How far can one one achieve in Tennis if he only starts as an adult?

Servivor

New User
Lets face it, no adult can achieve the sport as far as someone who started out as a kid.

Perhaps the late learner can only reach 4.0 max? I've never seen any adults who started out late win any local tennis association competitions in the long run.
 

SinjinCooper

Hall of Fame
5.0. (Assuming by adult, we mean something like 30+, and not a 19 or 20 year old.)

That's a very athletic person, in good shape, with plenty of free time and disposable income, and a lot of dedication. The far right of the bell curve.

For most, lower.
 
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Moveforwardalways

Hall of Fame
If you start by 45 you can potentially get to 4.5. You will just need short white shorts with the bull logo, at least 6 used original APDs purchased off the bay, a bull logo bandana, bull logo shoes with your name on them and an oversized shoe tongue, Babolat play tenchnology to get your RPMs up to 3500, RPM blast rough strings, extensive YouTube knowledge of ATP vs WTA forehands, and extreme racquet drop on your serve. If you leave your tennis bag on the bench to intimidate your opponents or at least to keep them from sitting down and resting between games, you will progress faster.
 

HunterST

Hall of Fame
I started at 19 and am on the low end of 4.5. I'm a good athlete but not great. Someone with more natural power and speed could probably hit the low 5.0 range.
 

TennisCJC

Legend
There have been a lot of threads asking this question. If you are a decent adult athlete and work reasonably hard, I think you can reach 4.0 level. If you are a better than average athlete and willing to work really hard such as playing 4 times per week or more, playing on teams, playing tourneys, working on fitness and taking lessons; you can probably reach 4.5 level. A few young adult beginners could reach 5.0 level and I think that's about as high as you get get for 99.9% of the world.
 

GuyClinch

Legend
Depends on your athleticism really..

Takes a while to develop hitting skills but if you do your athleticism determines how far you can advance. If a top athlete suited to tennis (hockey football etc) gave up everything and went to tennis.. They would be semi pros in less then ten years.

No one would do this though..give up your earning years in a sport for another sport. Not even Kolin Kaerpnick.
 

ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
A person can reach 4.5 for sure and win in their age group but it takes a lot of play time and work and commitment. @nytennisaddict might be an example of this.

Even with determination you have to watch out for injuries.

In our groups we've had guys get to 4.5. Staying there though was the challenge based on interest playing at 4.5 and time to do so. Most of us stick around 4.0 as we edge past 40 though, and happily so
 

movdqa

Talk Tennis Guru
A coworker started as an adult and was 3.5 a few years ago and now plays in 4.0 leagues and considers himself a 4.0. He puts in a considerable amount of time towards tennis and takes advice on improving. Can he make it to 4.5? I don't think so without a major fitness upgrade but that's possible too if he wants it badly enough.
 

JohnYandell

Hall of Fame
Joe Morgan the all star baseball player started in his 30s. He became a top 5 Norcal senior player. The guy could rocket the ball even if his strokes looked like he took it up as an adult. Predicting how far you can go is the wrong way to look at it. Trying to enjoy the process I think is the right way. I used to tell my adult students that I envied them because they were going to improve exponentially.
 
I know several players who started in their 30's and reached 4.0 and 4.5 in two years, most were fairly good athletes, e.g., college baseball players, accomplished high school sports athletes. I know others who can't get out of 3.5 after many years of lessons.
 

Fintft

G.O.A.T.
5.0. (Assuming by adult, we mean something like 30+, and not a 19 or 20 year old.)

That's a very athletic person, in good shape, with plenty of free time and disposable income, and a lot of dedication. The far right of the bell curve.

For most, lower.

And while your technique might continue to get better, your athleticism will start declining.
 

JohnYandell

Hall of Fame
Fin,
True but at 42 I was playing my best tennis ever. There was a 65 year old ex Cal player in the 4.5s in Norcal in the 80s who beat everyone not inside the top 10. For someone moving up the experience ladder a small incremental decline in athleticism can be far outweighed by development in all areas of the game--tactics and mental game are huge in addition to technique. If they are actually training off court the gains can actually outweigh the effect of age.
 

kiteboard

Banned
emotion and desire and will can overcome a lot. Expect the top range to be 4.0 and a few higher but a very few. only those who have great coaching, video a lot, are in great shape, use top equipment.
 

NLBwell

Legend
I've known two people who have gotten to 5.0 after starting as adults. Lots of dedication for years. For most, 4.5 is achievable with lots of effort and time. Most people could get to 4.0 if they are willing to practice hitting their strokes correctly so that no flaw limits them.
 

GuyClinch

Legend
What I meant in post #16 above, is that we also age, so athleticism might actually go down, while technique is still raising...

Lack of athleticism is just part of the problem for adult player. A big problem is lack of recovery. Young kids can play literally 3 - 4 hours of serious tennis and be fine the next day and they can do that again and again.

Adults won't be able to do this unless they are playing hit and giggle doubles - if they are 40+ IMHO. I am in okay shape and still take a day off my matches..

This is why in those hypothetical discussions I am very keen on the success of pro athlete. Its not just that their athleticism is so much higher - its that they can play alot and recover quickly. For us maybe tennis would wear us out.

But Tom Brady OTOH - tennis is going to be easier compared to dodging linebackers. Even with his lower levels of athleticism (compared to other pro players) he is going to get good pretty fast..

Serve would be pro level in a few weeks IMHO.. But I digress.
 

BlueB

Legend
I know one guy that started in mid 30s and made it to a low 4.5 in few years. Extremely fit and athletic.

Another 4.5 one, about 60 now, picked Tennis about 6 years ago, but played a lot of other racquet sports before, on a high level. Extremely high Tennis IQ and surprisingly fast for his age.

Me, 48, athletic and fast, semi-pro level in 2 other sports, with increasing joint problems. Club rated 4.0, struggling on the verge of 4.5. Twice club champ (without really being the best in the club).
I have to admit that I played a bit as a teen, but didn't have any proper coaching back then. When I got back, after 25 years hiatus, I pretty much had to start from scratch...

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
 

RyanRF

Professional
The general consensus is 4.5. That's as far as you can expect to get if you pick up tennis as an adult. The vast majority peak at 3.5-4.0.

It may be possible to go beyond 4.5, but it would require exceptional circumstances:
- outstanding physical fitness
- innate athletic ability
- training tennis like a part-time job (i.e. 20+ hrs/wk of lessons, fitness, match play, etc.)
- enough free time and money to support the training

Ask any legit 5.0 player (i.e. capable of winning both singles and doubles matches at that level) and they'll tell you they started young, took regular lessons, played in jr. tournaments, played in college, etc.
 

OnTheLine

Hall of Fame
Lack of athleticism is just part of the problem for adult player. A big problem is lack of recovery. Young kids can play literally 3 - 4 hours of serious tennis and be fine the next day and they can do that again and again.

.

Exactly, if the over 40 adult could physically recover and play again the next day consistently day after day, week after week, before the breakdown occurs, the upper limit on level achievement would be much higher.
 

FiReFTW

Legend
Im pretty sure most people could reach at least 4.5, even if the person would not be super talented.
I doubt that anyone bar someone with major physical disabilities can not reach such a level, if he started at any reasonable adult age.
And I know many people here point out that alot of people max out at 3.5 or so, but those people did not really put 100% dedication and effort, really worked on the court and off the court for 5-6 days a week and really had a dedication and desire to become the best tennis player, had the optimal diet, optimal training, optimal coaching etc... Now for most people some of these things like great coaching or so are simply unatainable, then there are also other factors like serious injuries and throwbacks...but im just saying that I don't believe anyone starting at a reasonable age with no disabilities without any major injuries or issues that hold them back has a max CAP at 3.5 and thats their max potential no matter the circumstances, im pretty sure almost anyone at some point had at least a 4.5 max cap, now whether someone reaches their max potential is another story, thats an insanely hard task for anyone, it basicaly means doing everything right and optimal for many many years.
The most important thing for someone wanting to become better is simply having a drive and desire that pushes him to work hard for it and sacrifice things (diet, time) to achieve it and don't stop, put everything into it and strive to become better every week and improve every week without thinking too much what your rating level is.
 
Lets face it, no adult can achieve the sport as far as someone who started out as a kid.

Perhaps the late learner can only reach 4.0 max? I've never seen any adults who started out late win any local tennis association competitions in the long run.
I think it mainly depends on the instruction you get and how hard you work at being good.
 

Semidios

Semi-Pro
Im pretty sure most people could reach at least 4.5, even if the person would not be super talented.
I doubt that anyone bar someone with major physical disabilities can not reach such a level, if he started at any reasonable adult age.
And I know many people here point out that alot of people max out at 3.5 or so, but those people did not really put 100% dedication and effort, really worked on the court and off the court for 5-6 days a week and really had a dedication and desire to become the best tennis player, had the optimal diet, optimal training, optimal coaching etc... Now for most people some of these things like great coaching or so are simply unatainable, then there are also other factors like serious injuries and throwbacks...but im just saying that I don't believe anyone starting at a reasonable age with no disabilities without any major injuries or issues that hold them back has a max CAP at 3.5 and thats their max potential no matter the circumstances, im pretty sure almost anyone at some point had at least a 4.5 max cap, now whether someone reaches their max potential is another story, thats an insanely hard task for anyone, it basicaly means doing everything right and optimal for many many years.
The most important thing for someone wanting to become better is simply having a drive and desire that pushes him to work hard for it and sacrifice things (diet, time) to achieve it and don't stop, put everything into it and strive to become better every week and improve every week without thinking too much what your rating level is.

Totally agree.This post is even motivational.
 

LGQ7

Hall of Fame
I started tennis at 22, after being ping-pong champion of "the neighborhood." I'm self taught in tennis, and most things. I'm at the 80th percentile in my meetup club. That means I can beat 80% of the people there.
 

kingp1ng

New User
Adults who have played competitive sports when they were younger can get to a pretty respectable level. A 4.5 - 5.0 level is very good for a recreational player.

However, most adults have a job, family, chores, etc to manage. It's not that they "can't get to a high level"... it's just that time restrictions and reality prevents it.

This is me right now :(
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
The KEY is the adult in question NEEDS to have played an organized school sport while in high school or college. He/she just can't be an average student who takes PE, and isn't good enough to make the school team. And, the adult in question needs to excell at the sport, then when he/she starts tennis, has all the time and money to pursue tennis for at least 4 solid year's. The results can be 4.5/5.0, but only if the criteria is met.
 

GuyClinch

Legend
The KEY is the adult in question NEEDS to have played an organized school sport while in high school or college. He/she just can't be an average student who takes PE, and isn't good enough to make the school team. And, the adult in question needs to excell at the sport, then when he/she starts tennis, has all the time and money to pursue tennis for at least 4 solid year's. The results can be 4.5/5.0, but only if the criteria is met.

This. If you are reasonably athletic - start young enough 4.5 - 5.0 is not an issue. That being said lots of people aren't very athletic and lots of people don't have the time to spend on tennis.

For tennis players its a curve. So for every hour spent - if you are less talented you improve less. That's how you end up with 3.5 lifers. If you aren't very athletic then then time spent is just useful for fun and exercise. As you are on the wrong end of that curve.

But since most rec players play for fun and exercise being stuck at 3. 5 is not a problem. I actually think its the best place to be stuck at. :p Because the population is the biggest and you get the most crazy variation there..

At 3.5 some guys play totally different then another guy. Once you get up to 5.0 - its all pretty much big forehands - big serves - solid volleys - consistent backhand - excellent movement..

Some clubs have a teaching pro tournament - and if you ever watch those - well lots of styles are quite the same. 3.5 you might get some dude that just lobs. :p Another guy that just has a great serve and the rest of his shots are hot garbage..
 
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