Pictured: tennis legend Tommy Haas in front of a rendering for the Bath + Racquet Residencies and Club. Photo courtesy of Bath + Racquets.

An icon is being revamped in south Sarasota. In the coming months, construction is set to break ground on the Bath + Racquets Residencies and Clubs, an all-new mixed-use development that looks to maintain the spirit of the original establishment. Founded in 1969, the original Bath + Racquet Club was a haven for Sarasota tennis enthusiasts, with 29 green clay courts that attracted the likes of top tennis professionals such as Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova in its heyday. The facility didn’t just institute tennis as a lifestyle activity amongst Sarasotans, however. It also served as a propelling force in the women’s professional tennis landscape and hosted the historic Virginia Slims of Sarasota tennis tournaments.

Today, Bath + Racquets Residencies and Clubs is set to keep that pioneering spirit alive with a development that will consist of 256 condominium units surrounding a Private Members Club with amenities that include 13 outdoor tennis courts, 16 pickleball courts, a gym and wellness center, two acres of park and residential and commercial space. To assist in maintaining level of excellence on the court, the organization has hired former ATP #2 tennis pro Tommy Haas, who first came to the area at the age of 11 to train in what would become Bradenton’s IMG Academy. In his position, Haas will be curating coaching programs as well as the day-to-day tennis operations to ensure that members have the best on-court experience as possible.

“I have so many fond memories from the time I spent here as I was growing up and training. It’s an honor to be working on a project that is committed to the long-term vitality of Sarasota and helping ensure the community stays a destination for those looking to pursue a higher level of tennis,” says Haas. “So much of my current work is about preserving the legacy of tennis. By helping return Bath + Racquet into a world-renowned destination for tennis where people can live, work and play and honoring the core values is doing just that.”

2170 Robinhood St, Sarasota, 1-800-401-5954, bathracquet.com/ 

Pictured: tennis legend Tommy Haas in front of a rendering for the Bath + Racquet Residencies and Club. Photo courtesy of Bath + Racquets.