About 6 acres (2.4 ha) of land were leased to the club directly adjacent to the Adelaide Oval[3] and the grass courts were opened in October 1921 by the Governor of South Australia, Sir Archibald Weigall.

[5] In 1938 American Donald Budge won the first leg of the first Grand Slam in tennis at Memorial Drive by defeating Australia's John Bromwich.

American champion Ellsworth Vines made his only appearance in Adelaide and among the Australian representatives were Harry Hopman, Adrian Quist, and John Bromwich.

In 1958 and again in 1959 Pancho Gonzalez and Lew Hoad appeared at Memorial Drive as part of Jack Kramer's professional troupe.

[7] Additional minor redevelopments in the precinct allowed Memorial Drive to host the inaugural tournament in January 2020, held one week prior to the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open.