The reason why tennis is expensive is the coaching. It is easy to find cheap beginner lessons. Almost anybody can teach those.

It gets harder to find good intermediate lessons, and even harder to find good advanced lessons. It requires expertise that is not common so it costs $$$$.

If you just want to play recreational tennis and don't care about improving, then it is cheap. Sure you can just play on public courts for free.

However, tennis is highly technical and getting access to the coaching to reach an elite level gets very pricey.

Good private lessons are easily over $100/hr and to really improve you need to play 3-4x/week. To pay for multiple group lessons per week and private lessons, it adds up.

slightly O/T, but i can watch (quietly) a tennis lesson on a public court without p*ssing off the coach or player right? not trying to learn to play tennis that way but curious how tennis is being taught to new players nowadays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea that tennis is a sport for elites is incorrect. There are tons of public tennis courts, the only specialized equipment you need is a racquet, balls, and maybe a pair of tennis court shoes (all of which can be found for cheap). Most parks and rec departments offer low price classes, you can join local leagues for a fairly affordable price or just play with friends.

I've always thought it was kind of ironic that tennis has a reputation as being a rich sport when the cost of entry is basically nil. As opposed to something like hockey or gymnastics which cost a fortune but are seen as more LMC family sports.

Yeah tennis is like basketball. Sure, you *can* spend a zillion dollars trying to turn your kid into a professional tennis or basketball star, and some people certainly do, but also it's a sport that literally anyone can play without spending almost any money (public court, borrowed ball or racket). Also watching the professional version is pretty easy, they air most of the slams on ESPN or ABC and a lot of the non-slam tour events have pretty cheap tickets (you could go to an early round of the Cincinnati or Miami 1000 events for like $40 and see some top tennis stars play).

There are actually very few sports as accessible to recreational players as tennis. And it's fantastic for your health, plus has a mental side. My only suggestion is to play at your age and ability level and don't over do it -- I think one of the main obstacles to tennis for adults is when people go out there trying to be Roger Federer, develop tennis elbow and ACL issues, and quit. Take it easy, you will still get a great workout running around the court even if you aren't sliding and lunging on every single point.

um... soccer?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea that tennis is a sport for elites is incorrect. There are tons of public tennis courts, the only specialized equipment you need is a racquet, balls, and maybe a pair of tennis court shoes (all of which can be found for cheap). Most parks and rec departments offer low price classes, you can join local leagues for a fairly affordable price or just play with friends.

I've always thought it was kind of ironic that tennis has a reputation as being a rich sport when the cost of entry is basically nil. As opposed to something like hockey or gymnastics which cost a fortune but are seen as more LMC family sports.

Yeah tennis is like basketball. Sure, you *can* spend a zillion dollars trying to turn your kid into a professional tennis or basketball star, and some people certainly do, but also it's a sport that literally anyone can play without spending almost any money (public court, borrowed ball or racket). Also watching the professional version is pretty easy, they air most of the slams on ESPN or ABC and a lot of the non-slam tour events have pretty cheap tickets (you could go to an early round of the Cincinnati or Miami 1000 events for like $40 and see some top tennis stars play).

There are actually very few sports as accessible to recreational players as tennis. And it's fantastic for your health, plus has a mental side. My only suggestion is to play at your age and ability level and don't over do it -- I think one of the main obstacles to tennis for adults is when people go out there trying to be Roger Federer, develop tennis elbow and ACL issues, and quit. Take it easy, you will still get a great workout running around the court even if you aren't sliding and lunging on every single point.

Anonymous wrote:The idea that tennis is a sport for elites is incorrect. There are tons of public tennis courts, the only specialized equipment you need is a racquet, balls, and maybe a pair of tennis court shoes (all of which can be found for cheap). Most parks and rec departments offer low price classes, you can join local leagues for a fairly affordable price or just play with friends.

I've always thought it was kind of ironic that tennis has a reputation as being a rich sport when the cost of entry is basically nil. As opposed to something like hockey or gymnastics which cost a fortune but are seen as more LMC family sports.

Anonymous wrote:Alcaraz looks better when his hair is longer. Which is most of the time. Apparently his brother screwed up a haircut for him right before the tournament started so he decided to shave it all off because it couldn't be salvaged. Funny that now a lot of new-to-tennis fans only know this look for him. When his hair is longer, it balances his jaw nicely especially when he smiles.

He also has killer legs.

No. He’s always looked like that.

Alcaraz looks better when his hair is longer. Which is most of the time. Apparently his brother screwed up a haircut for him right before the tournament started so he decided to shave it all off because it couldn't be salvaged. Funny that now a lot of new-to-tennis fans only know this look for him. When his hair is longer, it balances his jaw nicely especially when he smiles.

He also has killer legs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Carlos Alcaraz is sexy AF

My 15 yr old was parked on the couch for 3 hours watching yesterday. She plays on her school’s team so it would be nice to think she was studying technique and match strategies but this is more likely the reason considering she’s not usually one to sit still for so long. Lol

It's nice for tennis fans, honestly. Much as I love the Big 3, none of them are "hawt". I actually think Janik Sinner is also very attractive in like a Benedict Cumberbatch way -- yes kind of gangly and awkward but with a great head of hair (if you like redheads) and a certain boyish charm. There are also several other really attractive men in the top 20, including the Americans Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton (dating Trinity Rodman of the Washington Spirit), and Tommy Paul. None of them stand a chance of beating Alcaraz or Sinner at a slam, but they are very nice to look at and still top players.

On the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka is very beautiful. She has grown into her looks in the last few years and is now very striking. When she was younger, she didn't dress as well and also was just angrier and kind of petulant. She's matured and developed a really terrific sense of humor and now I kind of love her. Of the other top women, Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, and Naomi Osaka are all really pretty. So is Emma Radacanu.

Lots of eye candy in tennis to go around.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Carlos Alcaraz is sexy AF

Looks like a gorilla . Sinner much sexier

Yes, I agree with the gorilla assessment, that’s what I meant about his jaw.

Anonymous wrote:Carlos Alcaraz is sexy AF

Looks like a gorilla . Sinner much sexier

Anonymous wrote:Carlos Alcaraz is sexy AF

TETO but has a very odd look in my opinion its his jaw/mouth.

Anonymous wrote:Carlos Alcaraz is sexy AF

My 15 yr old was parked on the couch for 3 hours watching yesterday. She plays on her school’s team so it would be nice to think she was studying technique and match strategies but this is more likely the reason considering she’s not usually one to sit still for so long. Lol

Anonymous wrote:Carlos Alcaraz is sexy AF

So is your mum

The idea that tennis is a sport for elites is incorrect. There are tons of public tennis courts, the only specialized equipment you need is a racquet, balls, and maybe a pair of tennis court shoes (all of which can be found for cheap). Most parks and rec departments offer low price classes, you can join local leagues for a fairly affordable price or just play with friends.

Carlos Alcaraz is sexy AF