Tennis For Beginners | How To Get Started - LTA

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• How to get started
• Ways to play
• Book a tennis court
• Book a group tennis class
• Book a youth lesson
• Parents' area
• Inclusive Tennis
• Find a coach
• Find a Barclays Local Tennis League
• How to improve your tennis skills
• Join the fun at Barclays Big Tennis Weekends
• Barclays Free Park Tennis
• LTA tennis apps
• Play Tennis app
• Tennis equipment guide
• Tennis tips and techniques

How to get started playing tennis 5 MINUTE READ

There are plenty of reasons why you should pick up a racket and start playing tennis.

Tennis is a great form of exercise and an amazing sport. Anyone can play; whatever your 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. Best of all, it's fun and a great way to spend time with friends and family.

Here’s our guide with everything you need to know about tennis for beginners.

Who can play tennis?

Tennis is for everyone. Tennis is played by hundreds of thousands of people around Britain of all ages, backgrounds and abilities and we want you to join in on the action.

From kids starting their tennis journey to disability tennis, and even those who just want a fun way to stay fit and healthy – tennis is a sport for all and offers a wide range of physical, mental and social benefits that anyone can enjoy.

We want you to bring your own style and character to the court and Play Your Way.

Book a court

Find a kids tennis class

Learn more about disability tennis

How can I play tennis?

Start playing

If you fancy a quick hit down the park with your friend – you can book a court just around the corner with our online tennis court booking system.

To take your game to the next level, you can get in touch and book a beginner tennis class with an local LTA Accredited coach.

Our Accredited coaches are experts in helping players of all standards improve their skills and will be on hand to help you – no matter if you just want to beat your friends in your next knock around or play in one of our competitions.

Find a coach

FAGE LTA Youth

If you’re a parent looking to get your kids into tennis then our FAGE LTA Youth Start programme is the perfect way to introduce them to the game.

Designed for kids aged 4-11 years who are new to tennis the course teaches kids new life skills, developing them as both players and people. For £29.99 (+£5 P&P) your kids will get six-weeks of lessons, plus a tennis racket, a set of balls and a branded t-shirt.

FAGE LTA Youth

Barclays Free Park Tennis

No matter your age, background or ability, you can play tennis for free at a Barclays Free Park Tennis session.

Taking place every weekend at 10.00 in local park courts, its a fun way to meet new people, enjoy free exercise and practice your tennis skills, all in just a one-hour session.

Find a free session

Try it for free

Barclays Big Tennis Weekends are free open days at park courts, tennis clubs and other community tennis venues across Great Britain where you can try tennis for the first time or get back into the sport. The best thing is, you don't need any equipment so you can just turn up on the day.

Find a Barclays Big Tennis Weekend

How to play and find tennis matches

Play local tennis matches

If you've recently started, a great way to improve your skills is by playing in some friendly, local competitions - suitable for all abilitlies.

Barclays Local Tennis Leagues give you the chance to meet and compete against players of a similar standard to you at your nearest park tennis courts.

There are leagues for complete beginners and those who are more advanced, and you can play matches around your schedule.

Find a Barclays Local Tennis League

Other adult & junior competitions

We’ve also got a range of other competitions you can get involved with as well – from County & District League local team competitions, to box leagues at a nearby club, or even a graded tournament.

Find out how to start competing.

Enter an competition

Where can I play tennis?

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.

Book a tennis court

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.

How to find a tennis partner

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 out more & download the app

What should I wear to play tennis?

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.

Check out our kit guide

What equipment do I need to play tennis?

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.

Sign up to Advantage

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.

What are the best tennis tips for beginners?

Top tennis tips for beginners

Here are some simple tennis tips for beginners to get started:

• Choose the right racket and grip size for your hand
• Focus on consistency over power when hitting the ball
• Practise basic strokes: forehand, backhand, and serve
• Work on footwork and positioning to stay balanced
• Use smaller courts or shorter rallies to build control
• Warm up and stretch before playing to prevent injury
• Play with others at a similar level to build confidence

Check out the variety of different beginner tennis lessons for adults on offer and book a class near you, or search kids lessons.

Adult tennis classes

Kids tennis lessons

You can also find out more about how to hit forehands, backhands, volleys, serves and more with our tennis tips and techniques hub.

Here you'll find guides from expert LTA coaches on how to improve your tennis skills.

Tennis tips & techniques

Our Tennis Made Easy series gives you simple ways to learn the basics and get out there hitting with friends and family. Here's some tennis tips for beginners.

Barclays Free Park Tennis

Barclays Free Park Tennis is open to anyone looking to get started, improve their skills and enjoy free tennis.Every weekend, local park courts will host hour-long sessions for all ages and abilities, packed with a variety of games to keep you active and progress your tennis skills.

It doesn’t matter if you haven’t played before, or if you don’t own a tennis racket – we’ve got you covered as we’ll provide rackets and equipment.

Find a free session

Padel

Fancy trying something a little bit different? Then why not give Padel a go.

Padel is one of the fastest growing sports across the world thanks to it being a fun, easy to play and social sport.

It has similar rules to tennis, but is mainly played in a doubles format on an enclosed court about a third of the size of a tennis court. But the biggest difference is having wall around you to play off, which can make for some crazy rallies.

What are you waiting for? Get your friends together and try Padel for yourself. Find out how you can get involved below:

Try padel

Beginner's guides Beginner's guides Beginner's guides Beginner's guides Beginner's guides Beginner's guides Beginner's guides Beginner's guides Beginner's guides Beginner's guides

Beginner's guides

Simple steps to improve your return of serve

Expert tennis coach Matt Smith runs you through everything you need to know on how to master your return of serve and improve your game. 

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Improve your footwork on court with four simple tips

What can you do to improve your tennis footwork? LTA expert coach Matt Smith explains all with four simple steps.

Read article

How to train & practice tennis skills by yourself

LTA expert coach Matt Smith takes you through some of the exercises you can do by yourself to improve your tennis skills.

Read article

Three mistakes you might be making during practice

LTA expert coach Matt Smith breaks down three things that players get wrong when practicing and what to do instead. 

Read article

Four ways to play better rallies

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re looking to improve your consistency in rallies, LTA expert coach Matt Smith gives you his four top tips for playing better rallies. 

Read article

FAQs

Do I need to own a racket for my first tennis lesson?

No, you don't need to own a tennis racket for your first lesson.

Most coaches will have equipment - such as tennis rackets, balls, etc - that you can borrow during your lesson.

If you want to join a Barclays Free Park Tennis session at your local park, everything you need will be provided for you - just sign up for free and bring the energy during your session.

Find a coaching lesson

Search Barclays Free Park Tennis sessions

How long does it take to learn tennis?

If you're just getting started in tennis, it won't take you long to pick up the basics and have fun on court with friends and family.

If you want to speed up your progress, the best thing to do is get a coaching lesson or join a group class.

Find a tennis coach

Can adults learn tennis from scratch?

You can start playing tennis at any age - whether you just want to have a hit at the local park, join a group class or play for free at a Barclays Free Park Tennis session.

Discover ways to play tennis

Book a tennis court

Search and book a tennis court near you, whether playing for fun or competitively.

Book a court

Book a tennis lesson

See where your nearest group tennis lesson is and start playing.

Book a lesson

LTA Shop

Want to freshen up your kit or find your new tennis racket? Check out the latest offers at the LTA Shop, powered by Pro:Direct.

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