Learning tennis as an adult?

Wintersoltice · 2025-05-06T10:30:01+00:00

I like the idea of being able to play tennis, partly for the social aspect. There is a tennis club in my village, but I've never been to any of the club nights as I assume it would be a bit embarrassing as a beginner. If you've learnt tennis as an adult how did you go about it? Did you have coaching or just practice with your partner? How long does it take to get to a decent standard (for at least joining in at a non-competitive club night?)

TheSwarm · 06/05/2025 11:35

If the club has a coach running beginner sessions than that is probably your best bet, as they can get you going alongside other people who you can then hopefully arrange to have a hit with at other times.

Tennis is not the easiest sport to learn from scratch, I will be honest. If you have played other racquet sports like badminton or squash you will have a slightly easier time of it, but it's a pretty technical sport to learn and does take a lot of practice to reach a reasonably competitive standard.

akkakk · 06/05/2025 11:45

I learned in my 30s (having only hit a ball on a tennis court maybe twice as a child)...

I took a fairly intense approach and had private lessons twice a week (so not cheap) - I was comfortably playing club tennis within a year, and playing match tennis within a couple of years - I then went on up to level 2 coach (not a hugely high level - but not incompetent!)

At one point I was probably playing 10+ hours of tennis a week with the lessons and then practising / social tennis / etc.

go for it!

Original poster

Wintersoltice · 06/05/2025 16:28

TheSwarm · 06/05/2025 11:35

If the club has a coach running beginner sessions than that is probably your best bet, as they can get you going alongside other people who you can then hopefully arrange to have a hit with at other times.

Tennis is not the easiest sport to learn from scratch, I will be honest. If you have played other racquet sports like badminton or squash you will have a slightly easier time of it, but it's a pretty technical sport to learn and does take a lot of practice to reach a reasonably competitive standard.

Thanks I appreciate the honest answer!

OP posts:

Original poster

Wintersoltice · 06/05/2025 16:29

akkakk · 06/05/2025 11:45

I learned in my 30s (having only hit a ball on a tennis court maybe twice as a child)...

I took a fairly intense approach and had private lessons twice a week (so not cheap) - I was comfortably playing club tennis within a year, and playing match tennis within a couple of years - I then went on up to level 2 coach (not a hugely high level - but not incompetent!)

At one point I was probably playing 10+ hours of tennis a week with the lessons and then practising / social tennis / etc.

go for it!

Ok thanks, so sounds doable but would need to dedicate quite a bit of time...

OP posts:

massistar · 06/05/2025 16:38

I took up tennis in lockdown at the grand old age of 48. Had literally never lifted a racket before that. We had small group lessons with a coach. I can play a passable game of doubles now although my service is a bit shit. I’m pretty fit and have good hand to eye coordination which helps. I’m definitely more enthusiastic than anything else.

do you have Padel courts near you ? It’s a lot more fun and easier to pick up as a beginner.