UP opens new tennis courts and clubhouse

| Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

Department of Public Works and Highways Quezon City District Engineer Ramon Devanadera (standing left of ribbon) and UP President Danilo Concepcion (standing right of ribbon) cut the ribbon to inaugurate the new tennis courts and clubhouse in UP Diliman. Witnessing are UP varsity tennis players, UP System officials, and UP chancellors, UP College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Carlos Diaz, and Atty. Gaby Concepcion. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO).

 

Four tennis courts and a clubhouse were inaugurated on February 9, 2023 on Ylanan Street, UP Diliman, the newest additions to the rising UP Diliman Sports Complex.

Members of the UP tennis varsity teams, the main beneficiaries of the construction project, witnessed the ribbon cutting and unveiling of the marker, which were led by outgoing UP President Danilo Concepcion and District Engineer Ramon Devanadera of the implementing agency, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

From left to right, photo 1: President Danilo Concepcion narrates the movement of UP Diliman sports facilities throughout the years and updates the community on the most recent and upcoming ones. Photo 2: Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo explains how tennis has brought UP Diliman citizens together through the years. Photo 3: College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Carlos Diaz looks at the varsity tennis players as he envisions more victories and inspired performances from them with training in the new facilities. Photos by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO).

 

With the facility in place, “we hope to generate stronger support for our tennis program and athletes,” Concepcion said during his welcome remarks.

UPD College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Carlos Diaz had earlier presented members of the UP Men and Women’s Tennis Varsity Teams to Concepcion and expressed their thanks to him for pushing for the project.

According to the marker, the facility was built to be “a premier training venue promoting the highest standard of play in tennis for UP athletes and students and a space for recreational play fostering healthy and active lifestyles for the UP community.”

UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo spoke about the “tradition of tennis” on the Diliman campus, with the old tennis courts dating back to the 1950s. These became centers of community activity even for those who did not play tennis, he added. Nemenzo thanked the Concepcion administration and the DPWH for the project that is in line with his vision of promoting “total academic development” and “an integrated sports development.”

(Left to right) UP Los Baños Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr., UP Vice President for Development Elvira Zamora, UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, UP President Danilo Concepcion, Atty. Gaby Concepcion, Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents Roberto Lara, Department of Public Works and Highways Quezon City District Engineer Ramon Devanadera, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla, UP Cebu Chancellor Leo Malagar, UP Open University Chancellor Melinda Bandalaria, UP Vice President for Administration Nestor Yunque, UP Visayas Chancellor Clement Camposano, UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia, and UP College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Carlos Diaz pose for a souvenir shot after inaugurating the new tennis courts and clubhouse at UP Diliman. With them are the UP varsity tennis players and staff from the Office of the Vice President for Development. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO).

 

Although the courts were ready, the 10,865-square-meter project had yet to be fully finished. Upon completion, “the new UP Diliman Tennis Courts and Clubhouse will be an International Tennis Federation (ITF) compliant lawn tennis construction project,” according to the project brief.

Department of Public Works and Highways Quezon City District Engineer Ramon Devanadera hopes to continue the fruitful cooperation between the DPWH and UP. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO).

“The development [features] a horizontally sprawling clubhouse structure crowned by the playing ground with four acrylic courts.” The large width of the hallway of the clubhouse would serve as a lounging and spectators’ area during games. It has space for administrative offices, storage areas, lockers, toilets, showers, and a 50-seater classroom.

UP Diliman’s old tennis courts, located at the corner of Osmeña and Roces streets at the Academic Oval, have been a “shared sanctuary” of different tennis-based organizations, including the UP Tennis Club and the Tennis UP Organization. Aside from being far from the master-planned UPD sports complex, “the facility is severely lacking in amenities to support the amount of customers it serves,” according to the project brief. “This could be seen in the lack of provisions for storage and lockers where stocks have overflowed into the locker room. The locker room, a single caged enclose for males and females, is an exposed room that contains 50 units of lockers shared by both varsity athletes and visitors who want to rent storage space. The washrooms are also insufficient relative to the occupant number.”

Devanadera expressed the hope “that fruitful cooperation between DPWH and the University will continue to flourish.” He congratulated Concepcion for the series of UP-DPWH infrastructure projects accomplished during his presidency. The UPD tennis courts and clubhouse project was initially funded during the term of UP President Alfredo Pascual.

Views of the tennis courts and clubhouse. UP’s new track and field oval is located at the back of the tennis court and clubhouse in the bottom photo. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO).