Absolutely anyone. 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.

What should I wear to play tennis?

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. When it comes to tennis kit, you can play in whatever you feel most comfortable in. Just remember you will be active – think t-shirts, shorts, tracksuit bottoms, sweatshirts.

Can I hire a tennis racket?

We have a selection of rackets (and balls) to purchase at a number of our venues, at competitive prices. Tennis rackets are available in our sports retail shops at Hyde Park, The Regent's Park, Chiswick and Lammas Park. If you want to try a demo racket before making your purchase you can now do that for just £25 per racket with our exclusive Park Sports Demo Racket Service ! This amount will be deducted from your bill if you decide to subsequently buy the racket from the venue on the day. We do not provide rackets for hire.

What tennis racket should I buy?

For a beginner’s tennis racket, 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.

What balls are best to use?

When it comes to tennis balls, adults play with the yellow pressurised balls you may have seen at Wimbledon and other big tennis tournaments. However, here's a Top Tip from the LTA. For any beginner, 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.

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Adult Tennis

Getting Started

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Why You Should Start Playing Tennis

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. At any age and for a whole lifetime, tennis provides physical, social and mental rewards both on and off the court.

Let's Get You Started

If you’re just starting out and want to improve your game Park Sports offers a huge range of Adult Tennis Courses and Weekly Drills that work on specific aspects of the game. LTA qualified coaches are also available for one to one private lessons and small group coaching - whatever your ability, they will help improve your game.

We provide coaching for Beginners and Improvers, right up to Intermediate and Advanced. You will develop and benefit the most from playing people of the appropriate playing standard.

Progression will depend upon many factors, including previous playing experience, general sporting ability, and your personal fitness level. We run coaching sessions during the mornings, afternoons and evenings seven days a week at most venues.

Adult Tennis - Frequently Asked Questions

Who can play tennis?

Absolutely anyone. 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.
What should I wear to play tennis?

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.
When it comes to tennis kit, you can play in whatever you feel most comfortable in. Just remember you will be active – think t-shirts, shorts, tracksuit bottoms, sweatshirts.
Can I hire a tennis racket?

We have a selection of rackets (and balls) to purchase at a number of our venues, at competitive prices. Tennis rackets are available in our sports retail shops at Hyde Park, The Regent's Park, Chiswick and Lammas Park.
If you want to try a demo racket before making your purchase you can now do that for just £25 per racket with our exclusive Park Sports Demo Racket Service! This amount will be deducted from your bill if you decide to subsequently buy the racket from the venue on the day. We do not provide rackets for hire.
What tennis racket should I buy?

For a beginner’s tennis racket, 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.
What balls are best to use?

When it comes to tennis balls, adults play with the yellow pressurised balls you may have seen at Wimbledon and other big tennis tournaments.
However, here's a Top Tip from the LTA. For any beginner, 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.

Join a Course

A fantastic way to train and improve your game. Learn with players of a similar level and get professional coaching advice from experienced LTA qualified coaches.

We offer 6-week Beginner Courses across our venues for new tennis players just starting, or those who may struggle with the fundamentals, such as forehand & backhand technique and consistency.

Coaching includes drills and games to steadily introduce players to the game. As well as teaching the basics of stroke play, how to serve and how to keep score.

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Book a Weekly Drill

Tennis Weekly Drills are ideal for trying out tennis for the first time and a great way to steadily introduce players with different focuses on specific elements of the game.

Beginner Drills include Coffee Mornings, Evening Socials and Cardio Tennis - a group fitness calorie burning aerobic and anaerobic workout using tennis drills and games!

Make new friends and socialise with fellow newcomers with midweek and weekend drills available to book up to 7 days in advance.

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Book a Private Lesson

Private lessons are the fastest way to improve your game. Available as one-to-one or on a small group basis, lessons can be tailored to your individual needs.

Park Sports works with independent, highly experienced and professional LTA qualified coaches who can help you develop your technique and tactical game play.

Private Lessons for beginners will give you the chance to hit lots of balls and pick up key tips to improve your technique.

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