The United States Tennis Association (USTA) recently announced that participation in tennis in the United States has significantly increased, welcoming a more diverse group of players than ever before.
According to findings from an independent study, the growth in tennis participation was fueled by an increase in playing opportunities, a rise in the number of players who are entering and continuing in the sport, and strong momentum from women's participation and communities of color.
In 2025, participation rose by 1.6 million, reaching a new high of 27.3 million total players.
Since 2019, participation in tennis in the U.S. has grown by 54%, adding nearly 10 million players over the past six consecutive years.
"This sustained participation growth reflects strong demand for our sport across a diverse range of communities nationwide," said Brian Vahaly, Chairman of the Board and Interim Co-CEO, USTA, in a press release on March 18, 2026.
"Our goal is to expand access so more people across this country can play the world's healthiest sport and experience the physical, mental, and social benefits it has to offer."
"As we advance toward our goal of 35 million players by 2035, we will continue investing strategically to ensure this momentum translates into sustained participation and a stronger tennis ecosystem."
- People are playing more often: "Core players," defined as individuals who played 10 or more times throughout the year, increased by 1.5 million to 14.5 million in 2025. This means that as overall participation has grown, so has the number of people who are regularly playing tennis, with more than half of all players (53 percent) considered "core players." This increase also helped drive the more than 616 million play occasions in 2025.
- Women were significant drivers of growth: In 2025, 1.1 million more women took to the court than in 2024, representing a 10 percent increase from 2024.
- Participation among people of color increased significantly: the number of Black/African American players increased by more than 450,000 (14 percent), Hispanic/Latino players by more than 550,000 (12 percent), and Asian/Pacific Islander players by more than 260,000 (10 percent). All three of these groups represent a greater percentage growth than the overall increase.
- More first-time players entered the sport: Tennis recorded an uptick in new players entering the sport, with 4.9 million picking up a racquet for the first time – up 9 percent year over year.
- Player retention rates are up: Players also remained in the sport at a higher rate than in 2024, with 20.7 million players staying in the sport, up 10 percent (1.8 million additional players retained) in 2025. In addition, 1.7 million players returned to tennis after more than 1 year away from the sport.
- Unprecedented intent to play: More than 25 million respondents who do not currently play tennis are very interested in playing the sport. This represents a strong subset of individuals that could shift to a playing population.
This positive trend is on display in Houston, Texas, in 2026. Research indicates that between 3 and 5 percent of students participate in a school tennis team.
For example, the Houston Independent School District's Frank Black Middle School (FBMS) recently launched its first tennis team that includes about 40 students.
Also utilizing FBMS's orange ball and upgraded tennis courts are local elementary schools, such as Oak Forest Elementary.
In aggregate, over 100 students are participating in these Houston tennis programs in 2026, compared to 0 in 2024.
The complete 2026 U.S. Tennis Participation Report can be found here.
Written by Don Hackett
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