Tennis has been on a roll in the United States with participation numbers climbing to 25.7 million players in 2024, marking the fifth straight year of growth. This uptick, noted by the U.S. Tennis Association on Wednesday, is based on yet-to-be-released analyses from two significant studies.
The sport welcomed an impressive influx of 1.9 million players compared to 2023, translating to an 8% rise. This means that in 2024, roughly one out of every 12 Americans picked up a racket, according to the USTA.
Lew Sherr, CEO of the USTA, which not only governs tennis across the nation but also organizes the US Open, shared the association’s ambition of reaching 35 million tennis enthusiasts by 2035. He confidently describes this aim as “a goal that is both actionable and achievable.”
In a bid to move toward this target, the USTA announced a substantial increase in their financial commitment, pledging $10 million in 2025. This funding is set to enhance, refurbish, and extend court hours across the country, a significant leap from the previous year’s $1.2 million that aided over 500 public courts.
This growth in tennis is unfolding against the backdrop of pickleball’s meteoric rise, which has ballooned from obscurity to engaging more than 13 million Americans in just three years, boasting over 200% growth during that period.
The data highlighting tennis’s growth surge comes courtesy of the National Golf Foundation. They collected insights from two comprehensive studies that the USTA sponsors, surveying 18,000 individuals aged six and above: the PAC Study on Sports and Physical Activity and the PLAY study.
Additional points emphasized by the USTA include:
– Young players under 25 years old played a crucial role, accounting for 45% of the participation increase, while those under 35 made up over 60%.
– A remarkable surge of 26% was observed among Black players, with Hispanic participants growing by 15% in 2024.
– Notably, senior players also showed increased enthusiasm for the game, with their numbers rising by 17% last year.
In summary, tennis is experiencing a renaissance in America, drawing new and diverse players in record numbers and showing no signs of slowing down.
