Court 1 Tennis opens

PERKINS TWP. — Court 1 Tennis hopes to cast a wide net to attract players and tennis enthusiasts from around the area. "We're in a great spot, right between the Cleveland and Toledo clubs, so there's a large area we can pull people from," owner Brad Lynch said. The new indoor tennis facility recently opened in the former Baywinds Athletic Club — located off Milan Road (U.S. 250) behind the former Maui Sands property. Baywinds used to be the pinnacle of local tennis. Lynch, a licensed coach who has worked with athletes at junior and college levels, used to play at the facility as a kid and later coached there after returning from college. "Seeing the place deteriorate and tennis going away really affected me," Lynch said. "Tennis in this area has really suffered from having no place to play in the winter." Lynch said he tried to purchase the facility for about 14 years, but it kept falling through. But he got his chance when Hoty Enterprises purchased the property for $650,000 in the summer. Hoty agreed to lease it to him, and he's spent the last several months renovating the facility to make it better than ever before. Lynch estimates he invested about $500,000 into the project, which included resurfacing the courts, new insulation, installing new lighting, redoing the lobby, renovating the locker rooms and more. "There's nothing in here that's not new," Lynch said. "Anyone who was in here before is shocked by how it looks now." Just like Baywinds, Court 1 Tennis is a club and requires membership. Lynch said Court 1 Tennis would start hosting leagues, coaching, clinics and tournaments for all age and skill levels. "I want to give people somewhere to play," Lynch said. "I hope people who stopped playing tennis will come back." The facility includes six tennis courts and several pickleball courts, a net game growing in popularity.