But not just tennis - Kyiv's tennis and fitness centers also offer squash and racquetball for the fitness-minded.
is as it’s played in Kyiv. And summer having arrived this past weekend, only a windbag like John McEnroe would argue the call to come to center court.
In recent years, more and more Ukrainians have taken up tennis as a way of having fun, staying in shape, and adding to their competitive advantage in the boardroom. With no golf courses as yet on Ukraine’s horizons, tennis is about all there is for individual sporting enthusiasts who like to stay on dry land. Or at least that was the case until recently.
Tennis on Kyiv’s clay courts might be a summer tradition, but approaching that status too are squash, racquetball and badminton, all of which have begun to find niche markets in the city. The trick is to know where to go, how to get there and where to find everything that’s necessary to start serving up ace after ace.
The following list of tennis and other racquet sport facilities in Kyiv is not meant to be all-inclusive – nor is the list of sporting goods stores where racquets, shoes, clothing, and sports bags are sold. But it is meant to get you out of your house and onto the court.
(Court rates are per hour unless otherwise noted.)
Order on the Court
As far as tennis clubs go, Antei has lots to brag about. It boasts a well-stocked sports shop carrying a wide range of racquets, clothing and shoes; one indoor artificial surface and eight outdoor clay courts to play on; and by-the-hour racquet rental, so you don’t even have to own gear to start with (or else, if you do, you don’t have to dig for it under all that junk in your closet). Like most every good club in the city, Antei also has professional trainers who will run you through tennis theory and techniques and play with you starting from $12 per hour.
Aquarium has some of the city’s only squash and racquetball courts, so anyone who’s going to complain about the cost of renting court space should consider the cost of building their own court. The club has a growing group of about 120 squash enthusiasts who, until now, probably thought they could keep this little secret of a squash complex to themselves.
We should probably mention that the hourly rates for their indoor and outdoor artificial surface tennis courts are pretty low compared to elsewhere in Kyiv. Trainers for both squash and tennis are available from $12 per hour.
Though a bit pricey, Central has the most clay courts in the city and offers a good central location with lots of parking. The club is also well-situated, behind Kyiv’s Olympic Stadium, giving players plenty of peace while they play a nice baseline game near the ivy-covered fences. Inquire about taking lessons from one of several professional instructors who play out of the club.
This small, but nicely groomed, club near the Salut Hotel has only a few clay tennis courts to play on, but like all the best they have trainers, who will teach you the finer points of the game for just $10 per hour.
To actually visit Harmony’s courts, negotiate the maze of apartment buildings on the Suvorova side, opposite the Kyivmiskbud building. To find their office, walk around building #13 until you see a gilded sign that says ‘Harmony’ in Russian. In short, due to its location and staff, Harmony is one of the most laid-back places to play in town.
Kodokan ranks among the most exclusive clubs in town, and the tightly guarded, elegant facility has the look and feel of something you’d find in a resort on a Caribbean island.
Once you get past the security, however, Kodokan’s personnel are very personable and helpful, and will let you know that the club is undergoing some serious reconstruction and repairs right now. A few outdoor clay courts are still in use at Hr 56 per hour, but when the work is done later in the summer, the rates for all courts will jump to Hr 70 per hour.
Permanent members of Meridian get a small break on costs thanks to the club’s discount card system. Anyone else can play on any one of the three indoor artificial courts for a bit more than almost anywhere else. They have professional trainers and a small sports shop also.
Perhaps Kyiv’s best-known tennis club, Nauka has earned a growing international reputation, mostly for hosting the Kyiv Open international tennis tournament, which in past years has featured players ranked by the WTA or ATP, among them native Kyivan Andrei Medvedev.
That means Nauka has some of the city’s best indoor (artificial surface) and outdoor (clay) courts, not to mention instructors second to none. The club is located some distance from the city center, but if you’d like information, go to the club’s Web site, which also links to plenty of other useful tennis-related sites.
Net Results
Without a doubt, SportMaster is the best place in town to look for gear of all kinds. Not only is their Globus II location huge, but it’s also neatly organized. Their shoes, for instance, have been divided into sections for tennis, basketball, soccer and other sports, just as they would be in the West. They have the widest selection of gear in the city, in terms of both racquets and apparel.
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| SportMaster has the gear to outfit anyone, whether a young novice or a seasoned master. (Post photo by Valdemar Gorlushko) |
SportMaster carries a full line of Volkl and Wilson racquets. Volkl racquets range in price from Hr 291 to Hr 890, and Wilson from Hr 252 to Hr 1,003, with a kid’s starter set, consisting of a lightweight racquet, two balls, a water bottle and a racquet case, running just Hr 196. Of course, they stock Volkl and Wilson court bags as well as shorts, skirts, tops and track suits by a range of manufacturers.
They even carry badminton racquets by Rucanor and Wilson, for those into something a little bit lighter.
The state-run department store TsUM has some of the city’s best bargains for tennis and badminton gear on the third floor. It’s hard to miss the excellent selection of shoes on the left-hand side of the shop; Asics and Brooks are featured (including sizes up to U.S. 14 for Hr 500-ish). Ask any one of the sales clerks in this section and they’ll be more than happy to help you find the size you need.
Aside from shoes, this little shop also carries Rucanor racquets from Hr 181 to Hr 349 – definitely more affordable than they are most anywhere else, and a great bargain for those not quite knowing yet whether tennis is the game for them. TsUM also has Rucanor badminton racquets from Hr 46, lots of clothing options and a variety of athletic joint supports for anyone wondering if that old ski injury is going to act up again.
Currently TsUM is having a sale on shoes and other gear, so get in while supplies last.
While not known as a place to get equipment for racquet sports, Extreme Style does carry a few things to get you charging the net. Start off with German-made Fischer racquets from Hr 295 to Hr 1,240 (with carrying bags), and then check out what they have in the way of shorts, skirts and tops, all of which are reasonably priced and easy to find.
Metrograd’s Lotto store (tel. 247-5547) carries the popular Prince brand of graphite racquets, retailing for between Hr 396 to Hr 1,112. Bags by Lotto start at Hr 155, shorts at Hr 77, and shirts at Hr 126; shoes range from Hr 350 to Hr 555. All shoes are currently on sale.
Almost next door is the neat and tidy Staier sports shop (tel. 247-5535), which carries an excellent variety of shoes by Adidas (from Hr 459), Nike (from Hr 481) and Asics (from 247). Sizes range from 8 to 12 for men and 7 to 9.5 for women. Prices for clothing are a bit more expensive than elsewhere, but they have some funky colors for those not into wearing white or blue.
