Hermon Park’s Court Controversy: Tennis and Pickleball Clash Again in L.A.

At Hermon Park in northeast Los Angeles, a local recreation space has become the newest flashpoint in the ongoing turf war between tennis and pickleball players. A proposal by the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks to convert one of the park’s eleven free tennis courts into four pickleball courts has ignited passionate responses on both sides. With a community meeting scheduled to air grievances and seek compromise, this battle underscores a larger issue plaguing public spaces in L.A.: too many players, not enough courts.

Tennis players argue the need for space is already critical, with devoted regulars like Cynthia Su waking before dawn to secure court time. Su has been actively organizing resistance to court conversions across the city, advocating for the preservation of a sport that, for many, is as much a community as it is a competition. Conversely, the pickleball community, represented by players like Tim Cruz, faces its own space crisis. Cruz describes waitlists up to 30 players deep at nearby venues, reinforcing the claim that courts—whether borrowed from tennis or custom-built—aren’t keeping up with demand.

Interestingly, both communities want the same thing: dedicated facilities. City officials admit hybrid courts have created more confusion than convenience and have begun a slow shift toward sport-specific construction. But with tennis infrastructure already well established and pickleball’s growth exploding, interim conversions—like the one proposed for Hermon—remain the most contentious solution. As one tennis player put it, “Get a different court.” For now, that may be easier said than done.