Populous designed the National Tennis Centre to integrate into its surroundings / Qiddiya Investment Company
Populous has unveiled the design for the National Tennis Centre at Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia — a 30-court complex that will become the future home of international tennis in Saudi Arabia.
The National Tennis Centre is owned and developed by Qiddiya Investment Company, and is a core pillar of Saudi Vision 2030.
Designed by Populous as lead architect, lead interior designer and lead masterplanner, the National Tennis Centre will be the region’s largest tennis centre, built to ATP, WTA and ITF standards across all courts.
Located at Qiddiya City, around 45km from Riyadh, the National Tennis Centre features layered landscapes and green facades linking the facility to the surrounding Tuwaiq Mountains.
The centre features 30 courts – 28 hard courts and two clay courts – integrated into the landscape of Qiddiya City. It combines world-class competition infrastructure with elite training and wellness facilities, a vibrant public realm, and two multi-purpose arenas.
The 15,000-seat flagship Centre Court arena and 8,000-seat Court 3 arena both have retractable roofs for climate control, and have been designed to be multi-use, suitable for hosting sports, concerts and major events.
The National Tennis Centre is located next to a Sir Nick Faldo signature designed 18-hole Championship golf course set to open later this year, as well as future homes, offices, and retail as part of a new city planned to be three times the size of Paris.
A key role
The centre will play a major role in the broader ambitions led by the Ministry of Sport to further elevate sports in Saudi Arabia and encourage increased participation, supporting all levels of the game, from grassroots initiatives introducing tennis to children for the first time, to supporting elite talent.
“The National Tennis Centre at Qiddiya City will become a major new destination for elite tournament tennis not just in Saudi Arabia, but across the wider region and indeed globally,” said Shireen Hamdan, global director at Populous and general manager of Populous KSA.
“Its approach to community integration is unique — at no other elite sports facility whether for tennis or any other sport do you see such a seamless integration of community and elite sporting facilities. It will serve not only this generation of Saudis, but many generations to come.”
National Tennis Centre: Key Facts and Figures
• 30 tennis courts (28 hard courts, two clay courts)
• Centre Court: 15,000 seats. A flagship arena with a retractable roof
• Court 1: 5,000 seats
• Court 2: 2,000 seats
• Court 3 (Arena): 8,000 seats. Multi-use arena with retractable roof
• Outdoor match courts: 450 seats per court
• 6 competition/match courts; 6 indoor courts; 14 practice courts including clay
• Total seating across the centre: 33,000
