XS Tennis & Education Foundation,
Midtown Athletic Club, and the
A.C. Nielsen Tennis Center. The
Chicagoland Indoor Tennis Association (CITA) runs extensive year-round doubles leagues across the region. You can also join
JTT, compete in
tournaments, or play in
doubles leagues through Tennis Circuits®.
Are the local clubs and programs affiliated with Tennis Circuits®? +
Some clubs and leagues in the Chicago & North Shore area use the
Tennis Circuits® platform to manage tournaments, doubles leagues, match play, summer camps, clinics, lessons, JTT, and leagues. Tennis Circuits® is an official
USTA Connect Partner, making participation and score reporting seamless for club and league administrators. For more details, see the
USTA Connect press release.
What is the tennis history of the Chicago area? +
Chicago has a rich tennis heritage dating to the early 20th century. The U.S. Pro Tennis Championship was held at the South Shore Country Club in the 1930s, featuring legends like Bill Tilden. The Chicago Aces (later rebranded as the Chicago Fyre) competed in World TeamTennis starting in 1974, winning the league title in 1983 under Billie Jean King. For more than three decades, the Nielsen Pro Tennis Championship in Winnetka served as a career launchpad for Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, James Blake, Andy Roddick, and others. The Chicago area has produced tennis legends including Taylor Townsend, Andrea Jaeger, Katrina Adams, Donald Young, and Marty Riessen, and Northwestern University in Evanston remains one of the Big Ten's most consistent tennis programs.
