The Bratislava tennis club “Lokomotíva” is one of the first Slovak tennis clubs founded in Bratislava. For many years, the players of the club were the top players of Slovak and Czechoslovak tennis.
1927
The club was founded in 1927 by the initiative of high-ranking railway officials Mr. Dědek, Spiegel and Jelínek. In the archives of the city of Bratislava, under the heading "Lawn-tennis club of railway officials", there are also minutes from the founding meeting of the club on February 11, 1927, with the presence of 36 participants. At that time, there were already three tennis courts that stood in the garden of Mr. Chief Inspector Dědek. In 1930, the club already had 119 members, in 1931, up to 153 members.
40s - 60s
In the first years of the club's existence, members of the "higher" classes dominated the membership. Qualitative development occurred only after the arrival of youth, who were mainly from the surrounding area and who had already grown up in the railway yards. They were the children of the first paid administrator of the club "uncle" Meruňka, the guardian of Bratislava tennis. From this collective grew representatives who competed for the championship in tennis in Slovakia with the former ŠK Bratislava, now Slovan. The club built an administrative apartment for Mr. Meruňka near the courtyards, where the family lived for many years.
Associate Professor Meruňka was an extremely prolific author. He wrote sought-after publications about tennis, teaching texts for coaches, professional books, and an encyclopaedia. His publishing activities include the titles Attacking Tennis, How the Masters Play, Slovak Tennis at Home and in the World: from Hecht to Mečíř, Tennis for Everyone and others. He graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, worked as a coach at Lokomotíva and Inter Bratislava. He devoted his whole life to pedagogy at the Comenius University. He founded Slávia Medik and was the co-founder of Slávia Právnik. He devoted himself to training coaches, university tennis and work of an official.
He was a member of the executive committee of the Czechoslovak Tennis Association and for many years the chairman of the methodological commission of the Slovak Tennis Association. He was the author of methodical papers and also the first textbook educating tennis coaches in Slovakia.
The tennis club also operated in the interwar period until the summer of 1944, when the retreating German troops used the tennis courts as parking areas for German transports.
The railway officials, members of the club, used their experience and influence, which led to the understanding of the State Railways Directorate, and so the courts were restored and the 1946 tennis season could begin as usual. The centrepiece of the season was an exhibition meeting with foreign players, which gathered several thousands of enthusiastic spectators. Australians, Americans and quality European players started here.
In 1948, the club was transformed into the tennis unit Š. K. Železničiari, which after 1951 as a part of a new organization of physical education based on the support of large factories, companies and schools was included in TJ Lokomotíva. The departure of top players to Slovan and the generational change of players meant a slowdown in the club's activities after 1951. In 1958, basketball was played on one of the five tennis courts after the asphalt top layer was laid.
70s
In the 1970s, a new fence, artificial lighting on all four courts, a new training wall, and a large covered tribune were built, and the changing room facilities were re-built.
80s
In the 1980s, the Lokomotiva tennis club Lokomotíva Bratislava tennis club had over 100 members and its activities were focused on performance and recreational tennis. There were more successful and less successful seasons, a national tournament was also organized for the Railwaymen's Day, in which with future representatives of Czechoslovakia took part, e.g. Ivan Lendl and Miloslav Mečíř.
The very successful representative Karol Kučera also started his tennis beginnings carrier here. The head of the committee of the tennis section club was replaced by several chairmen, who ensured its activity with alternating success.
1991
A significant change occurred in 1991, when all sports clubs were separated from the former Physical Education Unit Lokomotíva Bratislava and they had to secure financing from their own resources. In these years, the club entered competitions regularly in all categories: younger pupils, older pupils, teenagers, adults and veterans, until the 2004 season. After this year, the committee worked under the leadership of the chairman Mr. Kezman, composed of: M. Ružek, L. Gregor, R. Kusý, P. Šarkan, M. Mudroch and P. Štibraný, who contributed significantly to the development and continuation of the club's activities.
2018 - present
In 2018, under the baton of a new committee, TK TC Lokomotiva Lokomotíva began a large-scale reconstruction of the area and buildings, as part of which it modernized its dressing rooms, clubhouse, and a lot of ground and garden work was carried out.
The works continue, the iconic lighting, fencing, paved surfaces are being gradually replaced, and the historic asphalt court will be transformed into a new hard court with a DecoTurf surface.
TC Lokomotíva expanded its operations to include a neighbouring plot of land. Where the club undertook to build a multifunctional sports field and a parking lot, to revitalize a children's playground that will serve the public.
