Want to start playing tennis? You're in the right place...
Tennis is a great form of exercise and an amazing sport. Anyone can play; whatever their motivation or ability, from all communities and backgrounds. At any age and for a whole lifetime, tennis provides physical, social and mental rewards both on and off the court.
Here’s our guide with everything you need to know about tennis for beginners.
How can I play tennis?
FAQs
Play Tennis app
Find someone to play tennis with at your local courts with our Play Tennis app.
Play Tennis has everything you need to book tennis courts, join classes and connect with nearby players in your local area.
Its latest Communities feature also allows you to join local groups and meet players who are looking to or already play at your nearest courts. Here you can chat, organise group sessions or find a new partner to play with.
Download the app and search for nearby Communities.
Find out more & download the app
Find people to play tennis matches
If it's more tennis matches you're looking for then joining a Barclays Local Tennis League is a great way to meet new players and compete regularly.
You'll get matched with a group of players at your standard and then you can arrange matches through the chat function in the app.
Find your local tennis court
You can play tennis anywhere... honestly!
There are tens of thousands of tennis courts in Great Britain – stretching from parks to clubs, leisure centres and schools – and it’s super simple to book a court near you.
Using our booking tool you can explore a variety of affordable and even some free tennis courts in your local area and book your next hit at a time and place to suit you.
Other ways to play tennis
Away from the court there is still plenty of opportunity to pick up a racket and get involved. Anything can be used as a net – a bench, a table or even your bags.
One of the best opponents you can face is a wall – it never misses a shot. Playing against a wall outside your house, in the park or wherever is a great way to practice your technique.
If you’re a parent, we have a whole host of Tennis at Home activities you can do with your kids – even in your living room.
Tennis kit
When it comes to tennis kit, you can play in whatever you feel most comfortable in. Just remember you will be active – think shorts, tracksuit bottoms, leggings, t-shirts, sweatshirts Keep the jeans and coats at home.
Whites are for Wimbledon and while we all hope we can get there some day, we want you to bring your unique style to the court - the more colour the better!
Wearing the right shoes is really important though – having the wrong ones can hurt your feet and cause injury. Wear a comfortable pair of trainers - these will stop you from slipping and getting foot and ankle injuries.
Once you’ve got your kit sorted, you’ll need a tennis racket and some tennis balls – although if you’re having a coaching session, you can usually borrow these if you need.
Beginner tennis rackets
For the best tennis racket for beginners, you don’t need to spend a lot of money – just look for a racket with a large head size (a larger racket head - between 95-110 square inches - will make it easier for you to hit the ball when you’re starting out).
You can also test different grip sizes to find a racket that’s right for you. Grip sizes range from one to five and to find your correct size follow this step…
When you wrap your hand around the handle, there should be a one centimetre gap (or the width of your little finger) between your thumb and first finger.
For more infomation on beginner tennis rackets for you - check out our equipment guide.
Tennis balls
When it comes to tennis balls, adults play with the yellow pressurised balls you may have seen at Wimbledon and other big tennis tournaments.
But a top tip for any beginner is to use different coloured tennis balls which are slower, softer and lighter and therefore easier to hit – so you can have longer rallies and learn the sport. They come in red, orange or green (think traffic lights but with red the easiest to hit) and even some of the top pros use them when working on something new or coming back from injury.
Advantage members can enjoy discounts on Dunlop equipment and Adidas footwear – sign up for free below.
Reusable bottles
It’s important to keep hydrated and have regular drinks breaks while playing tennis.
Before you head to court make sure you have a reusable bottle that’s full of water and ready to go.
We can all play our part to reduce single use plastic waste.
