Where to begin with tournaments?

I'm in middle states, probably toward the 4.0 end (as opposed to 3.5). I'm 16, and got started really late (serious regular lessons for about 6 weeks with a year of casual playing).


Do i just start signing up for tourneys and playing or what?

You're 16, so you're a junior player. Get registered with USTA via their website. Then go to tournaments.usta.com (or something alike) and look for tournaments in your area under your classification which should be ZAT or otherwise unqualified player type tournaments.

Unqualified player tournaments usuall occur toward the beginning of the month so you've already missed them by now, so sign up for one of the next series (you're only allowed to play one ranking tournament a month) for January.

A tip, find tournaments in an area nearby that you're familiar with, chances are players might even be people you know. And if you don't, get to know them, your opponents are the best practice partners.

what about this one? http://tournaments.usta.com/tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=40720

I played there the other night...was a pretty nice place. Didn't really like the courts though, they were pretty slow. Seems like a good one to enter, as the other close tournament only has boys 18s,14s,10s. I'd get crushed in the 18s


*edit* I've been a usta member for a few months now. I have a year membership. I'm signed up in my district and everything, but i haven't played in anything official.

*edit* ah crap entries closed. I wonder if i should enter in the 18s...i don't think i'd make it past the first round. Hate to sound like an agassi, but i might as well wait a month and keep improving right?

xtremerunnerars said:

what about this one? http://tournaments.usta.com/tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=40720

I played there the other night...was a pretty nice place. Didn't really like the courts though, they were pretty slow. Seems like a good one to enter, as the other close tournament only has boys 18s,14s,10s. I'd get crushed in the 18s


*edit* I've been a usta member for a few months now. I have a year membership. I'm signed up in my district and everything, but i haven't played in anything official.

*edit* ah crap entries closed. I wonder if i should enter in the 18s...i don't think i'd make it past the first round. Hate to sound like an agassi, but i might as well wait a month and keep improving right?

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If you are unsure, don't enter and concentrate on your game and fitness. But, don't let this opportunity go by you. If you can't play, it doesn't stop you from watching others play. You said you've played here before, so it couldn't be terribly far.

Find out when the 18s Boys play and head out early before the tournament dressed and ready to play. There are always guys that head out there by themselves without warmup partners so ask if you can warmup together. This is a good way to size your own game and get a (meager) taste of theirs. After the tournament is underway, pull out a lawn chair and watch the matches with a notebook out. Take good notes on how matches are won and lost, what you can do to match a winning strategy, etc.

If you have the money, enter! Any tournament, as long as the level is near yours, is valuable. Lose in the first round? Who cares, as long as you experienced it and didn't play terrible. If you did, then keep working hard.

Also, not sure how your system works, but in Australia there are tournaments and TOURNAMENTS. The tournaments are usually a lower level and you don't get much for winning, the TOURNAMENTS are ranking and points one's so all the better kids enter these ones. Depends what you want out of them I guess..

Get registered and look at the websites got to usta.com/tournamnts/ location and in the month of december aww screw it, http://tournaments.usta.com/tournaments/Schedule/Search.aspx

Thanks for the support guys! That tip about the notebook and watching was really good. I'm going to ask my mom if i can enter. If i lose then i'll hang around and check the other matches out.

Unfortunately for most winter tournaments there are limited draws due to a lack of court space, so if your unranked it'll be pretty tough to start now. I'm not saying theres no way you can get in but the chances are much lower.

WOAH, what a price 22 bucks. In NE the least ever is 35, but most are 40

yeah, here in norcal, january-february is 30 and the rest of the year 35.