Taube Tennis Center

On a spring Saturday the Taube Tennis Center is one of the most relaxed places on campus. Matches run on several courts at once, the stands are shaded on one end and the tennis is among the best in American college sport. Admission for regular season matches is free. Few visitors to Palo Alto know any of this.

This page covers the history of the complex, what is there, the big events it has hosted and how to watch the Cardinal play. It also answers the question local players ask most: can you play there yourself? For Stanford sports in general, see our guide to Stanford sports and game days.

From 11 courts to a stadium

Stanford tennis has played on this site for a century. The first intercollegiate facility opened in 1926, with 11 courts and grandstand seating for about 600 people around three stadium courts. The site had earlier held Stanford Field.

The complex grew in stages, each named for the donors who paid for it.

Tad and Dianne Taube gave the lead gift for the 1997 stadium, joined by more than 600 former players and supporters. Their name now covers the whole center. The U.S. Tennis Court and Track Builders Association later named it an outstanding outdoor tennis facility.

What is there

The center has 17 courts in all. Eleven are in and around Taube Family Tennis Stadium and six more sit in the Taube South Complex. Every court has lights and spectator viewing, so evening matches are possible.

• Seating. Stanford Athletics lists 2,393 fixed seats in the stadium, or 2,445 with wheelchair spaces and companion seats. Seating is theater style and the east end is fully covered. Temporary seating can push capacity higher for big events.
• Clubhouse. The Ralph Rodriguez Clubhouse stands on the north side with team rooms and offices.
• Ticket office. On the southwest corner. It sells match-day tickets only.
• Concessions. The main stand is at the south end and opens for weekend events.
• Restrooms. On the north side and on the upper concourse of the south seating.

Small cameras under 6 inches are allowed without cases. Tripods are not. Accessible seating is at the north and south ends of the stadium and at ground level behind some outer courts.

Championships and the pros

Taube has a bigger event history than its size suggests. According to Stanford Athletics it has hosted four NCAA Women's Tennis Championships. In 2006 it hosted the first combined NCAA men's and women's championships and it hosted the combined event again in 2011.

From 1997 to 2017 the stadium was home to a WTA Tour event, best known as the Bank of the West Classic. It was a summer stop on the road to the U.S. Open and brought players such as Venus and Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis and Kim Clijsters to campus. The tournament has not been played at Stanford since 2017. In September 1999 the stadium also hosted the Fed Cup final, which the United States won against Russia. Stanford's list of players who have competed at Taube includes John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Bjorn Borg as well.

Watching the Cardinal

Both Stanford tennis teams play their home matches here. The season runs mainly from January into spring, with conference play in the ACC since 2024 and the NCAA tournament in May. A few fall events are usually individual tournaments rather than team matches.

1. Check the schedule. Each team's page on gostanford.com lists home matches and start times. Times shift with weather and television.
2. Just show up. Regular season matches are free, according to Stanford Athletics. No ticket is needed.
3. For postseason matches, buy at the Taube ticket office on match day or contact the main Stanford Athletics ticket office at Gate 2 of Stanford Stadium, which lists hours of Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A college dual match is easy to follow. Teams play three doubles matches first for one point, then six singles matches worth a point each. The first team to four points wins. Several courts run at once, so you can wander along the stands and pick the closest match.

Can you play here?

Stanford does not publish public court hours or reservations for Taube. The courts serve the varsity teams and Stanford programs. Stanford's courts in general are for the Stanford community and invited guests. Do not walk onto a court without permission, even when the complex looks empty.

Palo Alto has plenty of public courts instead. The city runs courts at parks across town, including lighted courts at Mitchell Park. Local clubs and programs offer lessons too. Our guide to tennis and pickleball in Palo Alto lists them, along with the city's growing pickleball scene. Kids looking for lessons can start with our youth sports guide.

Plan a sports afternoon

Taube sits in a cluster of venues, which makes it easy to see two or three sports in one spring day. A typical plan:

1. Start with a late morning tennis match at Taube, when doubles open the day.
2. Walk a few minutes to Avery Aquatic Center if the water polo or swim schedule lines up. Most regular season swim meets are free too.
3. Finish with an afternoon or evening baseball game at Sunken Diamond, which sits just across the parking lots.

Pack water and snacks, since concession stands open mainly for weekend events. Check every team's schedule the day before, because spring weather and television windows move start times.

Getting there

Taube sits in the athletics district on the northeast side of campus, near Stanford Stadium and Sunken Diamond. Stanford Athletics sends spectators to the Varsity Lot between the stadium and Sunken Diamond, reached via Nelson Road off Galvez Street. More parking is in the Track House lot next to Cobb Track, at the corner of Galvez Street and Campus Drive. Campus visitor parking is paid, so check signs and our Stanford parking and transit guide.

Without a car, take Caltrain to Palo Alto and walk about 20 minutes through campus, or ride the free Marguerite shuttle on weekdays. If you are visiting for a championship weekend or a recruiting trip, compare hotels near Stanford before rooms run short.

Frequently asked questions