Albanian students brought back tennis to Albania, after returning from France and Italy
in the mid-30's. Some tennis courts were built in Tirana and in other Albanian cities.
Young Albanian Tennis players participated inthe few international activities. The best
player and supporter of tennis in Albania in this period was Sali Nallbani. After 1955,
the communist regime prohibited tennis in Albania, considering it as a
"bourgeois"sport and tennis was only played by state employees. This is the
reason why some tennis courts were maintained in a good state.
The Albanian Tennis Federation was founded in 1985. A national regular
calendar was created and it is still active nowadays. After the destruction of the regime
in 1991, the bad economical situation made it very difficult to avoid the damaging of the
courts, but the Federation has done its best to try te repair them. In 1996 the Albanian
Tennis Federation became a member of the International Tennis Federation and the European
Tennis Federation, which opens a new era to Albanian tennis.
In the 90's a special development was seen in Albanian tennis thanks to
the exchange of experience with Italian coaches ( especially Mr. Santilli, who came twice
in Albania ). Another important activity was the partecipation of many Albanian teams in
European and world competitions. In 1999 an important championship was held : The
National Championships under 12, for the first time in Albania.
