How To Become a Professional Tennis Player: Step-by-Step Guide

Professional tennis is a very competitive sport with a global reach. If you have a passion for the game and the drive to compete at the highest level, you may be wondering how to become a professional tennis player. The first step is to develop your skills and techniques through practice and training. Once you have the required skills, you can start competing in tournaments to gain experience and exposure. In this article, we discuss what it takes to become a professional tennis player, including the required skills, training and experience.

What Does a Professional Tennis Player Do?

Professional tennis players compete in tournaments around the world to earn prize money and ranking points. The top-ranked players may qualify for special events like the Grand Slams or the ATP/WTA Tour Finals. Players typically start competing in junior tournaments before moving on to professional competitions.

The duties of a professional tennis player include:

• Training for several hours each day to maintain peak physical condition
• Playing matches against other professional players
• Competing in tournaments around the world
• Working with a coach to improve skills and strategy
• Analyzing opponents to develop a game plan
• Resting and recovering between matches
• Managing travel and logistics
• Promoting sponsorships and endorsements

Professional Tennis Player Salary and Job Outlook

The average salary for a professional tennis player is $46,180.05. However, this figure can vary based on the player’s ranking, tournament winnings, and endorsement deals.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have specific data on job prospects for professional tennis players. However, they do expect the employment of athletes and sports competitors to grow much faster than average over the next decade. This growth is attributed to an increase in popularity of spectator sports.

How to Become a Professional Tennis Player

Here are several steps you should take to become a professional tennis player.

1. Start playing tennis at a young age

Tennis is a sport that requires players to start training early. You should begin playing tennis when you’re young to develop your skills and build up muscle tone. Tennis academies or clubs are common in most cities, where you can enroll in group lessons with experienced coaches.

You may also receive one-on-one instruction from a family member who plays tennis. Playing regularly will help you learn the basics of the game and improve your technique.

2. Join a tennis club or academy to receive coaching and compete in tournaments

Tennis academies and clubs offer a structured environment for players to learn the game, develop their skills and compete in tournaments. Academies are more expensive than tennis clubs but provide advanced training and education programs that help you become a professional player. You can find academies and clubs near your home or school through online research or by asking other tennis players.

Academies typically charge membership fees, which cover court time and coaching sessions. Coaches teach you how to play based on your skill level and give you tips on how to improve your shots and strategy during matches. They also help you schedule practice times and tournament appearances.

3. Turn professional after completing high school or college

Once you’ve completed high school or college, you can turn professional and compete in tournaments for prize money. Many aspiring tennis players start turning professional between the ages of 18 and 22 so they have time to build their ranking points and attract sponsorships.

Before turning professional, consider joining a training academy to improve your skills and get advice from more experienced players. You may also want to hire a coach to help you develop your game and make sure you’re playing at a competitive level.

4. Hire a coach and support team to help you improve your game

Hiring a coach is an important step in improving your game and achieving the level of a professional tennis player. A good coach can help you develop strategies for playing on different court surfaces, improve your physical conditioning and teach you advanced techniques for shots and footwork.

A support team can also be helpful for scheduling your time and managing your finances. You may want to hire a sports agent or manager to negotiate sponsorship deals and appearance fees.

5. Compete in lower-level tournaments to gain ranking points

As you start playing tennis, you will need to earn ranking points to move up the professional tennis rankings. Ranking points are awarded based on your performance in tournaments and how well you place compared to other players.

You can compete in lower-level tournaments that offer more ranking points than higher-level tournaments. For example, a tournament with an ITF level of 4 offers 1,000 ranking points for first place, while a tournament with an ATP level of 5 only offers 500 ranking points for first place.

6. Move up to higher-level tournaments as you improve your ranking

As you compete in more tournaments, you can move up to higher-level events where the competition is stronger. This helps you improve your game by playing against players who are more experienced and skilled.

As you advance through the rankings, you may also receive a higher seeding at tournaments. A higher seeding means that you play in matches against other seeded players who have similar ranking points as you.

7. Win major tournaments to earn prize money and sponsorships

As you improve your ranking and become a top player, you can earn more money from tournament prize pools. Major tournaments often have the highest prize money available to attract the best players. You may also receive sponsorships from companies who want to advertise on your clothing or equipment. Having endorsements and additional income from your career can help you pay for coaching, travel expenses and other costs of being a professional tennis player.