Margaret Osborne Dupont Park Tennis Courts

Love these courts!
Pros
— They’ve been recently resurfaced (see pictures)
— New nets!
— Concrete wall/​backboard on the 31^st avenue side
— 3 new water fountains (1 bottle filler)
— Bathrooms will be fully operational once the city installs lights in them.
— Courts are closed around 8:30−9ish when the Sun goes down.
Cons
— Wind can be an issue sometimes
— One of the surrounding schools practices here after classes and usually takes up all 4 courts
— No lights unfortunately but it’s smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood.

Great courts off the beatin path.
They are clean and in good shape and kept up.
Ive never had to wait, have never played on weekend but my friend he plays on weekend and says its good still.
Sometimes its a bit chilly, so bring a hoody or wind breaker.
My new favorite spot

This is a public tennis facility with free access to 4 outdoor tennis courts.
The courts are in great shape, but the place is a little too busy for me. I’ve had to toss other players’ tennis balls back and forth many times through the match.
Parking is difficult — although this is a residential area, there is no formal or easy parking.
Might be a great place to finally take your girlfriend to give her that tennis lesson she’s been asking you for. It’s a very social atmosphere.

Who would have ever thought?
So i took the rest of the afternoon off… because I cant think straight and hecka stressing about work… and what better way for me of taking care of the stress other than hitting them balls… tennis balls.
I can only play tennis where there is warm weather… retarded you say… but yeah I tried playing at Dolores Park and it took me forever to warm up and by the time I did I have cooled down again… so I promised myself never ever again will I play in San Francisco… until I met TB… I swear he made me do it.
I get excited when I see tennis courts… no kidding… it doesnt matter where it is is I just get hecka excited. So after watching the movie Hangover and after TB drove me to Inner Richmond’s golf courses… he decided to bring me to a tennis court… isnt he the sweetest… he knows that it will take my mind of the work-​related stress I am having.
The first we went to was a school cant remember the name but all the gates were closed, since my teddybear is well versed in the city he brought me here.
There are 4 hard courts and the two in the middle were vacant so we dont have a choice. Im just happy I kept all my gears in my car, sure my socks were soiled but it doesnt matter. I am wearing my denims but that’s alright too since the weather is 50 degrees. I feel bad for TB because he wearing his work shoes (safety shoes with metal in front i think). Sure I am not gonna be hard on him since we will just do soft rally, but then again my strokes are reactive and I am no Tennis Trainer so everytime I hit the ball when I get excited I put it away from him which make my TB run from end to end… poor thing.
We played until we hardly see the ball. I may not be able to do this again not without him, for the only reason why I was able to play in the 50 degree weather its because I played with my TB who made me feel warm all over.*wink*wink*
Seriously the courts are great, so if you are in the hood and if there is a vacant spot… go ahead and SMASH!!!

I wish they were closer downtown, but here goes:
Pros
— Plenty of parking.
— Four courts. If there’s no sun (sunny days are cause of celebration in general in this area), you usually won’t be waiting. Or waiting to be kicked off.
— Two blocks from the 38 Muni.
— Decent surface, a little old, but very playable.
— Quiet neighborhood.
— Restrooms! Don’t expect the Ritz-​Carlton though.
— And the biggest pro — it’s free, free, free! In Tokyo, you’re either fighting for a spot on public courts through a lottery system, or paying $ 40 an hour, so I’m still in shock that you can just turn up and play.
Cons
— Can get windy, although seeing your ball curl 90 degrees from outside the sideline to back in can be a lot of fun…
— The courts slope gently west-​east. If it does get windy, your balls will end up on the eastern most court. So you’re either waiting for your balls to come back on three courts, or picking up everyone else’s :)

In my quest to be the US Open Senior Women’s Champion of…2300(?) I have spent hours and hours on these courts, annoying the hell out of my ever-​so-​patient tennis partners who spend more time picking up balls than hitting them. Parking is always easy, and if you happen to show up on a day when the courts are packed… someone will eventually ask if you’re interested in playing with them.
And if you’re brave enough to play a set with the retirees on a weekend morning and risk the chance of getting bageled over and over and over again… do it, have fun, and make new friends!
Warning: Just make sure you close the bathroom doors if you’re playing on courts 2 and 3. If your ball goes into one of the bathrooms… consider it lost. Unless you want to dig it out of the stagnant bath puddle. And make sure you bring your own water. I wouldn’t rish drinking water out of that fountain when I see bird poop on it all the time. (If you don’t believe me, ask Dr. House.)

peaceful, serene and sexy.
this is an underground
tennis park with 4 courts in
very good condition. They
keep it clean around here.
I need to practice my back
swing, serves, lobs but I’m
good with my back spins
from hell. you cannot beat
my back spin shot of death.
this is probably the only game
you can play with old people
besides bingo. old people, i’m
guessing, loves to play tennis.
trust me — they have couples
matches here all day everyday.
they know each other and if you
play against them, don’t be fooled
by their looks — they can play — they
can hit. this place is really quiet and
you can play by yourself bc they have
this wall and a line is marked where
the net would be. so if you don’t have
a buddy, like me, you can play with your
lonesome self.

Dupont has been my home since high school. It went through a few renovations since 1992 (first time I played there). Years passed and it’s still as secluded as those good old days. I would like to be selfish and tell nobody about it, but since Unilocalers are always nice to me, I would recommend all you tennis-​lovers to this spot. Transportation should not be any problem since it is within walking distance from the 38, 2, 1, 29 and 18 line of Muni. Court surface is not so bad though some cracks start showing up, and net loosen. But again, it is much much more pleasant to play when you don’t have 6 – 7 folks standing around, counting scores for you, and wait desperately for your match point!
And yes, bring your own bottle water, and use toilet before hand.

Ah man, just finished my battle with Sampras. He was a beast. These courts are amazing. Usually not too much of a crowd at these courts like the ones at Golden Gate Park Plus they don’t charge either. These courts are also quiet and does not share any space with any basketball courts or screaming kids at the park.

Well…
If you’re like to me, and you don’t like to play tennis in the middle of Geary Blvd, where you can hear the traffic and smell the piss in the gutters, the four-​court complex known as Dupont just might be for you. It’s not in the best shape, but the fact that it is very secluded from street noise is great for Mcenroe types who get pissed when someone coughs as they try to serve. In case you’re wondering, I’m one of those types.
You can take solace in the relaxed setting and just sweat it out with no one looking. You can break your racket after double faulting a set point and no one will notice!!!
Here is a list of what you will encounter there:
1. Really nasty bathrooms and a drinking fountain that barely spurts, yet is still cold. ***Close the bathroom doors when playing on the middle courts or risk losing one brand new ball to the perils of a puddle of piss or bath water.
2. A large hitting wall that is great when you can get it.
3. The sensation that you are secluded and alone. This is because the courts are sunken into the landscape, 10 feet lower than 31^st ave. Sadly, this doesn’t seem to shelter you from the wind as much as you would think. Still, it’s nice, and it makes the place feel like an oasis.
4. Me, screaming at myself for missing yet another topspin backhand. Was I fidgeting with my grip and bringing my racket back too slow?
5. Lot’s of regulars and teachers play there, so it isn’t always easy to get a court, especially on the really nice days.
6. The courts stay wet in the winter (the side that gets less sun never evaporates completely) which makes it unsafe and nasty to do anything but hit the hitting wall.
See you there.

Once upon a time I wanted to be a state-​ranked tennis star. This is back in the day when preppy was cool and pink Polo’s on straight men were perfectly acceptable. So off to the courts I went with my Wilson Sting and Stan Smiths…
Mind you, I grew up in a community where everyone observed court rules and tennis whites. Most kids were busy training with private tennis coaches and fretting over trophy storage. But I, was kicked off the 7^th grade tennis ladder due to a failure to observe the «rules of tennis.»
ENTER Ellesse-​Clad Lu to the P: star student, proficient in all academic subjects, state-​ranked in four-​letter-​expletives and surprisingly an ESL graduate, 1-​time recipient of detention for use of said four-​letter-​expletive before a teacher’s aide and a formidable opponent in the game of potty-​mouth.
«Miss Xxxx, foul language will not be tolerated in the game of tennis.»
«Miss Xxxx, throwing your racquet is not considered good sportsmanship.»
«Miss Xxxx, please do not shout that you ‘HATE THIS GAME!’ when you fail to beat your opponent.»
After such traumatic adolescent rejection I am glad to say that THESE tennis courts are excellent for a player of my «caliber.» There’s a huge concrete wall which serves as a backboard and an amplifier for my verbal outbursts. But best of all I CAN CUSS ALL I WANT CUZ THERE’S NOBODY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR THE RULES OF TENNIS.

You get 4 courts that are nicely tucked away. A lot of people miss these courts because it’s below street level. This gives you a slight shield from the wind but it’s not perfect.
As typical of the courts in SF, some are in good condition and some are missing center straps. It’s dusty and not the cleanest so get a fast court but the fence is pushed back so you have plenty of space to roam behind the baseline.
There are restrooms. it’s nasty though. I’d went in one time and almost yacked. Street parking only which can get busy on the weekend and after 5pm. Also there is no lights here as most courts in SF.