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Melania Trump reveals new White House tennis pavilion in place of court where Barack Obama once played basketball

Former President Theodore Roosevelt was the one who installed the tennis court at the White House in 1902, according to the White House Historical Association

Melania Trump is finally done with the White House's new tennis pavilion, renovating it from the time former President Barack Obama has transformed it into a basketball court during his terms. 

In a statement on Monday, December 7 morning, the first lady revealed that the project had been completed. “I am pleased to announce the completion of the Tennis Pavilion on the White House grounds," Melania Trump said in a statement. "Thank you to all of the talented craftsmen who made this project possible and to the generous supporters of the White House. It is my hope that this private space will function as both a place of leisure and gathering for future First Families.”

Melania tweeted, "History continues to unfold at the @WhiteHouse & I am pleased to announce the completion of the tennis pavilion. Preserving this historic landmark is vital & I want to thank all who helped complete this project."

The new building was inspired by the White House's East and West Wings, according to the statement. Former President Theodore Roosevelt was the one who installed the tennis court at the White House in 1902, according to the White House Historical Association. It was initially behind the West wing and it was moved to the west side of the south lawn in 1909.
 
Obama, being a basketball player, had lines painted on the tennis court and removable nets put in while he was in the White House, so he could play the sport. The first lady first took on the project in 2018, according to the White House. Melania announced that ground had been broken on a new tennis pavilion project.

“As we break ground on the new tennis pavilion, it is a great honor to share this moment alongside the many talented individuals and craftsmen involved in bringing it to fruition,” said Melania in a statement posted on the White House website.  “Architectural inspiration for the pavilion is drawn from the White House, with the end goal of the new structure on the south lawn complementing and contributing to the People’s house.  It is my hope that this private space will function as a place to gather and spend leisure time for First Families.”

Back in March this year, the FLOTUS was heavily criticized for tweeting an update about the Tennis pavilion while staying silent about the outbreak of the coronavirus in the United States. "I am excited to share the progress of the Tennis Pavillion at @WhiteHouse. Thank you to the talented team for their hard work and dedication," she tweeted, which received heavy backlash. Along with the tweet, Melania posted pictures showing the construction status of the tennis pavilion, where she was seen wearing a hard hat and looking over what appear to be architectural plans with other workers.

Many social media users at the time thought that the tweet was tone-deaf, given the current situation of the nation. However, after receiving backlash for her post at the time, the first lady clapped back at the haters through another tweet: "I encourage everyone who chooses to be negative (and) question my work at the ⁦‪@WhiteHouse⁩ to take time and contribute something good (and) productive in their own communities."