2.5 to 5.5: Is It Possible?

[Gal3rm]

Hello everyone,

I recently started playing tennis at the age of 26 and am completely in love with the sport. Both watching or playing it is exciting for me. Never have I ever picked up a sport like tennis and I go to the courts as much as I can. I was wondering, is it possible to go from 2.5 to 5.5 on the NTRP scale?

This is more a question of curiosity to see if it's even a palpable goal to set for a few years.

 

[SpinToWin]

With a lot of time, training, and talent… Possibly. Can you? I don't know.

I would say it is feasible, but highly unlikely. Set yourself 4.0 or 4.5 as a goal, 5.5 is a very high level of play to aim for to start with.

 

[Limpinhitter]

Hello everyone,

I recently started playing tennis at the age of 26 and am completely in love with the sport. Both watching or playing it is exciting for me. Never have I ever picked up a sport like tennis and I go to the courts as much as I can. I was wondering, is it possible to go from 2.5 to 5.5 on the NTRP scale?

This is more a question of curiosity to see if it's even a palpable goal to set for a few years.

All high level players started as low level players. The answer to your question depends on your personal dedication to improvement and your natural athletic ability. The younger you start the more time you have to achieve your goals. But, the time that really counts is the hours you spend on the court. When you are younger you have more hours to devote to sports. If you are working, then reaching your goal may require you to be willing to sacrifice a lot of your social life and other aspects of life in order to have the time to devote to tennis.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Yeah, lots of time on the court, supplement it with off-court training so you wont get injured, and get stronger.

Also, spend less time here. You're going to run into people deriving mathematical formulas on how to hit a particular stroke. Ignore that nonsense, and get a coach/instructor who can adapt his/her lessons specific to you, and how you play the game.

 

[Gal3rm]

Yeah, lots of time on the court, supplement it with off-court training so you wont get injured, and get stronger.

Also, spend less time here. You're going to run into people deriving mathematical formulas on how to hit a particular stroke. Ignore that nonsense, and get a coach/instructor who can adapt his/her lessons specific to you, and how you play the game.

Thanks. What would you recommend as good off-court training?

And I agree with the time spent here. I'm in the office laughing at this thread . I'm new...not delusional.

I play with guys that are rated at 4.0 and 4.5 and they instruct me constantly. I meet up with them 2-3 times a week.

 

[r2473]

Yeah, lots of time on the court, supplement it with off-court training so you wont get injured, and get stronger.

Also, spend less time here. You're going to run into people deriving mathematical formulas on how to hit a particular stroke. Ignore that nonsense, and get a coach/instructor who can adapt his/her lessons specific to you, and how you play the game.

I follow sureshs and his teachings. No mathematical formulas.

It has definitely changed my game....

 

[Gal3rm]

I follow sureshs and his teachings. No mathematical formulas.

It has definitely changed my game....

I'm sorry. Who's Sureshs?

 

[r2473]

I'm sorry. Who's Sureshs?

He offers lots of advice in this section. You can use the search function and find some of the threads he's started.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

He offers lots of advice in this section. You can use the search function and find some of the threads he's started.

Don't do it, save your brain cells for other things.

 

[r2473]

I'm sorry. Who's Sureshs?

He's a jokester that posts a lot.

Listen to Ash and Say Chi

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

He's a jokester that posts a lot.

Listen to Ash and Say Chi

But if you need a boost in self esteem, do look him up though.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Thanks. What would you recommend as good off-court training?

And I agree with the time spent here. I'm in the office laughing at this thread . I'm new...not delusional.

I play with guys that are rated at 4.0 and 4.5 and they instruct me constantly. I meet up with them 2-3 times a week.

Do your rotator cuff exercises. Focus on your core and lower back. Maintain and increase the flexibility of your lower body. Don't worry much about leg strength, that'll come gradually from tennis.

 

[Doc Hollidae]

Most players never reach the 5.5 level regardless of when they start playing. While it's possible, its fairly unlikely.

 

[tennis_ocd]

At 26? No. In fact it may have never once in all of history have happened.

 

[preeb]

Join some leagues, have fun, and the number will take care of itself.

I guess what I'm saying is not to focus too much on the numbers, but on whether your strokes are improving or whatever.

I was 25 when I picked up tennis again, so I'm trying to follow this piece of advice myself.

 

[Cobaine]

No. That bus left the station long ago. Even if you won the lottery and could hire a full time coach, nutritionist, and physio, and train every day, the chances are almost zero. 5.5 is an extremely high level of play.

I think 4.5 is feasible if you really dedicate yourself, and even that will be difficult.


P.S. - I'm talking about legitimate levels, not winning a round in an open tournament where the opponent is nowhere near 5.5 level, or playing in an over-inflated league. When I lived in San Diego, for whatever reason, the NTRP was ridiculously overtuned. I was a mediocre 4.5 at the time and I beat, fairly easily, one of top 5.5 guys in the area. The only reason he was ranked in the top of the 5.5 ladder was because he played every tournament, and because there very few actual 5.5s played the tournaments. So a bunch of non 5.5s would end up playing each other and be at the top of the ladder. When real 5.5s showed up, they would get double bageled.

 

[WildVolley]

These threads are fun but a waste of time. Setting goals is fine, but practical process goals are better than outcome goals. The truth, as others have already noted, is that 5.5 players are very rare and how rare increases both with the age that tennis was started and the age of the player. Odds are very strongly against you. We've had a number of people post here who claimed they were going to increase to a certain level in a certain amount of time. Most quickly disappear after a few weeks of practice and are never heard from again.

Instead of picking a level, I think there's more benefit to creating a practice plan and a technique plan. If you get quality video of your play and slow motion video you can try to quickly identify flaws in your game and then come up with a plan to correct them. You should also assess your fitness, movement, etc.

I see a lot of players who stay at the same level, say 4.0 for twenty years or so. They have fun, but will not improve because they aren't willing to make changes or push themselves. A small minority actually improve as adults, but usually they are driven players who are guided by a coach who is willing to work with them to achieve their goals.

 

[Gal3rm]

These threads are fun but a waste of time.

And that's basically what I meant to get out of this. As a newbie I like to ask a ton of questions and love that I get to do that here on TT. Like I said, it was just a question and perhaps I don't fully grasp the skill level required for a 5.5. Maybe 4.5 is more reasonable and even that appears to be quite the feat. But I appreciate everyone's answers. Thanks!

And I will work on the exercises Say Chi.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

And that's basically what I meant to get out of this. As a newbie I like to ask a ton of questions and love that I get to do that here on TT. Like I said, it was just a question and perhaps I don't fully grasp the skill level required for a 5.5. Maybe 4.5 is more reasonable and even that appears to be quite the feat. But I appreciate everyone's answers. Thanks!

And I will work on the exercises Say Chi.

As you play, meet, and get into tennis circles in your local area, be open to what people suggest. Also, it's important for you to align yourself with a good bunch of people who can help you improve by offering tips that are in line with how YOU play. You'll run into a bunch of people to tell you to do this and that just because that's how THEY play. Usually, those people tell you things just to feed their own egos. Smile, nod, small talk them to death, but don't pay them no minds if their strategy doesn't make sense to you after some thoughts.

In leagues, be personable, kind, and don't be that d-bag and annoying pri*k that everyone talks about when you aren't around. Haha

 

[Gal3rm]

As you play, meet, and get into tennis circles in your local area, be open to what people suggest. Also, it's important for you to align yourself with a good bunch of people who can help you improve by offering tips that are in line with how YOU play. You'll run into a bunch of people to tell you to do this and that just because that's how THEY play. Usually, those people tell you things just to feed their own egos. Smile, nod, small talk them to death, but don't pay them no minds if their strategy doesn't make sense to you after some thoughts.

In leagues, be personable, kind, and don't be that d-bag and annoying pri*k that everyone talks about when you aren't around. Haha

Thank you. I'll do that. Are there leagues for my age and skill level? I thought they started at 30.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Thank you. I'll do that. Are there leagues for my age and skill level? I thought they started at 30.

You can play up and ask to join a 3.0 league. Don't be offended if they don't play you as much, or at all. Instead, look at it as an opportunity to have regularly scheduled practices and use your teammates to get better.

 

[kiteboard]

Hello everyone,

I recently started playing tennis at the age of 26 and am completely in love with the sport. Both watching or playing it is exciting for me. Never have I ever picked up a sport like tennis and I go to the courts as much as I can. I was wondering, is it possible to go from 2.5 to 5.5 on the NTRP scale?

This is more a question of curiosity to see if it's even a palpable goal to set for a few years.

Virtually never done, nor ever will be.

 

[BMC9670]

Sure. In fact, Taiss can get you there without actually playing tennis!

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/inde...7-0-my-progression-videos-is-evidence.557246/

 

[Dartagnan64]

All 5.5 players went from 2.5 to their current status so the answer to the poll is a resounding "yes". If the question was "Can anyone go from 2.5 to 5.5?" then the answer would be a resounding "no"

If you are asking if you yourself can go from 2.5 to 5.5 the answer is "unlikely but not entirely impossible". Hope that solves things.

My question is why would you even want to get to 5.5 and have virtually no one to play with? A goal of 4.5 seems far more reasonable and gives you far more competition. Tennis should be about having fun competing with others no matter your level. It shouldn't be just about achieving a rating.

 

[sureshs]

No

 

[Gal3rm]

Thanks. What would you recommend as good off-court training?

And I agree with the time spent here. I'm in the office laughing at this thread . I'm new...not delusional.

I play with guys that are rated at 4.0 and 4.5 and they instruct me constantly. I meet up with them 2-3 times a week.

Sure. In fact, Taiss can get you there without actually playing tennis!

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/inde...7-0-my-progression-videos-is-evidence.557246/

yeah, that's why I mentioned it. That guy's way off...

 

[Gal3rm]

All 5.5 players went from 2.5 to their current status so the answer to the poll is a resounding "yes". If the question was "Can anyone go from 2.5 to 5.5?" then the answer would be a resounding "no"

If you are asking if you yourself can go from 2.5 to 5.5 the answer is "unlikely but not entirely impossible". Hope that solves things.

My question is why would you even want to get to 5.5 and have virtually no one to play with? A goal of 4.5 seems far more reasonable and gives you far more competition. Tennis should be about having fun competing with others no matter your level. It shouldn't be just about achieving a rating.

I didn't know 4.5 was where most were. I agree that it should be fun. Literally the best fun I've had with a sport.

 

[LeeD]

Yes if you're 6'2" tall, fit as a fiddle, played some ball sports in high school and college at the top level, and have all the $$$ and time needed to play tennis 5 days a week, 5 hours a day, and not have distractions like jobs, family, or house payment.
Easily 80 % of humans who played tennis more than 3 years NEVER make 4.0. At 4.0, you need a network of player's to practice with, most still working daylight hours, and all looking for player's better than you.

 

[Gal3rm]

Yes if you're 6'2" tall, fit as a fiddle, played some ball sports in high school and college at the top level, and have all the $$$ and time needed to play tennis 5 days a week, 5 hours a day, and not have distractions like jobs, family, or house payment.
Easily 80 % of humans who played tennis more than 3 years NEVER make 4.0. At 4.0, you need a network of player's to practice with, most still working daylight hours, and all looking for player's better than you.

Yeah.....the only way that I'll be 6'2" is if I get my knees done. lol

go to 1:17

 

[BMC9670]

I didn't know 4.5 was where most were. I agree that it should be fun. Literally the best fun I've had with a sport.

The largest numbers of adult recreational players fall between 3.0 and 4.0. 4.5 is a fairly competitive level in reality.

Be aware of "self-rating" vs actually playing in tournaments and leagues and being rated on wins and losses. Many players self-rate higher than they really are but never officially compete. If you can reach the 4.0 level by actually competing, you'll have a ton of players, leagues and tournaments to choose from and be good enough to have a great time.

 

[Windsor]

Initially I thought it wasn't possible, this until I red on this very website from a man who, apparently, has been able to progress from low amateur level 3.0 to professional levels 6.5-7.0 in a matter of months. What I would do is get in touch with him and see if he can help.

@Taiss

 

[GuyClinch]

Its possible but not very smart. Even if you succeed by the time you were 32 you could become a teaching pro. And to get there would spend at least $250k. You would also want to quit your job and break up with your girlfriend.

It would be easier to become a doctor and a much better investment.

Just play up to 4 or 4.5 and enjoy your life instead.

 

[chrisingrassia]

You think 5.5 players are born that way? Every single person on the face of the planet starts at the bottom. Even the pros. They train hard, work hard, commit to their craft, hone their skill, and eat right. They work on the game of tennis, but also the mental strength and conditioning/training needed to get better every day.

If you commit to it, you can get to any ranking you want. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

You think 5.5 players are born that way? Every single person on the face of the planet starts at the bottom. Even the pros. They train hard, work hard, commit to their craft, hone their skill, and eat right. They work on the game of tennis, but also the mental strength and conditioning/training needed to get better every day.

If you commit to it, you can get to any ranking you want. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

I think what we're saying is that... 5.5 are players who started WAYYYY early. Starting at 20ish, almost close to 30, getting to a decent 4.0 is an achievement.

You can tell who started early and who didn't.

 

[chrisingrassia]

I think what we're saying is that... 5.5 are players who started WAYYYY early. Starting at 20ish, almost close to 30, getting to a decent 4.0 is an achievement.

You can tell who started early and who didn't.

Don't disagree.
5.5 is an insanely high level of tennis, not one that plays "casually" or "socially" in USTA leagues. That level of tennis is a career, you're on the pro-am circuit and challengers and qualifier matches at that ranking. The travel alone needed to compete at that level would be astounding. But 26 isn't old, and if this cat has any sort of competitive athletic background, boosting rankings won't come too difficult.

I'm 31, started playing at 3.0 2yrs ago and am now ~4.4 here in SF East Bay. At that 4.5 level though, let alone 5.0 or 5.5, tennis for me just isn't fun. Too competitive -- my years are behind me needing a tennis scholarship

 

[esgee48]

Watch futures or college level tennis (D1 schools) if you live near a campus. Those players if they were to play USTA, would be 5.5 minimum. That is really a hard level to get to and involves a lot of sacrifice from players and their families. You are talking about 1 end of a tail at 3-4 Std Dev.

If you enjoy the sport, try for 3.5-4.0 since over 75%(?) of all players are in that grouping. 4.5, while attainable, is often populated with players that are coming down from 5.0 or people that are stuck there (yo yo between 4.0-4.5 or 4.5-5.0). While they are fun to play with, most are fairly serious about the sport at that level since they have reconciled themselves to being stuck at that level. 2 cents.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Watch futures or college level tennis (D1 schools) if you live near a campus. Those players if they were to play USTA, would be 5.5 minimum. That is really a hard level to get to and involves a lot of sacrifice from players and their families. You are talking about 1 end of a tail at 3-4 Std Dev.

If you enjoy the sport, try for 3.5-4.0 since over 75%(?) of all players are in that grouping. 4.5, while attainable, is often populated with players that are coming down from 5.0 or people that are stuck there (yo yo between 4.0-4.5 or 4.5-5.0). While they are fun to play with, most are fairly serious about the sport at that level since they have reconciled themselves to being stuck at that level. 2 cents.

If they were to play USTA, then leagues would be pretty much useless.

 

[user92626]

What do people do after they reach 5.5?

 

[Deleted member 120290]

NO. Unless you are Steph Curry and you give up NBA to pursue tennis full time.

No man who starts at 26 yo will reach 5.5 in his lifetime unless he is a world class athlete like Curry, LeBron, Bolt, Gretzky, etc. Or gets a sex change like Renee Richards.

People who reach 5.5+ stay at 2.5 for as long as it takes to boil an egg.

 

[shindemac]

What do people do after they reach 5.5?

Graduate college, quit tennis, get a job, and don't touch a racket for 20 years until their kids pick up the sport.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

I didn't know 4.5 was where most were. I agree that it should be fun. Literally the best fun I've had with a sport.

No, a vast majority of players never get to a 4.5 level. As BMC indicated most players on the planet are at a level equivalent to 3.0 to 4.0 NTRP. Unless you've already established yourself in some other sport as an exceptional athlete, 4.0/4.5 would be a more reasonable goal or expectation. If you exceed that, great. But don't beat yourself up and get too frustrated if you never get past a 3.5/4.0 level.

I started pretty late myself -- just shy of 21. Have some athletic talent but did not play a whole lot of sports prior to that (except for some recreational table tennis and volleyball). I reached a 4.5/5.0 level before injuries stalled my progress. I played and trained quite a bit but did really get very much private coaching/instruction at all. However, I was very good at picking up footwork and stroke technique from imitation of high level models. (This was in the days before a whole lot of HD, slow-motion video was available).

I believe that if I had started at a younger age and/or had a lot private coaching, I could have possibly attained a 5.0/5.5 level. Given my level of athletic talent, it is hard to say for certain tho' -- I may never have gotten past a 5.0 level unless I had engaged in sports a lot more at a much younger age.

 

[user92626]

Graduate college, quit tennis, get a job, and don't touch a racket for 20 years until their kids pick up the sport.

That's why I never want to become 5.5.

 

[navigator]

I know of a single example. The guy's now in his 60s, but he started playing at 23. Had never picked up a racquet before. He was an excellent HS basketball player, very athletic although average height (5'10"). He started hitting against a backboard and became obsessed with the game. Bought books (probably all three of them at the time), diagrammed patterns, practiced like a madman, and after five years he was getting to the quarterfinals and semifinals of open tournaments. He was probably a weak 5.5 or maybe a strong 5.0 (this is the late-70s), but the point remains. He made a huge jump from nothing. But he was exceptionally gifted and put in an incredible number of hours. It can be done, but you're talking about 1 in several hundred (or more). It's extremely rare.

 

[GuyClinch]

way less then 1 in a 100.. 4.5 is already like 1 in a 100 rec tennis players.

 

[Deleted member 120290]

The odds are about the same as that of getting struck by lightning on the way to picking up your Powerball check.

 

[GuyClinch]

The odds are about the same as that of getting struck by lightning on the way to picking up your Powerball check.

Yeah. It's really rare. 5.5 means you could earn a tennis scholarship (crazy hard - tennis does not have that many fans..) or win open tournaments.. (not huge payouts but some little tournaments)..and make actual money from tennis. Maybe some later bloomer has done that - but I never heard of it..

No doubt there are some strong 4.5s who can hang with 5.0s out there.. that started late.. but huge difference between that a 5.5..

 

[dgold44]

Hello everyone,

I recently started playing tennis at the age of 26 and am completely in love with the sport. Both watching or playing it is exciting for me. Never have I ever picked up a sport like tennis and I go to the courts as much as I can. I was wondering, is it possible to go from 2.5 to 5.5 on the NTRP scale?

This is more a question of curiosity to see if it's even a palpable goal to set for a few years.

Odds are a fraction of 1 percent !!!!
So no way.
First, you would have to be a world class athlete or pretty close
SEcond- you would have to receive top level trainning
Third-, you would have to play 5 days per week.

Your 26 and still young but the best you could be is 4.5 to 5.0 and even that would take 10 plus years

 

[dgold44]

I recently gone from a low 4.0 to a strong 4.0 by watching tons of youtube videos and by changing technique with a pro.
Also serving once a week a bucket of balls and my shoulder gets SORE
I have been playing 20 plus years and I think later this year I can reach low 4.5 but I will never get beyond 4.5

I am tall and have good speed and endurance but average athletic ability.

 

[dgold44]

3.5 to 4.0 is a very doable leap but not easy.
4.0 to 4.5 is a semi big leap

4.5 to 5.0 is a MASSIVE LEAP !!!
Past 5.0 is a quantum LEAP !!!

 

[Big_Dangerous]

I think what we're saying is that... 5.5 are players who started WAYYYY early. Starting at 20ish, almost close to 30, getting to a decent 4.0 is an achievement.

You can tell who started early and who didn't.

Yeah sometimes I wish I found the game about 4 or 5 years sooner than I did, or even played in high school. It's like when I think of all the time I spend dicking around in high school, I could be a millionaire today.