Qiddiya Investment Company has announced the National Tennis Centre – a world-class sports and entertainment landmark that will position Saudi Arabia as a future hub for international tennis, elite development, local grass roots participation and year-round community play.

Designed by Populous as Lead Architect, Lead Interior Designer and Lead Masterplanner, and located in Qiddiya City – Saudi Arabia’s capital of entertainment, sport, and culture – the National Tennis Centre will be the region’s largest tennis centre, built to ATP, WTA and ITF standards across all courts to attract and host some of the world’s most prestigious events. Construction is already well underway at the National Tennis Centre, which is designed by globally renowned sports architecture firm Populous.

The National Tennis Centre is an important step forward in Qiddiya City’s ambition to become a global destination for entertainment, sport and culture, creating a new home for tennis in Saudi Arabia while inspiring future generations through the power of play. This philosophy is shaping a new city that offers residents, visitors, and businesses limitless opportunities to imagine, to grow, to escape, and to thrive in a contemporary and sustainable urban ecosystem built to improve quality of life.

The announcement of the National Tennis Centre adds to the remarkable momentum at Qiddiya City, including the recent opening of Six Flags theme park, Aquarabia, the Middle-East’s largest water park, and PlayMaker Studios, the new purpose-built film production hub.

What is the National Tennis Centre at Qiddiya City?

As the region’s largest tennis centre, the National Tennis Centre features 30 courts – 28 hard courts and two clay courts – integrated into the dramatic landscape of Qiddiya City, 45km west of Riyadh, with layered green facades woven into the surrounding Tuwaiq Mountains.

It combines world-class competition infrastructure with elite training and wellness facilities, a vibrant public realm, and two multi-purpose arenas with retractable roofs for climate control which can host concerts and major events beyond tennis. The National Tennis Centre is located next to a Sir Nick Faldo signature designed 18-hole Championship golf course set to open later this year, as well as future homes, offices, and retail as part of a new city planned to be three times the size of Paris.

The National Tennis Centre will play a major role in the broader ambitions led by the Ministry of Sport to further elevate sports in the Kingdom and encourage increased participation. The National Tennis Centre will support all levels of the game, from grassroots initiatives introducing tennis to children for the first time, to supporting Saudi Arabia’s elite talent. Beyond competition, its world-class facilities and favourable winter climate position the National Tennis Centre as an attractive seasonal training destination, offering the globe’s top players the ideal conditions to prepare for the tennis circuit.

National Tennis Centre: Key Facts and Figures

• 30 tennis courts in total (28 hard courts, two clay courts)
• Centre Court: 15,000 seats – the flagship arena with a retractable roof, designed for the world’s biggest matches and comparable in scale to leading international tennis venues. Designed to host events beyond tennis.
• Court 1: 5,000 seats
• Court 2: 2,000 seats
• Court 3 (Arena): 8,000 seats – multi-use arena for sport, concerts, and major events, with retractable roof
• Outdoor match courts: 450 seats per court
• 6 competition/match courts; 6 indoor courts; 14 practice courts including clay
• Total seating across the centre: 33,000

On this occasion, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, affirmed that the launch of the National Tennis Centre reflects the support and attention the sports sector receives from the leadership. HRH also stressed that the centre represents an important pillar in developing tennis in the Kingdom, a sport that enjoys wide popularity among both participants and fans.

HRH Prince Abdulaziz added: “The centre has the necessary capabilities to host major tournaments and elite players, having been built according to the highest international specifications and standards. This reflects the commitment to developing the tennis ecosystem in the Kingdom, as with other sports, by enhancing infrastructure and programs that support the scouting and development of Saudi talent. These efforts help guide players from the amateur stage to professionalism while contributing to the achievement of the sports objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.”

Abdullah Aldawood, Managing Director, Qiddiya Investment Company said, “At Qiddiya City, we believe in the Power of Play; the idea that play, in all its forms, has the ability to transform lives, build communities and inspire generations. The National Tennis Centre demonstrates this philosophy. We are building a world-class home for tennis at every level, where the world’s best players can compete, the next generation of Saudi talent can reach their potential, and families and communities across Saudi Arabia can experience this great sport. The National Tennis Centre is for Saudi Arabia, supporting Vision 2030 by driving sports participation and tourism, and it is open to the world.”