10 Easy Ways to Play Tennis Locally
Tennis begins as the weather warms up
Whether it's Singles or Doubles, here are some suggestions to find a partner or a team to join.
New to the area? Where to meet other players?
You can find hitting partners or seasonal leagues anywhere in the USA. Below are some options from least to most expensive.
Basic tennis gear is all you need to start - shoes, a racket, and some balls
You can start playing with a decent pair of tennis shoes, a basic racket, and a can of $3 tennis balls.
If you enjoy it, gradually upgrade the strings and other gear as you play more regularly.
Practice Walls
Locate your nearest tennis courts with a practice wall. If you spend time practicing at a tennis wall, chances are good you'll find other players with the same mindset for improvement. You can also quickly judge their technique to see if you want to ask them to hit.
Pick-up Matches
Go to the same public park regularly a few times a week, and you're bound to run into them.
Weekend warriors or after-work sparing partners tend to be found at the local parks during peak times.
Facebook Online Groups
Most areas with a large tennis population will have several groups to join and feature a free message board to contact other players. Use common sense with your personal safety when arranging a match with strangers in public areas.
In the DC/VA/MD area, we lead a group of about 700 players strong.
With your first introduction post, include your skill level (3.0, 3.5, etc), years of experience, how often you play a week, and your preferences (singles, doubles, rallies, practicing drills).
With your first introduction post, include your skill level (3.0, 3.5, etc), years of experience, how often you play a week, and your preferences (singles, doubles, rallies, practicing drills).
Meetup.com Tennis Groups
Joining a free group event is a great way to get your bearings and find a regular group of casual playing partners. The skill level is usually across the board, but with multiple courts, usually, you can usually rotate around until you find the right pairing.Note: Bring a can of new balls and be open to making new friends. I would avoid any that require upfront money or push you towards coaching lessons.
Recreational Leagues
In many popular tennis regions, such as Atlanta, San Diego, or Austin, local tennis leagues are available to join for ~$30/season or even per year. You can locate a better-defined skill range and challenge a big list of nearby players. Collect contact info to set up matches later.
- One active tennis network is called GlobalTennisNetwork (GTN)
- World Team Tennis (WTT) Rec for more "co-ed social tennis"
Tennis Classes or Weekly Drills
Joining a local tennis class is a great way to eliminate rust and engage with similar players. Often, you can join a "drop-in" class if you're new to town. With weekly lessons, you'll build good habits and can join new classes that are always starting.
For the Rafa Fans, both adults and juniors camps in the USA.
Get a $50 discount using our "JCTENNIS" promo code when registering.
Organized Events - Memberships, Event Entry Fees
- USTA - $44 per year (but comes with a Wilson and Head rebate)
- Leagues - $30+ per season; By NTRP, 18+, 40+, 55+, etc
- Tournaments - $60+ per event; Singles and Doubles
- Flex-leagues - play 3 to 4 arranged matches in a month or two.
- Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) - $90/year plus event entry fees;
- UTR targets the more competitive "semi-pro" levels or former college players.
- Some regional tennis leagues will report match scores that count toward your UTR rating.
- Knowing your UTR # helps you match up with someone at the same level as you.
- Private Tennis Clubs - $$$ per month;
- Featuring better courts, club pros for lessons, locker rooms, and pro shops.
- Health Clubs, Golf and/or Swim clubs may have a tennis program.
- Exclusive access with potential guest passes.
Cliff Drysdale Tennis Resorts are formal tennis environments catered to those experiences. You can attend for a weekend or for a getaway tennis vacation.
