A popular community tennis club in Sydney’s north faces eviction in two weeks after the Aboriginal Land Council turned the lease over to a higher bidder at the site where it has operated for almost 50 years. Love’n Deuce has operated the northern suburbs tennis centre at Talus Street Reserve in Naremburn for more than four decades.The centre is the busiest tennis facility in NSW that is used by thousands of people and has seen tennis greats Yvonne Goolagong, Pat Cash, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe grace its courts.The club has maintained complete independence over the decades, but was blindsided earlier this year when it received an eviction notice.The Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC) took ownership of the site about four years ago and has informed the club to vacate by mid-September.Love’n Deuce managing director Paul Francis said they were one of the many 44,000 sites across NSW under an Aboriginal Land Claim, but was one of the first clubs to cop it.“It sends a very bad message and I think there’s significant issues now with recreational land, that people are looking at what gives the best profit,” he said.“You know what’s going to happen with golf courses, all of those recreational lands, if they start evaluating which has the best return.”Mr Francis said everyone who used the tennis centre was “ shattered” because it was where thousands of people from the community met, socialised and participated in physical activity.“Many people have said this, and it’s really united us, ‘I didn’t realise how important Love’n Deuce is to the community,’” he said.“This is their home away from home, the place where people come, get some exercise, sit down, have a coffee and socialise, it is a real de-stress for them.“This is where the Humpty Dumpty Charity started and runs out of the back of the clubhouse and has raised more than $100m.“We’ve developed so many programs here that are unique that give so many people opportunity to play tennis that wouldn’t normally get it. “We get people coming from everywhere because they haven’t got anything to play in their area and now they’re taking it away from them. It’s just wrong.”Media personality Ray Martin said the situation destroyed a fantastic community asset. “It’s about much more than tennis. Premier Minns needs to save this quickly, it’s a disgrace,” he said.Former Today host Steve Liebmann has played tennis at the facility with people from all over Sydney and the Central Coast for more than 40 years.“It’ll be a tragedy if the Premier allows it to fold,” he said.In 2022, a Land and Environment Court found the tenure over the Talus Street Reserve tennis courts was improper and the site was determined to be claimable Crown land under the Aboriginal land rights Act 1983.The MLAC made a successful land claim over the site and now and any decision on use or tenure of the reserve is decided by them.An MLALC spokesman said they considered how the land could best serve the Aboriginal community and ensure economic benefits were seen by the Land Council and the community.A spokesman said they supported the continuation of the North Shore Tennis Association’s activities for the local community at Talus Reserve, but the current financial arrangements were not fair or sustainable and did not reflect the principles of the Aboriginal land rights Act 1983.MLALC chief executive officer Nathan Moran said the tennis club paid 20 per cent of the market rent, and now they had a reputable provider who would take over and was willing to pay market value.“Which allows us to receive an appropriate income,” he said.The NSW government has proposed amendments to the Crown Land Management Act that would enable the minister to validate or vary tenures to ensure the continuity of well used sporting and community facilities.A spokesman for Lands Minister Steve Kamper said community and sporting facilities should remain available to the communities that rely on them.“That is why the NSW government is progressing important legislation in the upcoming sitting week to ensure well-used community and sporting facilities on Crown land remain in public hands,” he said.“The government is amending the Crown Land Management Act to give certainty to tenure holders and modernise the Crown land management system.“The legislation will ensure that established community and sport facilities on Crown land can continue to be used for their intended purpose.”Racquet Club will take over the lease from October 1 adding to its portfolio of panel, pickleball and tennis centres across NSW, Queensland and the ACT.Racquet Club co-founder Darren McMullen said their vision was to invest significantly in Talus St and build on its history, creating a thriving community club where tennis remained at the heart of the venue, alongside panel and pickleball.“We’re incredibly excited to be part of the next chapter of such an iconic racquet sports venue,” he said.Read related topics:Sydney