I took a long break after playing a lot and am looking to get back into it. Unfortunately my weekly hitting partner moved and the tennis ladder that I was on is no longer available. I'm not looking to play in any leagues yet, but are there any good websites or apps to find hitting partners and ladders? I've found some websites, but they don't seem like they're used much at all.
Finding hitting partners and an active ladder
- Thread starter bank5
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BallBag
Professional
Tennis League Network
We are the first US wide National Tennis League. Connecting players from Boston to Los Angeles on the tennis courts in Flex Leagues and non-competitive tennis programs.
www.tennisleaguenetwork.com
Those guys are active in many major cities.
ChaelAZ
G.O.A.T.
I was talking yet again with our League coordinator when they sent out the Flex League information about the USTA holding singles or a ladder league that is NTRP rated and counts. Flex is open to get more people interested in tennis, so no USTA membership, but I find most the guys I have played in Flex over the years do it because they don't want to pay and join USTA for anything more formal. So not sure it really helps like they hope.
BallBag
Professional
Can you get a rating without a membership?
ChaelAZ
G.O.A.T.
I call Flex league the "whose line is it anyway" of leagues, where the ratings are made up and the points don't count. That is to say, it is all self-rated. Getting back years ago I played a 3.5 level and most matches weren't competitive. 4.0 was better with some really good players overall, but still a diverse level of skill compared to actual rated leagues. At least in my experience.
BallBag
Professional
Leagues are the easiest way to get to know people. Does your local club have any drop-in clinics?
R1FF
Professional
a USTA ladder would be awesome.
I tried joining a flex league in my area. It got cancelled due to lack of participants. Super bummed.
And I still dont know enough people to have found a singles league team with open spots. Everyone I know mostly plays doubles it seems.
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One of them does. They’re currently limiting to 4 people due to covid but that could be a good option if I can get a slot. I enjoy clinics quite a bit too.
R1FF
Professional
What area you in?
I moved last year. So I was new to my area. Here’s what I did because I was in a similar predicament...
1. Find coaches that run clinics. Attend them weekly.
2. From there they’ll be able to introduce you to playing partners that would be a good fit for you.
Im no good on advice on joining a team. And singles ladders are rare to find.
LOBALOT
Legend
When I was a kid in the 70s all the adults played in ladders. It was neat. I don't see them much anymore. It is too bad.
A few years back I was at one of my son's tournaments at a club and I was walking down the hall and looked and they had a box hanging on the wall with pegs and those old school circular metal key labels that go on a key chain with players names on them hanging from the pegs. It was neat to see.
A few years back I was at one of my son's tournaments at a club and I was walking down the hall and looked and they had a box hanging on the wall with pegs and those old school circular metal key labels that go on a key chain with players names on them hanging from the pegs. It was neat to see.
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LOBALOT
Legend
I don't think they are a thing anymore unfortunately.
For me though it is probably a good thing as I would feel like I am driving 15 MPH in the interstate fast lane.
R1FF
Professional
I’ve seen one only once while traveling. I thought it was so cool.
I went back to my local club looking to get one started, nobody wanted anything to do with it.
So weird.
shamaho
Professional
at our club we use global tennis network
shamaho
Professional
Oh you bet, At least in my club they're are hectic with activity and 40+ or 50+ members in each age category.
I know at least more than a couple others in my city using the same system (previous post) for their ladders
R1FF
Professional
I haven’t found any of those websites worth a damn for finding hitting partners.
Tennis people are too worried about linking up with a weirdo. Cant say I blame em.
BallBag
Professional
In general I agree but Global Tennis Network is pretty good. It runs an online league where it pools you in with a bunch of people at your level. You schedule your own matches with the contacts they provide and then there are playoffs at the end of the "season". If the player pool is big enough, you can win a TW gift card or something. They used to count those matches for Verified UTR but I don't know what happened to that
Kafel69
Professional
bumping this up. how come TW doesn't have a section or something for finding a hitting partner locally? liability concerns?
i'm just now getting back into playing again after a long hiatus (was competitive in high school 20 years ago) and can't seem to be able to find anyone with a comparable skill level locally. i did hit with some high school kids when my daughter was taking classes, but those were one-offs here and there.
i'm just now getting back into playing again after a long hiatus (was competitive in high school 20 years ago) and can't seem to be able to find anyone with a comparable skill level locally. i did hit with some high school kids when my daughter was taking classes, but those were one-offs here and there.
cks
Hall of Fame
Not sure. But some folks do post in "travel" if they are looking for a hit in a particular town or area.
What did you try?
I found my hitting partners using the following methods.
* Get on facebook and search in "groups" using "city name" and "tennis". If you find a group, join, then write a post stating that you are looking for someone to hit with around your NTRP level.
* Attend tennis clinics held at public facilities or clubs in your area.
* If you area has USTA tennis leagues, you can look up teams/captains and find out what club that play at.
* My city has a tennis ladder. I found hitting partners through this site.
* Ask a teaching pro. They are pretty good at setting up hitting partners near the same NTRP.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
If you are serious about playing tennis often, join a tennis club. Most players who are serious about playing regularly do so. Also, you will get the contact information easier of members and can set up your own tennis outside of club activities. Especially if you are 4.5+, it is much easier to find players to play with socially.
www.tennisnewyork.com is a good site with branches in many cities
jump to the bottom to find your city, e.g. www.tennisdc.com www.tennislosangeles.com
jump to the bottom to find your city, e.g. www.tennisdc.com www.tennislosangeles.com
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