Reports are that tennis was being played in the BVI as far back as the mid twenties and a tennis club was actually formed in 1933 at the Agricultural station, which now houses the Althea Scatliffe School. But it was not until the mid-fifties that tennis really started to take off with the use of the old cracked court at government House. Clarence Christian, Rowan Roy, Alvin Jacobs and Cyril Romney could be seen playing there on a regular basis, often joined by Lily Romney and Anne Roy for mixed doubles. No one had telephones, or cars of course, so arranging games was not as easy as it is today.

Today the BVI Lawn Tennis Association (BVILTA) is the body responsible for the development and promotion of the sport of tennis in the British Virgin Islands. The BVI LTA was founded in 1971 and is an associate member of the International Tennis Federation.

The BVI LTA's biggest annual event is currently the BVI Open tennis tournament at which top players from around the region come to the BVI for a weekend for the coveted prizes.