The USTA reports that tennis participation in the United States has surged to a new high of 25.7 million players following five consecutive years of growth, based on research conducted by two third-party firms*.

The USTA said the 1.9 million player increase from 2023’s level of 23.8 million participants marks a significant acceleration from the past year.

“One in every 12 Americans played tennis in 2024 — the highest proportion on record,” concluded the United States Tennis Association based on partner studies. “This exceeds the five-year average ratio of one in 16 Americans. In an increasingly competitive sports and recreation environment, this expansion demonstrates tennis’ broadening appeal and strengthening position in the U.S.”

Other significant findings regarding the growth in tennis participation from the research it conducted include:

  • Retained and returning players have risen with a 5 percent increase in retention rates over 2023, reaching a five-year high, while those who returned to the game after a break of at least one year off from playing rose 9 percent.
  • First-time and returning tennis players brought 6.3 million participants to the game in 2024, and tennis lost the fewest players year-over-year since 2020. This balanced momentum simultaneously cultivates committed players while broadening reach.
  • Tennis is increasingly attracting a younger player as the under-35 age group powered tennis’ expansion in 2024, contributing nearly two-thirds of all growth (+1.2 million players). The youth influence is evident among those under 25, who drove 45 percent of total gains, suggesting a promising trajectory for tennis’ future in the U.S.
  • The game has become more diverse, with 26 percent growth in Black or African American players, representing a 662,000 player increase, and Hispanic players up 15.4 percent, to 4.54 million players, over 2023. Senior players are on the rise, with a 17 percent increase in growth of 302,000 participants.

Tennis reached a new milestone in engagement in 2024, with Core players (those playing 10 or more times in the past 12 months) growing to a record 13 million, representing 50 percent of all participants. This expansion in committed players surpassed 2023 by 11 percent. The rise in frequent players has helped drive total play to 575 million, a 9 percent increase over the previous year.

The USTA also announced it has committed $10 million in grants to tennis courts and facilities nationwide to meet player demand. Since 2005, the USTA’s Tennis Venue Services (TVS) grant program has awarded over $19 million in grants, including $1.2 million in 2024, that impacted over 500 courts in more than 60 communities. Court investments that refurbish, build and extend playable hours on courts are one of the three major strategic focus areas for the USTA in its growth strategy.

“This report confirms what we know at the USTA: tennis popularity continues to grow and is a sport that is increasingly looking more like America than ever before,” said Lew Sherr, CEO of the USTA. “Along with our section partners, our mission is to get more people on the court to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere, and we are thrilled to see these numbers validate the work we do. We will continue to do our part through an ambitious strategy to grow the game to 35 million players by 2035, a goal that is both actionable and achievable as we seek to bring the benefits of the world’s healthiest sport to more people across America.”

The USTA is doubling down on its efforts to ensure safe play experiences for all, with over 27,000 people now being Safe Play compliant. As a part of its Safe Play program, the USTA requires that any adult coaching tennis complete a criminal background screen, be educated on recognizing and preventing misconduct in sport, and acknowledge the Safe Play Policy, which sets the standards for appropriate conduct in tennis. The USTA offers a searchable database of these coaches for players and parents to access nationwide — including professional and community-level coaches who provide on-court instruction and facilitation.

In addition to the 27,000 Safe Play-compliant coaches, an additional 23,000 individuals have completed the USTA’s Safe Play educational program to recognize and prevent abuse in sports.

*Two complementary research studies measure Tennis participation in the United States.

  1. The Physical Activity Council (PAC) Study on Sports and Physical Activity, which has tracked tennis participation since 2007, draws from a nationally representative panel of over one million Americans and features responses from 18,000 people ages 6 and older. The study tracks participation across 122 sports, fitness and recreational activities, with quotas for gender, age, income, region, and ethnicity to ensure a balanced sample and administered by Sports Marketing Surveys USA.
  2. The PLAY Study, formerly the Participation and Engagement Study, has provided supplemental data through a partnership between the USTA and the National Golf Foundation (NGF) since 2021 and surveys 18,000 individuals ages 6 and older annually.

The USTA is the national governing body for tennis in the U.S. A not-for-profit organization; it invests 100 percent of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the U.S. Open.

Photo courtesy USTA