What does a complete beginner need to know before getting into tennis? Originally answered on Nov. 30, 2015
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Answer by Nolan Ross, NTRP level 4.0 player, on Quora:
If you are planning to take up tennis as your career, and want to play professionally, then you should consider the following:
- You will only succeed if you are passionate about it. If you're doing it because someone suggested it to you, you are on the wrong path. Make sure you have the passion for the game and you are willing to take this up for a long haul.
- You need to do a lot of hard work. Going from a beginner to a professional takes about seven to 10 years of hard work. That includes daily physical training for three to four hours and practicing daily for four to five hours, seven days a week, all year for at least five to seven years.
- You need to support yourself financially for the next five to 10 years. There is not much money in the lower levels of tennis, until you make it into the top 50 or top 100. You need to be able to support yourself financially for next five to 10 years (the average number of years of work required to break through if you are really good). There are a lot of costs involved: coaching, training, gear, travel, hotels, etc.
- Injuries are part of the game. You need to be able to pass this phase when it comes. Injuries can derail your career. Many players say goodbye so early. Some stay out for a few years and come back later. Juan Martin Del Potro and Robin Soderling, two great players to beat both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in majors, have been out of the tour for the last few years because of injuries.
- There is not a lot of money. Professional players ranked in the top 20 make a good amount of money by winning tournaments and through product endorsements. Players ranked 20-100 do well, too. The rest of the field barely breaks even. There is not a ton of money in tennis. Even though prize money increases every year and the overall number of tournaments is increasing, you will still need to break through to the top 100 to see any good amount of money. That's only in singles tennis. Doubles tennis is like an opening job for singles tennis.
- It's a beautiful sport. Even if you don't make it professionally, tennis is a sport for life. You will make amazing friends on the court. You will play this game even into your 80s and 90s. I know many people who do and love this game. You will never be alone or bored with tennis. You can be proud of yourself for even playing at the amateur level, as tennis allows you to hit amazing shots even when you end up on the losing end.