The United States Tennis Association (USTA) reports that tennis participation in the U.S. increased 6.2 percent year-over-year in 2025, marking the sport’s sixth consecutive year of growth, eclipsing a new high of 27.3 million total players.

Since 2019, tennis participation nationwide has grown by 54 percent, adding nearly 10 million players. The growth has the participation rate close to 9 percent of the total U.S. population, versus just under 6 percent in 2019.

The USTA noted that, according to the independent study’s findings, tennis’s growth was driven by more play occasions, more players entering and staying in the sport, and strong momentum from play by women and communities of color.

“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. “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. 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.”

Other key metrics for 2025, detailed in the 2026 U.S. Tennis Participation Report, are outlined below.

  • People are playing more often: “Core players,” defined as individuals who played 10 or more times in the year, increased by 1.5 million to 14.5 million. The data shows that as overall participation has grown, so too has the number of players who play regularly, with more than half (53 percent) considered “core players.” The segment’s growth marked an 11 percent increase over 2024 and helped drive total play to 616 million, a 7 percent increase over the previous year.
  • Women were significant drivers of growth: In 2025, 1.1 million more women played than in 2024, a 10 percent increase. Overall, women represented 44 percent of tennis players, up from 43 percent in 2024.
  • Participation among people of color experienced significant gains: the number of Black/African Americans who played the game increased by over 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 groups represent a greater percentage growth than the overall increase.
  • Age 35+ Leads: Established adults (age 35+) drove nearly 95 percent of all growth, totaling 1.5 million players and setting record highs across all segments. The key age segment driving growth was Americans aged 35 to 44, with participation expanding by 13 percent to 488,000. Participation among seniors (+65) was up 14 percent to 299,000. USTA said the strength among older demographics “displays the sport’s solid positioning for health, wellness and social interaction.”
  • Youth Opportunity Remains: With 200,000 more kids (ages 6-17) taking up the sport in 2025, tennis is securing gains among teens and pre-teens. While participation trails 2021 pandemic peaks, this recovery signals an upside for continued growth.
  • More first-time players entered the sport: Tennis recorded an uptick in first-time players with 4.9 million choosing to play the sport for the first time, up 9 percent year-over-year. This is the fifth consecutive year that over 4 million players participated in tennis for the first time. Beginners continue to represent 15 percent to 20 percent of the total player base, up from 11 percent to 12 percent in pre-COVID years.
  • 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 being away from the sport for more than one year.
  • Unprecedented intent to play: More than 25 million people who do not play tennis were found to be “very interested” in playing, representing a strong subset that could shift into the playing population.
  • Pickleball leads other racquet sports in participation: Pickleball saw the strongest gains among racquet sports, with 24.3 million participants in 2025, up from 19.8 million in 2024 and only 4.2 million in 2020. Badminton also saw an uptick year-over-year, with 6.8 million participants up from 6.2 million in 2024. Most other racquet sports were about flat with last year. Table tennis had 15.9 million participants; racquetball, 3.7 million; and squash, 1.3 million. Padel was played by 1.1 million Americans in 2025, the first year the sport was tracked.

To view the full report, go here.

Methodology: The participation numbers reported are the result of analysis done by the USTA and the National Golf Foundation (NGF), which analyzes and validates data from two national studies: the Physical Activity Council (PAC) Study on Sports and Physical Activity and the PLAY Study (formerly known as the Participation and Engagement Study). These two studies each survey 18,000 participants aged 6 and up annually, yielding a total sample of 36,000.

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