Racquet Club sets Premier showcase

There's a new spring in the step for indoor tennis players at the Racquet Club of Chattanooga.

After redoing three of its outdoor hard courts early in the summer, the Hixson facility this week completed a total resurfacing of three of its six indoor courts. They have a new version of the rubberized base, with a guaranteed maintenance-free, crackproof covering.

"It's a cushioned surface. There are no other courts like these in the surrounding area," managing owner Leland Goldston said. "It's good for the legs, particularly the knees and ankle joints. It's much healthier than playing on a hard court."

The courts were created by Baltimore-based Premier Court and installed by a local company, Competition Sports, under the supervision of a Premier representative. The indoor project cost about $90,000, Goldston said, adding that he hopes to do the same thing to the other three courts "in a year or two -- two at the most."

He has scheduled an open house at the club on Sept. 29, from 1 to 5 p.m. Anyone can play there at no charge during that time.

In addition to serving about 310 members, the 40-year-old Racquet Club provides the home courts for Hixson High School and Berean Academy matches, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's and women's teams have four matches each scheduled there in early 2013.

Silverdale Baptist Academy is holding a fundraising tournament at the club -- for adults and juniors -- Sept. 20-22, and winter indoor league play starts Oct. 10. Registration for that begins Monday and runs through Sept. 23.

The club employs five professionals. It also has a restaurant on the premises at 4817 Adams Road.