Having played tennis for over two decades throughout my teenage years and adulthood, I have good insight into dating women that play tennis, and can emphatically answer the question – Is tennis a good sport for meeting and dating women?
Yes, tennis is probably the best sport for dating women because a high percentage of tennis players are female when compared to other sports. Tennis is more interactive and social than yoga, the gym, and fitness classes. Also, tennis provides an opportunity of co-ed teams and mixed doubles competition that other sports do not.
According to the 2019 International Tennis Federation (ITF) Global Report, 47% of tennis players in the world are female. That is incredibly high when you compare to 23% for basketball, for example. Other sports like soccer (futbol) have a lot of female players. However, teams consisting of both men and women is limited.
My Experience Dating in Tennis
Throughout my entire life, tennis has been a great way for me to meet beautiful, healthy women. I have dated several women that I met through tennis and my experience has always been positive. I remember in high school that our girl’s tennis team was full of beautiful girls. Fortunately, we got to practice with them often.
I find that the majority of women who play tennis are pursuing a healthy lifestyle and enjoy being outdoors. They are often smart, educated, attractive, and fun.
As a tennis coach for several years, I have witnessed many attractive women come to take lessons, clinics, and get involved in leagues. And there is a consistent amount of new women that decide to learn tennis with beginner lessons. I have also seen couples take lessons together and further deepen their relationship with tennis as the medium.
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Is Tennis a Good First Date Idea?
For me, tennis has always made a wonderful first or second date. My rule of thumb is if I have never met her before, for example, through online dating, then I go for a coffee or drink on the first date to establish some familiarity with each other. And then I go for tennis on the second date.
If you have already met her before (friends or acquaintance), then go for tennis on the first date. One advantage I have as a former tennis instructor is that I can show her some tips to get her started. But, even if you have just a little more experience than her, it will work just as well. There is something about rallying with a partner that builds rapport.
I have used tennis as a first date many times and it is a great way to see into a girl’s personality. If she is a beginner, does she laugh when she completely misses the ball? Or is she competitive and get frustrated? For me, either is fine but it will give you some insight into her personality. The deal breaker for me is if she likes to complain.
Additionally, after you play tennis you have an awesome opportunity to have two dates in the same day. Afterwards, offer to take her out for a treat. Some food, ice-cream, or drinks is always nice after a session of tennis.
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How to Get Started Meeting Women in Tennis
Being a part of your city’s tennis community is a wonderful thing. Many business deals are done on the golf course and on the tennis courts. Your local tennis club is a great place to network, meet new friends, and meet attractive women.
What is your tennis level?
The first question to ask yourself is – What level am I? If you are a brand-new beginner to tennis, then I suggest taking a few lessons to get started. There are a few important, fundamental skills you need to learn first.
After a couple of lessons you will be ready for the beginner clinics, which are group lessons that you sign up for. You don’t need to find other people to join the group clinic, your club will always do that for you. Most clubs have daily scheduled clinics in the morning and late afternoon.
Find a good club
You want to find a good tennis club. Preferably one that is a semi-public facility that you can buy a not-too-expensive membership. They will have a variety of tennis instructors and tennis clinics to signup for, as well as tennis leagues based off your level that you can participate in. They will also have social gatherings and occasional tennis tournaments on the calendar.
A great example is LTP – Daniel Island, my former home club, in Charleston, South Carolina. The facility has 17 clay courts, 6 hard courts and pickleball courts. In the mornings and afternoons the club is very busy, which is a good thing. A busy club is an indicator of a healthy, vibrant tennis community with lots of opportunity to meet women.
If dating is your priority, avoid smaller, exclusive tennis clubs because there will not be a lot of existing members or new members joining.
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Join a Mixed Doubles League
A common form of tennis is mixed doubles, where a team consists of one man and one woman as a doubles pair. Their combined rating is the division they would play in. For example, I have a 5.0 rating and my partner could be a 3.0. Together, we could play in the 8.0 division (5+3=8) and play against a 4.0 man and a 4.0 woman (4+4=8), or whatever adds up to 8.
Yes, there are tennis leagues and tournaments for beginners. In fact, the beginner division is usually the most popular and has most amount of players.
Sometimes I wish I was still a beginner because of this reason. One of the downsides about being a USTA 5.0 tennis player, which I am, is that there are very few leagues, tournaments, and players in my division. And especially, there are very few women in my division.
Is Pickleball good for meeting women?
Pickleball has been the fastest growing sport in America, and perhaps internationally. I have played pickleball in Colombia, Mexico, and the Philippines. Like tennis, pickleball provides an opportunity to meet women for dating. According to Pickleheads, 37.5% of pickleball players are women.
Generally, the demographic of pickleball women is a little bit older than tennis. But in my experience, pickleball has been a great way to meet new friends. The best part is that the sport is very sociable and interactive, even more so than tennis.
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