The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Tennis Industry Association (TIA) announced today that U.S. tennis participation is the highest it’s been in 25 years, with over thirty-million Americans hitting the courts in 2009. This is a whopping 12% increase vs. 2008 and a 25% improvement since 2003 (the year Roger Federer won his first Wimbledon. . .coincidence?)
Here’s more from the official press-release:
The USTA and TIA announced today that tennis participation in the United States topped 30 million players for the first time in more than two decades. The annual phone survey of 6,000 Americans showed that tennis participation grew in all age groups under the age of 50 and within all ethnicities. With 30.1 million people hitting the courts, tennis participation has grown 12% over 2008 and climbed 25% since 2003. The survey is conducted annually by the Taylor Research Group on behalf of the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) and the USTA.
New players comprised 7.1 million of the total, and the majority of tennis players consider themselves “regular players” (14.8 million). Though 15 of the 17 USTA sections were affected by record rainfall in the spring, total play occasions surpassed 560 million for only the second time in more than 20 years. The greatest percentage growth in participation was in players 12-17 which grew from 15.7% of the total participants in 2008 to 20.5% of the participants in 2009.
The TIA/USTA survey results include:
Total participation broke the 30 million mark in 2009 (a 12% increase to 30.1 million, against 26.9 million in 2008).
New players reached 7.1 million (up 19.5% from 5.9 million in 2008).
Regular Players, those playing 4 to 20 times per year, increased 26% to 14.8 million players in 2009.
Participation in 2009 is up in every major ethnic group, but especially among African Americans (+19%) and Hispanics (+32%)
Age groups comprising the greatest percentage of players are:
- 12-17 years at 20.5% of the total (more than 6 million players)
- 18-24 years at18.4% of the total (more than 5.5 million players)
- 6-11 years at 16.25% of the total (4.9 million players)
Tennis is doing a better job at retention with continuing players up 6.3% to 16 million
Former players rejoining to the game is up for the third year in a row, with nearly 7 million coming back to tennisThe TIA/USTA results compare favorably to other recent research released from industry organizations over the past 12 months. In the 2009 Sports and Fitness Participation Report conducted by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), results showed tennis was the only traditional sport to enjoy growth in grassroots participation.
While it’s hard to put too much stock in a single survey, I’m thrilled to hear some good news about tennis in the States. I wonder what’s causing the uptick? Is it the USTA’s outreach efforts? Parents wanting their kids to be the next Serena and/or Maria? Roger’s hair? Nadal’s guns?
I credit Roger for reigniting my own passion for the game. Before he won Wimbledon in ‘03, I was an on-again/off-again fan. As a kid I idolized Pete Sampras, but my interest waned during the early 2000s (Lleyton Hewitt just didn’t do it for me, I guess.) Watching Roger have so much fun on the tennis court inspired me to buy a racquet and give the game (another) try.
Loading ...Tags: Federer, Nadal, tennis, tennis players, USTA
Certanly Roger inspired me and my almost 6 year old son, we just started hitting the courts, at least he does something like Roger: he cries every time he doesn’t hit the ball, which is quite often…
Awww!That’s so cool!
Aww, look at those little cuties! LOL at your son’s Roger imitation, ranjolie! At least he’s not imitating Marat yet and smashing his racket!
ff, i have a similar personal tennis story! i started to play as a kid, maybe 10 yrs old, free summer lessons, continued to sort of learn on my own, just hitting the ball, kept playing and captained my h.s. team. for a few years after i lost interest, once my favorite players like edberg, sampras and agassi were no longer dominant. i too was bored by hewitt and his baseline hugging and muscle-y game. i probably got back into tennis around ‘05-’06 when fed was super dominant. watching him play definitely inspired me to love the game again and play consistently! he also started my obsession with tennis and all things roger!
yay! i participated in this poll and won’t jinx anyone.
i play 1-2 times a week, but would love to play more, if my knee wasn’t iffy lately. i absolutely love tennis!
great news about participation and retention increasing. i hope it continues. i’ve noticed a few less players at my local courts though and i suspect it’s the tough economy. still, increasing tv coverage and letting casual and hardcore fans gain access to great matches will certainly help keep the sport growing!
Frites and i started hittin the fuzzy yellow balls in the early AM now..kinda nice way to start your day! Frites still can’t take my high-spinning topspin forehand to her one-handed backhand
you’re going inside out to mrs. ff’s backhand, aren’t you?! i wanna hear her side of this!
the mr. and i match up pretty well with our different playing styles and strengths. i can be pretty effective with my crosscourt forehand, pulling him to the right and opening up the court, which is challenging to the mr. my husband’s one handed backhand crosscourt is pretty great though, he creates some very nice short crosscourt angles, a la fed. during our next lesson on thu, it’s on!
we sort of grew up playing the sport together, when we were just friends years ago and i love that we still share a passion for tennis and always have a built in playing partner. it definitely makes life super fun! plus, i’ve gotten him to watch much more tennis, especially roger’s matches and we yell at the tv together.
last night while watching a classic masters cup final between fed and nalbandian from ‘05, we were both getting into it, as if it were happening live. what an intense match! we were kind of annoyed that fed did not pull through, given his monumental effort to turn it around while struggling physically. we were like, wth tennis channel? why are you showing a ‘classic’ match that fed doesn’t turn around and win? that would have been a much better story. it was hilarious how much husband was annoyed. he may not be obsessed with roger like i am, but he loves roger’s beautiful, all court, seemingly effortless game!
so cool – thanks for sharing your “tennis love story” with us. It’s definitely fun to have a partner who loves the game as much as I do. We came to it together, when we moved to a warmer climate and to an apartment building with tennis courts. I think we both had a casual interest in tennis as kids and being able to play any old time we liked really got us hooked as adults. Even though I don’t miss that apartment, I do miss those free courts!
Fritters, you can trash talk all you want – I will still beat you 2 out of 3 times. Consistency beats flash! Maybe I’m the Murray to your Fed
And I do have a pretty good inside in and down the line forehand
awww… tennis love story. it totally is! you have one too! you made me laugh and smile. i would probably lower my apt standards if there were free tennis courts!
i’ll have to settle for the fact that i can see the top of the west side tennis club (historic former location of the us open) center court from my terrace and that my building name is: tennyson court. there is a ‘tennis place’ street in my town and we dream of living on that block one day. 
i think i beat the mr. more often than not. i tend to blow leads though and the mr. warms up and focuses better later in sets. i’ll have to remind myself that ‘i love winning’ vs ‘i hate losing’ like fed!
no wonder you love the supposed fed v murray trash talking. i can’t believe you’re making a parallel with yourself to murray mints! i have to say i’m definitely the agassi to the mr.’s sampras. i have a very good return game and his great serve is modeled on pete’s, though he’s moving towards making it more roger-esque!
your exchange at the bottom is awesome. i might have to start that in my house.
Hehe, the number of tennis players in the States spiked after 2008. Humm, surely it’s no coinkidink that that was the year of The Greatest Match Ever Played. No doubt Rafa is a HUGE part of the youth getting interested in tennis again. He most definitely sparked my interest and increased my love for the sport.
It is a shame that tennis still remains an exclusive sport. It is expensive to play and most people cannot afford it. Plus, unlike basketball for example, kids need the proper facilities and equipment to begin playing. It is very tough indeed and it is a crying shame because it is a wonderful sport.
I flove watching kids wearing their Rafa headbands and attempting the lasso forehand and the Vamos! fist pumps! They also look so adorable in their sleeveless shirts and 3/4 length pants. They just exude confidence, enthusiasm and fight (just like their role model).
I remember my 11 year old son playing tennis (on the Nintendo Wii mind you) and he was down 0-40 on his serve. My other son (14 years old) was teasing him and saying how he was about to “go down” and that for sure he was going to be broken. HA! Like my 11 year old was going to have any of that. He just set his chin and said something along the lines of “it’s not over yet. I can still come back from this you know?” He did. When he held serve he turned to his brother and said: “I don’t ever give up. Did you see when Rafa played Naldanian (that’s what he calls him). He saved FIVE match points!! FIVE! He NEVER gives up! I don’t either! You just have to keep trying 100% (he always says 100% with the ‘KH’ sound at the beginning like Rafa). You never know.” And then he sort of chuckles mischievously and turned to his brother again and said: “But now you do.”
His attitude after losing has changed remarkably after he’s started following Rafa. He used to be a “sore loser”, crying after a loss, stomping off angrily, name calling. But not anymore! I swear, it’s amazing! He SHAKES HANDS after a game, says congratulations, then he makes it a point to come and talk to me about the game and explain how he tried his best but his brother was just better that time. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I was listening to one of Rafa’s pressers! It’s fantastic! I also love to watch how intense and serious he is when watching a tennis match. I never thought it possible that he’d get into tennis like he has, but it’s come true. And, without a doubt, Rafa Nadal gets full credit for inspiring him (and no doubt many other children around the world) and making tennis “cool!” and “totally awesome!”
He even shouts Vamos! After he’s finished with his math homework and when he gets one of my Pop Quiz questions correct.
Hehhe, just look at that pick, the kid second from the left is even sporting Rafa’s checkered shorts! XD Which reminds me, my sons wanted Rafa’s ‘Toro’ cap.
I am so thankful to have him as a role model for our children. Whether athletes want to accept it or not, being a role model comes with the territory. We are without a doubt blessed to have him.
P.S. Rafa’s muscles (though impressive for the youngsters) are even more impressive to the ladies (and mothers
) in the audience. But children are amazingly keen at recognizing traits that we try to instill in them, like respect, responsibility, hard work, fight, desire, passion, courage, compassion, patience, kindness, honesty, optimism, confidence, heart, humility…Even if they don’t articulate it themselves, they FEEL it and understand it. And when they see it so constantly they begin to act on it and exude it. A little bit of a positive attitude can go a mighty long way. Rafa made being a good human being, FUN! And I can’t thank him enough!
P.P.S. Sorry for the very long post. My husband said that I shouldn’t write so much because it annoys other bloggers. I told him I’m verbose and unless he wants me to read my post to him he better not tease me. I hope you don’t mind.
Hi Mamma CeeCee!
Thanks so much for your post – it’s soooo neat to hear about young kids being inspired by today’s top players. And it’s hard to think of any better role model than Rafael Nadal. Tennis fans are so fortunate!
I’m really happy to read that participation is highest amongst young kids. Perhaps having such kid-friendly, accessible stars is a factor?
great story! rafa is an excellent role model for kids in any sport, for so many reasons. i love how kids are inspired by the top stars, just as i was while growing up. tennis is in a really great place right now.
i love it when i see kids at the courts, especially those who could probably kick my butt because their games are already well developed. they get so into it, but also have fun out there. it’s a sport you can play for life!
We’ve got some really terrific role models out there for young players.
(Freaky: you gonna let Fritters talk smack about your backhand?
I just pull a Rafa and keep targeting Frites backhand….* bam…game, set, match…
Sigh. . .your trash talk obviously comes from a deep insecurity with your forehand.
Insecurity? If u call breaking down your backhand with my forehand “insecurity” , call it what u want. *game *set *match – Fritters