In my time playing tennis, I have heard on numerous occasions that tennis is a sport for rich people. Although this usually came from my non-tennis playing friends. The sport seems to get looped into the same group as golf, as far as financial stereotypes are concerned.
Which leads to the ultimate question – Is tennis an expensive sport? Is it a sport for rich people?
The cost of playing tennis can vary extremely depending on how much money you are willing to spend. A beginner can get setup for less than $100, while an advanced player will likely spend between $1000 – $5000 per year on their equipment, coaching, tournaments, leagues, and club memberships.
Yes, many rich people do play tennis and they do it at expensive country clubs. But most cities, or at least the ones I have lived in, have public facilities that are free or have relatively cheap membership prices ($200 – $500 per year). I would generally consider most of the members at these public facilities to be in the middle class.
It is relatively cheap for a beginner to get setup for tennis. It is not different than any other sport. That would consist of a beginner racquet and some balls that, combined, would cost below $100. Although, an advanced player will likely have multiple expensive racquets and have already invested money into hiring tennis instruction. They are also likely have a membership at a tennis club.
I know some junior tennis players who have yearly expenses that exceed $50,000 per year, when factoring in full-time coaching and tournament travel. And even others that train at world-class academies, like the Rafael Nadal Academy, that cost significantly more than that.
Read my article on: Is Tennis A Girly Sport?
How Much Money Does It Cost to Start Playing Tennis?
Racquet
When I started playing tennis my dad went and bought tennis racquets from Wal-Mart. This is the cheapest option to get started (around $20), and perhaps, a good decision for a pure beginner. That will allow you to test the waters and see if you like the sport. As a beginner, your racquet will not make any difference in your play. It will be hard enough just to make clean contact with the tennis ball on the strings.
Pretty quickly though, you will need to invest in a tennis racquet that you will enjoy. You will want to put some skin in the game by purchasing a racquet that will last a few years. Here is where things get expensive. A good racquet costs between $200 – $300 dollars. The prices seem to be consistently increasing year over year as well.
I play with the Babolat Aero Pro, where the price increases every time they come out with a new model. With constant play, a set of three racquets usually lasts me about 3 years. They cost around $300.
As you start hitting balls harder, you will break more strings. And you don’t want to break strings in the middle of a match. That is the main reason why most players have more than one racquet in their bag. I have three.
Also see: Is Tennis a Good Workout? It depends on…
Tennis Balls and Grips
Tennis Balls and grips are the least expensive accessories for tennis players. However, the frequency of them will add up over time. I usually use a can of tennis balls for about three days before I need a new can. One can will cost you between $3-5 dollars.
Other Costs of Tennis
Stringing: Stringing costs around $30 in the United States. It includes both labor and the string. Some people save money in bulk, by buying a reel of string. You only pay for labor if you provide string to your stringer.
Shoes: As you develop as a player you will want to purchase tennis shoes that are actually made for tennis. I plan to spend around $100 per pair and they last around 4 months with constant play. Some players, like myself, even purchase tennis shoes for different surfaces. I wear clay court shoes when I am planning to play on clay tennis courts, and vice versa with hard courts.
Tournaments and League Tennis: Tournaments and league tennis are so much fun. They usually cost around $75 to enter a tournament, and around $150 to join a league.
Lessons & Clinics: Lessons can get very expensive and cost around $75-$100 per private lesson. Some places offer package deals for a discount. Clinics are a cheaper route, and cost around $30. They are a good way to meet friends, as you will participate in drills with other players that have similar experience.
Please also check out my Ultimate Guide to Playing Tennis in Bangkok, Thailand