Queenswood School, one of the UK’s leading tennis schools, has opened the country’s first large-scale Red Plus clay court facility in partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association. Eight brand new courts, built with a £600,000 LTA investment, one of the governing body’s most significant grants in ten years, form the largest clay court competition venue in the UK. The courts, which hosted the early international steps of Jack Draper, Emma Raducanu and a generation of British tennis talent, will host the LTA 11U International Team Trophy (15 – 20 June 2026), one of the most significant events in the junior calendar and for many young national-level players their first experience of competing on the international stage.

Red Plus clay contains real Italian clay and is playable all year round, replicating the surface conditions of the professional tour. It is the first facility of its kind at this scale in the UK. Alongside the new courts, the school’s iconic pavilion, originally built in the 1960s, has been refurbished. With 27 all-weather courts in total on site, Queenswood now offers the most comprehensive clay court facility in the country.

National squads from Great Britain (two teams), South Korea, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium will compete. The event began at Queenswood before moving to West Hants Club in Bournemouth for two years. The new courts bring it back to where it started.

Sophie Curthoys, Senior Property Investment Manager, LTA, commented:

“This is an exciting partnership with Queenswood School to deliver this eight-court Red Plus clay venue. This is more than an investment in infrastructure. It’s an investment in the future of British tennis. The courts will provide unrivalled training and competition opportunities, host national and international events, and help nurture the next generation of British talent, while securing the long-term future of clay court tennis at this exceptional site.”

Jack Draper, ATP World Number 4, reflected:

“The Queenswood event was one of my first experiences of elite international tennis. Not only was it an amazing team tournament, which provided exposure to some of the best young players in the world, it was an eye-opening event which motivated me to pursue a career as a professional tennis player.”

Queenswood is one of the top schools for girls’ tennis in the UK and one of the world’s leading schools for the sport. The school’s Tennis Performance Programme operates in partnership with Gosling Tennis Academy, one of the largest tennis academies in the UK, giving scholars access to LTA Level 5 Master Performance Coaches, alongside a dedicated strength and conditioning team. The U14 National Schools Doubles title and the U14 County Doubles were both won in the same week this term.

Catherine Sluter, Director of Tennis, Queenswood School, added:

“This is a pioneering moment for our school. Our new tennis courts, combined with our ongoing collaboration with the LTA, will give our students unparalleled opportunities to train, compete and grow as athletes. We are committed to nurturing talent and inspiring the next generation of tennis champions.”

Queenswood’s courts have a history that speaks for itself. Roger Federer played here. Jack Draper’s international journey began here, as did Emma Raducanu’s. Virginia Wade, Wimbledon champion in 1977, played here. A full list of players associated with the school and the LTA 11U Trophy is in the Notes to Editors.

With 27 all-weather courts in total, including the new Red Plus clay installation, Queenswood already hosts national and international competitions and summer camps through the Queenswood LTA National Tennis Centre. The new Red Plus surface extends that offer, providing coaches and players across Hertfordshire and beyond access to a standard of clay court facility that simply did not exist on this scale in the UK before now.