The 5 Best Tennis Rackets For Doubles

The 5 Best Tennis Rackets For Doubles

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Tennis Beginner vs Intermediate (Main Differences)

Written by Gui Hadlich in Recreational

Tennis Beginner vs Intermediate

If you’ve decided to learn to play tennis, you will probably start without any experience of the game. You will need someone to teach you the basics, to help you progress to a stage where you can get full enjoyment from playing the sport.

Once you can serve and rally reasonably consistently, you can arrange matches with friends of similar standards and really feel like a tennis player. You might, however, want to use tennis to help you meet new people, as well as continuing to develop your game under the watchful eye of a coach.

Classes and group play are often advertised as suitable for ‘beginners’ or ‘intermediates’. It is ideal if you can find a group where most people are broadly the same standard as you, so what is likely to be meant by ‘beginner’ and ‘intermediate’?

In essence, a beginner in tennis is someone who is completely new to the game. An intermediate player has learned the basics but needs to develop their shots and learn more about tactics. A beginner is likely to be concerned about shot execution, whereas an intermediate is starting to think about how to win.

Identifying your correct level is important in order to elaborate the proper game plan to improve. Depending on whether you are a beginner or an intermediate player, you will need a different type of racket as well.

What Is A Beginner In Tennis?

There is no strict definition of what constitutes a ‘beginner’ in tennis. Logically, however, we can describe someone as a beginner if they have been playing for only a short time and are still learning the fundamentals of the game.

A beginner may be able to hit the ball solidly but they probably lack the technique to apply any spin, and are unlikely to be able to produce a great deal of consistency or accuracy. What is usually most noticeable when they attempt to rally is that they do not always get themselves into the best position due to their untrained receiving skills.

This means that they find it difficult to sustain rallies for very long. Beginners will also normally struggle with the serve, as it is a complex shot. They may be able to execute a simplified version, but they will struggle with the chain of motion required for a full service action.

What Is An Intermediate Player In Tennis?

Again, the definition of an intermediate player is purely subjective.

For most coaches, an intermediate tennis player is still inexperienced in terms of playing the game. Nonetheless, they will now be able to rally and serve with a reasonable amount of consistency, allowing them to enjoy playing matches with other players of a similar standard.

They will still have more to learn about tactics and the use of spin, but, at this stage of their development, they can play tennis, and may be able to develop their game with limited guidance from a coach.

Main Differences Between Intermediates And Beginners

A beginner will tend to be unsure of themselves on a tennis court, in terms of where to stand, how to move, and how to swing their racket to execute the necessary shots. An intermediate has moved beyond this phase as a result of practice and training.

Their receiving skills will have improved so that they are more able to identify the way the ball is going to bounce and to get themselves into a position to return it. Their technique will also have developed so that they are better able to hit the ball consistently over the net and into the correct part of the court.

A beginner will struggle to hit a serve with any reliability, whereas an intermediate will be able to serve fairly consistently, albeit with what may still be an imperfect technique. Essentially, an intermediate can play tennis, although they still have plenty to improve, whereas a beginner is learning to do so.

How to Improve From Beginner To Intermediate

To move beyond ‘beginner’ status, you will need guidance from a coach in order to develop the basic techniques. You will also need to practice as often as you can to develop an understanding of where to stand on the court and how to deal with different types of shot coming towards you.

Movement and receiving skills are best developed on court, and this is where group lessons with a coach are most useful. Many beginners find it helpful to play with others of their own standard, as the group can support one another and learn together.

Choosing A Beginner Or Intermediate Racket

As a beginner, you will find that the quality of tennis racket you use does not greatly matter. If you are not certain that you want to continue with the game, or your budget is limited, stores like Walmart will offer a range of rackets for $20-30 from big manufacturers which will be more than good enough for you to learn the basics with.

As you become more committed to the game, or can afford something more expensive, you will want to look for something with a graphite frame and a large head (and hence a large sweet spot, making it forgiving of off-center hits), but which is still fairly light and maneuverable. This type of racket makes it easier to hit the ball well when you are learning. A popular example of this type of racket, available for under $100, is the Head Ti S6.

As you improve your game, you may want a slightly less powerful racket that provides a little more control, as your developing technique allows you to generate more power. You will still probably want something fairly light and moderately powerful. The Wilson Clash 100 is one racket commonly recommended for intermediate players, although it is likely to cost upwards of $200. At this stage, you may want to consider a wider range of options as you will be developing your own game style.

Final Thoughts

Tennis is great fun to learn whether you are a beginner or intermediate. Putting yourself in the right category will make sure that you play in the most helpful and enjoyable environment.

Tennis Serve Rules | The 5-Minute Guide

Written by Gui Hadlich in Shots

Tennis Serve Rules

In simple terms, the serve is the shot that starts every tennis point. If you watch the top players, however, it is so much more than that. It can be an elegant demonstration of coordination, timing, and strength, allowing a player to produce almost bullet-like speed, or astonishing spin.

The greatest servers, exemplified by Ivo Karlovic, win thousands of points during their careers with the accuracy and power of their serve, and to watch them in action first hand can be genuinely awe-inspiring. If you want to try to emulate these legends, what are the rules you must follow?

The basic tennis serve rules are that players must serve the ball diagonally into the service box across the net. The server must stand behind the baseline when serving and has two chances to hit a good serve per point. Tennis serve rules differ slightly between singles and doubles play.

Under certain circumstances, you might have to repeat a serve or be awarded the point automatically.

Tennis Serve Rules Singles

When preparing to serve, you must stand behind the baseline, holding a ball in your non-playing hand. In the middle of the baseline you will notice a small mark, known imaginatively as the ‘center mark’. If an even number of points has been played in a game, you must stand to the right of this mark when serving. Otherwise, you need to stand to the left.

For a serve to be legal, you must release the ball from your non-playing hand (there are special rules for people who do not have use of both arms), and hit the ball with your racket, before it hits the ground, over the net. Any action is fine, as long as the ball is only struck once.

The ball must land in the ‘service box’, marked out by the center line, the service line, and the inner, or ‘singles’, tramline, diagonally opposite the side you are serving from.

If the ball is stopped by the net, or does not land in the service box, it is a ‘fault’. If the first serve is a fault, a second serve can be taken, but the point is lost if the second serve is also a fault.

Once a service game has been completed, a new server takes over. The server switches more frequently in a tie-break, namely after the first point and every subsequent two.

Tennis Serve Rules Doubles

The rules for serving in doubles are virtually identical to those for singles. Despite the fact that the court is wider for doubles, the service boxes remain the same as for singles.

The only difference for serving in singles vs doubles is that, in doubles, players can serve from a position behind the tramlines, as these are now a part of the court. In doubles, the rules for switching servers are the same as for singles, except that, when it is a team’s turn to serve, partners take turns to serve every game.

In a tie-break, each of you will serve for two points (other than the first point) alternately when it is your team’s turn to serve.

Tennis Toss Rules

There are very few tennis rules about the ball toss. The key point to remember is that the ball is thrown or released with the non-playing hand, and you must hit it before it bounces. If you decide that the ball toss is not where you would have wanted, you can catch it or let it drop and try again without penalty.

However, this does not apply if you have completed your service action- so if you swung at the ball and missed it, this is a fault.

Players do not necessarily need to toss the ball over their head – they can hit underhand serves, which are considered legal (although seen as unprofessional by some players).

Weird Rules – Foot Faults, Lets, & Hitting Opponents

There are a few other important rules to be aware of – and most of them can be considered weird for new tennis players.

Firstly, when serving, players must remain behind the baseline until they have hit the ball. If any part of a player’s body touches the baseline, or the court in front of it, before they have made contact with the ball, this is a ‘foot fault’, and is treated the same way as any other service fault.

Of course, foot faults are only likely to be noticed in umpired matches, but you should nonetheless try to avoid them.

Secondly, if the ball strikes the net before it lands in the correct service box, this is a ‘let’, which simply means that the serve does not count and the player can have another try. There is no limit to the number of lets in a game.

Some pundits would like to see this rule abolished, with the returner being obligated to hit the ball back whether it hit the net or not, as this would make the game progress faster.

A slightly amusing oddity is the fact that if a serve hits an opponent before it bounces, irrespective of whether it was going to land anywhere near the service box, the server is awarded the point.

This very rarely happens, but can occur when a miscued serve strikes the returner’s partner (usually when they are not concentrating) in a game of doubles.

Final Thoughts

The rules for the serve are pretty simple and logical: stand behind the baseline, and hit the ball before it bounces into the box diagonally opposite. Nonetheless, it pays to know the details as you can then make sure that the rules are being followed in matches.

Tennis Equipment List For Beginners (How to Choose)

Written by Gui Hadlich in Recreational

Tennis Equipment List For Beginners

So, you’ve decided to start playing tennis? Hopefully you have already got someone to play with, and have found a suitable place to play, but if not there should be plenty of local clubs keen to welcome you, with coaches ready to teach you the basics.

Tennis will offer an enjoyable challenge, help you to meet new friends, and keep you fit. To be ready to play, you will need some basic clothing and equipment. In this article, we will talk about what you should buy in preparation for your new hobby.

A racket is the most obvious item of equipment required for beginners, but you will also need suitable shoes and a supply of tennis balls. If you are going to be playing in warm conditions, or indoors, a towel will be essential for wiping away the sweat.

You will be much more comfortable, and will look the part, if you purchase tennis clothes, as opposed to generic sportswear.

Racket

A racket more than good enough to get you started should be obtainable for $50-100. To simplify the choice and get a competitive price, try Walmart. They will have a modest range of rackets, but there will be sufficient for you to find a good option.

If you get the chance, go to a store and hold a racket in your hand, just to get the feel of it and gauge the weight. There will be some very cheap rackets, in the $20-30 range, but these will have an aluminum frame, which is inferior to graphite.

If your budget is very low, one of these will do the job, but, if you can run to about $80, you can obtain a graphite racket from a major manufacturer like Head or Wilson.

In an ideal world, you would buy two identical rackets, as you can break a string when playing, potentially leaving you without a racket until you can find someone to restring it for you.

Shoes

Tennis is played on a variety of different surfaces, and you should make sure that you buy a pair of shoes that will give you enough grip when you are racing enthusiastically around the court. There are specific shoes for hard (concrete) courts, clay courts, artificial grass, and grass.

Most beginners will start on hard courts, so in that case, hard court shoes are needed. These will have grooves in the soles, which will be made of a fairly durable but grippy compound, to prevent slipping and premature wear.

Clay court shoes look similar, but their soles are softer and they have more grooves. The type of shoe which works best on artificial grass is called an omni-court shoe. These have small pimples which prevent you from slipping on the sandy turf.

If you are fortunate enough to be playing on real grass, the specially-designed shoes you will need have an array of large pimples in the sole.

Having discussed the shoes you should wear, it is also vital to be aware of what is not suitable. Neither running shoes or general cross trainers will do the job. These shoes are not supportive enough for the kind of movements made in tennis, so they will leave you vulnerable to ankle injuries. Also, they rarely have non-marking soles: your new club will not be delighted if you leave black marks all over their nice courts!

Balls

Tennis balls need to be replaced after a couple of weeks of use. Don’t fall into the trap of using old balls for convenience, as these will have lost their bounce and most of the outer felt will have worn off. Another common error is to buy cheap unbranded balls which may well be bouncy for a while, but which offer no ‘feel’ and are not pleasant to play with.

The best solution is to look on a website like Amazon or Walmart to find some reasonable quality balls from a big-name manufacturer. As an example, Penn Championship balls are a good, solid choice, if a little on the quick side, and are available online for under $4 for a tube of three. Buy a few tubes to start with so that you are not tempted to use soft or worn-out balls.

Towels

If you live in a warm area, or play indoors, tennis will make you sweat. It is not pleasant trying to play with sweat in your eyes, so a towel is a very useful addition to your equipment. Take a fairly small towel to minimise weight, and make sure you remember to wash it regularly, to prevent your bag from becoming extremely unpleasant and smelly!

Clothing

Some more exclusive clubs will specify that you must wear ‘recognized tennis clothing’ on the court. In public courts, you can normally wear what you like. Either way, it is still a good idea to buy some clothes which have been specifically designed for tennis.

These might be stretchy or loose-fitting, allowing you plenty of room to move and swing a racket, and will normally be designed to carry sweat away from your skin.

Amazon is one place to look for good value options. You will want to buy a few tops and a couple of pairs of shorts, or skorts with a ball pocket. The ball pocket is required because you will need to hold a second ball when it is your turn to serve, in case you miss your first attempt.

Several pairs of thick sports socks will also be needed, as these will wear out surprisingly quickly. For colder days, a hoodie and some jogging trousers or leggings, or a tracksuit, will be ideal for warming up. Consider also a cap or visor and some sunglasses for when the Sun is intense and perhaps at an awkward angle.

Final Thoughts

Try to get the right equipment if you can, as it will help you to enjoy the game. Shop around and it won’t break the bank.

Do Junior Tennis Players Get Paid?

Written by Gui Hadlich in Juniors

Do Junior Tennis Players Get Paid?

It is well known that there are a lot of expenses which the families of junior tennis players have to meet. They may receive some assistance from a national governing body if their child is highly thought of, but this will often just contribute to the cost of training, which can by itself cost tens of thousands of dollars per year. Travel to international tournaments can represent a big cost, alongside coaching, entry fees, stringing, equipment, clothing, etc. Given all of this, it would be a great help if players were to earn money for their efforts. So, do junior tennis players get paid?

Junior tennis players can get paid from sponsorship deals, but junior tennis tournaments do not offer prize money. Players’ chances of getting a good sponsorship deal are enhanced if they are ranked well, which requires success in the more prestigious tournaments.

Once junior players are old enough, they can also enter professional events to supplement their income.

Do Junior Tennis Players Receive Prize Money?

Junior tennis events do not carry prize money, as it is considered inappropriate to subject children to the pressure of directly playing for money.

In practice, of course, the competition for funding and sponsorships can still put the players under a comparable amount of pressure, so all this achieves is to make it more difficult for families to meet their costs.

As players get older, the best of them may find it worthwhile to enter adult professional events, either at the national or international level, in order to supplement their income. This will be easier for girls than boys, as men increase substantially in strength in their late teens in a way that women do not.

Endorsements For Junior Tennis Players

A product endorsement occurs when a player says that they use product X, and they are paid for saying this. This type of deal is common among the leading players, with Federer and Nadal endorsing razors, watches, etc.

Juniors will not normally get this type of endorsement deal, as the wider public will generally have no idea who they are. They may, on the other hand, be given free or discounted tennis equipment and clothing by manufacturers who hope to remain associated with them if they should eventually become successful professionals.

Very highly ranked juniors, or those with a marketing advantage might even be paid to use certain brands.

How Do Junior Tennis Players Get Sponsorships?

The best way to put yourself on the radar of the big companies is to succeed in some of the most prestigious junior tournaments and build a high ranking. It will help if you represent, through nationality or ethnicity, a market which the companies are keen to develop. A strong social media presence will also be an advantage, as this will help the sponsors reach more potential customers. If you tick all of these boxes, major sponsors are likely to approach you.

Another way for junior tennis players to get sponsorships is to contact brands such as Babolat, Head, and Yonex, which encourage players to approach them via their website, detailing playing achievements and possibly attaching a video.

It is also worth players, coaches, and parents introducing themselves to any local business leaders known to have an affinity for tennis, as these people can sometimes be persuaded to offer financial support in exchange for indirect promotion of their product or organization.

How Do Junior Tennis Rankings Work?

If a player wants to achieve a high junior ranking, it is crucial to understand the mechanics of the system. Another article on this site explains the two most important ranking systems in more detail, but I shall summarise them briefly here.

The USTA junior ranking is based on a ‘points per round’ system, whereby the ranking points awarded an increase in line with the round reached in any given competition. More points are awarded for performances in higher-level tournaments, and bonus points are given for wins over highly ranked opponents.

Doubles performances also contribute towards a player’s ranking but are weighted lower than singles points. A national USTA ranking is derived from the player’s best six singles and doubles results in level 1 to 3 events.

The ITF junior ranking is a world ranking that can only be earned by playing in any grade of international tournament on the ITF junior tour. Higher graded tournaments count for more points. The ranking is constructed, similarly to the USTA ranking, on the basis of the best six singles and doubles results, but there are no bonuses for beating specific players.

What Is The Minimum Age For Juniors To Become Pros?

To play in ATP Tour tennis events, a player must have attained the age of 14. Even then, they are restricted to eight events in that year and 12 while they are 15. There are no limits in subsequent years. Similar limitations apply to women.

As explained earlier, it is almost inconceivable that a male player could be consistently successful against adult professionals at this kind of young age due to the vast strength differential. This difference is far smaller between girls and adult women, so there have been several examples of young teenagers competing well on the main WTA tour, most recently Coco Gauff.

The limitations on the number of events were introduced to prevent young players from suffering from injury and burnout, and giving up the game, as happened in some high-profile cases like that of Andrea Jaeger. 

Final Thoughts

Junior tennis players are only paid indirectly unless they are good enough and strong enough to play against adult professionals. Nonetheless, they have to perform well to earn sponsorship and funding, so the pressures on them are very similar to those on professionals.

French Open Guide: Courts, Rules, Dates

Written by Gui Hadlich in Grand Slams

Roland Garros Guide

The French Open is played in Paris, on the European clay courts at Roland Garros. It is the only one of the four major championships played on clay, which means that it produces a very different style of play from the others. Players slide around the courts to get to difficult balls, and the most successful ones, especially on the men’s side, will tend to use heavy spin to control their shots and make them difficult to return. The drop shot can als be a useful weapon, as it is hard for players to change direction suddenly.

In this guide, we will look at some of the key facts about the French Open. In particular, the reasons for the naming of the site and the choice of surface, and the typical tournament dates. We will also consider their reluctance to embrace line-calling technology and the latest stadium developments.

Why Is The French Open Named Roland Garros?

Roland Garros was a pioneering French Aviator. He was the first person to fly across the Mediterranean Sea, and when World War I broke out he was quick to volunteer. He took part in several aerial battles with the Germans, but he soon realized that it was all but impossible to hit an enemy plane with a hand-held gun.

He, therefore, developed a system for firing a machine gun through a plane’s propeller which proved very successful. Unfortunately, he was shot down by anti-aircraft fire in 1915, and he and his invention were captured by the Germans, who soon adopted it on their own planes. He escaped in 1918, and despite a deterioration in his eyesight, insisted on flying more sorties. He was shot down and killed later that year.

Garros was recognized as a courageous and intelligent man, and in 1928, at the suggestion of Emile Lesueur, president of Stade Francais, who had once been at business school with the aviator, the tennis venue was named after him.

Why Is The French Open Played On Clay?

The courts we know as ‘clay’ rarely have a clay base these days, and those at Roland Garros are no exception. The courts are made up of layers of white limestone, clinker (coal residue), and gravel, with slightly larger pieces of rock underneath in order to ensure good drainage. On top of all of this sits the layer of red brick dust which gives the courts their color and texture.

This surface, or something similar, is extremely popular across Europe and indeed South America. Prior to 1925, the French Championships were held on a variety of surfaces, but from that time they began to be staged on clay every year. The use of clay courts is now traditional and favors European players, so there is little likelihood of the organizers ever voluntarily changing it.

Why Does Roland Garros Not Use Hawkeye?

Most other major tournaments use the Hawkeye system to confirm close line calls, with players permitted to ‘challenge’ calls they are unhappy with.

At the French Open, the ball leaves a mark in the clay dust, and the umpire inspects this if there is a dispute. Theoretically, this is the most accurate option, as any calibration flaws can lead to Hawkeye being less than 100% precise. However, there are also flaws with the mark inspection method.

Firstly, it is very difficult to judge whether the ball touched the line on the closest calls, and the size of the mark can vary according to atmospheric conditions. Secondly, the umpire has to inspect the correct mark, when there can be many options. There have been cases where an incorrect decision has been made due to the wrong mark being selected.

Logically, given that both approaches are flawed, it would make sense to use a combination of both. In the 2021 French Open, the women’s semi-final between Barbora Krejcikova and Maria Sakkari almost ended in controversy, when at match point Sakkari’s shot was called out, but upon inspection by the umpire, the call was changed.

Hawkeye suggested that the shot had been clearly out. Without Hawkeye, errors will occur.

The primary reason for the reluctance of the French to change is not the accuracy of the current system, but rather a wish not to be like other events. Tournament Chief Executive Jeremy Botton has said: ‘It’s…a point of difference, which we like.’

When Is The French Open Played?

Aside from 2020, when the tournament was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the French Open takes place mainly in the first half of June. In 2021 the event ran from 30 May to 13 June, making it the second grand slam event of the year.

Do French Open Courts Have A Roof And Lights?

Until recently the answer would have been ‘no’, but from 2020, as part of the redevelopment of the venue, a retractable roof was fitted to the main Philippe-Chatrier court. At the same time, floodlights were installed on the remaining courts.

Together, these innovations allow night sessions to take place, and the roof means that at least some play can continue during bad weather.

Final Thoughts

The French Open is the world’s premier clay court event, and it has its own, slightly quirky, style. You should take the opportunity to experience the special atmosphere of Roland Garros if you ever get the chance.

How Do Junior Tennis Rankings Work? (USTA vs ITF)

Written by Gui Hadlich in Juniors

How Do Junior Tennis Rankings Work? (USTA vs ITF)

In competitive tennis, there is always some means of ranking the players. This serves two main purposes: giving the players something with which to measure their achievements, and determining who gains entry to the best tournaments.

There are several ranking systems that are widely used in junior tennis. These will all put the players in order, albeit using different criteria. A good position in the junior rankings can give players the right to a place in a professional event, as well as potentially attracting sponsors and drawing the attention of colleges. In this article, we will look at how the two most prestigious junior ranking systems operate.

Junior tennis rankings work based on a points system, where different levels of tournament carry a different amount of prestige, and hence ranking points. The amount of ranking points obtained depends on which round a player loses in. Results in the various events contribute towards a player’s USTA and ITF junior rankings.

A good ranking can bring many benefits, not least financial. Both types of ranking are important in the US, but elsewhere only the ITF list has significance.

The Different Junior Tennis Levels (Explained)

Junior tournaments are normally placed in one of seven levels by the USTA:

  • Level 7 tournaments are described as ‘futures’ events, and offer a starting point for players new to competition.
  • Level 6 ‘challenger’ events are for players who are ready to move beyond level 7.
  • Level 5, 4 and 3 events are called the ‘championship’ circuit and offer the highest levels of regional competition.
  • Level 2 and 1 events are typically national. For example, the qualifying events for the national championships would probably be level 2, and the championships themselves would be level 1.

The junior ITF grade international events work in a similar way, using eight main categories. For ITFs, level 5 events are the starting point, where players will normally earn their first ITF ranking points. Tournaments become more prestigious up to level 1, at which point a continent’s best players are likely to be involved.

Above these lie levels A, B and C. Level C is for international team events; level B includes regional championships; level A applies primarily to the four grand slams.

How Do USTA Junior Tennis Rankings Work?

The USTA junior rankings are fundamentally based on a ‘points per round’ system, whereby the points obtained increase according to the round reached in an event, with more points being earned from higher-level events.

Singles and doubles rankings are combined in a single figure, with singles carrying more weight, and are taken from a player’s best six events from the period under consideration. Level 1-3 events count for national rankings, while levels 4-7 contribute towards sectional rankings.

A further contribution to a player’s ranking comes from bonus points. These are issued on a sliding scale for wins over top-500 players, although these are only included in the ranking calculation if the event where the win occurred is one of a player’s best six. Bonus points (only) are also issued for performances in junior Grand Slam events.

The USTA distinguishes between ‘standings’ and ‘rankings’. Standings are calculated on a rolling 12-month basis, and include points earned in any older division, as well as 20% of those earned in the next younger division. Rankings are calculated on a calendar year basis and only include points from a single age group.

How Do ITF Junior Tennis Rankings Work?

ITF junior rankings are less complex than the USTA version. They do, however, have several key points in common.

Essentially, the ITF junior rankings work on a pure ‘points per round’ basis, with the allocation of points being greater for the higher-level events. A player’s ITF ranking is calculated from their best six singles and doubles results, with the former given a higher weighting, on a rolling 12-month basis.

All ITF junior tournaments count towards world rankings, and there are no bonuses for beating specific players.

Are There Benefits To Being Ranked Well?

The answer to this is a resounding yes! Having a good USTA ranking will allow you to gain entry to the strongest and most prestigious tournaments. On top of this, college recruiters and potential sponsors will certainly take note if you get close to the top of the list.

A high ITF ranking has similar benefits to the USTA version, but on a worldwide scale. International sponsors will certainly take an interest in any player who is in the top echelon. On top of this, players with good rankings will get the chance to play in the junior Grand Slams, bringing more prestige and sponsorship potential.

Another benefit stems from the fact that the ITF administers the lower levels of the professional game. They allot places in the draw at many professional events to players with good junior rankings who would not otherwise have qualified, making it far easier for players to earn their first senior world ranking points.

USTA vs ITF: Which One Is A Better Path?

This probably depends upon your ambitions. If you plan to remain based in the US, attend college, perhaps with a scholarship, and continue to play tennis recreationally, your USTA ranking is all you need to attend to. There is no point in even playing ITF events if this is your preferred path.

On the other hand, if you have ambitions of becoming a professional, aim to play the junior Grand Slams, and are looking for the best possible sponsorship deal, you need to build an impressive ITF ranking through performances in international events. It will cost more to play internationally, but if you are good enough (and lucky enough) the rewards will eventually come.

Final Thoughts

Getting a good junior ranking is an important part of demonstrating your progress as a player, and it can bring numerous benefits. Keep in mind, however, that to succeed in professional tennis you will need to improve as a player and an athlete, and this is what you should focus on.