One year and a 14 year old is a 3.5. Can be become pro?

[Deleted member 56360]

Howdy y'all. I'm 14 years old and have been playing for a year and a month.

In that time, I was able to reach the 3.5 level. What are my chances of becoming a professional tennis player and what are the steps I can take to reach that level?

 

[raiden031]

I'd say your chances are slim. Sounds like you are already behind in your age group. Being pro is no joke. If everyone could do it then there wouldn't be so few pros.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

Thanks Raiden031 for your honest reply. Hmm...Have you got any footage of 14 year old tournaments or players? I'm just about ready to get out there and haul ass to do whatever it takes to become a tennis professional. I've dedicated so much time and money to this sport; met so many great people to just turn back because my chances are slim.

 

[NickH87]

Drop out of school, hire a full time coach and never stop, probably your only realistic chances. Then again that chances are still slim because those playing from younger ages that show a lot of promise dont make it anywhere.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

Thanks Nick

 

[samster]

do you have a full time coach? have you considered joining a tennis academy?

 

[ahile02]

^ Yea you'd prolly have to start going to a tennis academy (Saddlebrook, etc.) where you'd do maybe 3 hours of school a day and 5 hours of tennis a day

 

[revolutionary technique]

I was in the same boat as you and I never really beleived I can be a pro. I am now 15 and 4.0. I did waste the whole summer and didn't play much, also I never had a single lesson in my life. I do beleive its possible if you have the tools and the resources availible but I did not. Its been 2 years since I started playing tennis and I am only 4.0 but the coaches at the courts I go to say I did have a chance at the pro level if I hired a coach and played at a regular basis with alot of physical conditioning. I did not have the resources to even play a single tournament but people I play with are below me and play tornaments every other week and get lessons 2 times a week and loose to me every other day. So its all about how much you want it and wehther you have the resources.

 

[Hokiez]

I'm sorry, but there is zero chance if you're only a 3.5 by 14 and have only been playing for a year. A lot of the guys go pro at 17 (Nadal went pro at 15) and you're way, way, way, way behind the curve. I went 17-1 this year at 4.0 and got beaten by a good (top 10 state rank) 15 year old. Since I can beat average 4.5's, I'd say I'm an average 4.5 which would put this kid as a top 4.5 or really low 5.0.

 

[Djokovicfan4life]

Well, Nadal turned pro at 14, so that should give you an idea of what it takes.

 

[volusiano]

Even with the money and resources at hand to join a tennis academy for full-time training and part-time schooling, you'll also need an exceptional natural-born talent at the sport (not just good enough, or even very good, but exceptional), and the time to develop it by discovering this exceptional talent at a very young age and starting young (maybe 7 or 8 or even sooner).

At your age, unless your parents are so rich that you can afford not to worry about making a living when you're older, I wouldn't drop out of school or anything to pursue the sport. Stick with school, go to college and play tennis in college if you want. Then if you're truly a genius at the sport who can short-circuit the process and make it as a late-comer, you can join the pro circuit after college.

 

[tennisdad65]

Howdy y'all. I'm 14 years old and have been playing for a year and a month.

In that time, I was able to reach the 3.5 level. What are my chances of becoming a professional tennis player and what are the steps I can take to reach that level?

how tall are you? if you are over 6-6, you still have a shot if you develop a Karlovic type serve

 

[LeeD]

Depends on your parents.
If they are willing to help you out, easy chance. Of course, you need the skills, the eyes, the brains, and the ability to handle pain.
Age don't matter, what matters is the enviorment around you.
To get above 5.5, just 4 hours a day, 6 days a week of good practice with good form with good partners, and YOU INTERESTED.....for another 4 years.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Possible, but not very likely at all. I've worked with some 13 and 14 yr old players who were about a 5.0 level at the time. A realistic goal for them is division 1 collegiate tennis. However, very few top college players will make it as pros. Don't want to discourage you tho'. Keep at it and shoot for college tennis as a realistic goal. Who knows, maybe you'll surprise us all.

 

[Mick]

maybe you could become a pro but not a successful pro. even donald young is not a successful pro.

 

[coyfish]

3.5 level at 14 years old isn't anything extraordinary. With a lot of training you can become a pro.

Tennis is different from other sports in that it requires training (money , matches , time , etc) as a foundation. Talent is just icing on the cake. Other sports like football use raw talent and athleticism. Yes they require training but people are born to play these sports. You can train all your life and still not be good enough.


Frankly for most people 3.5 level is easy to achieve. Just look at these boards. 90% of the people are 3.5 level. To get over 4.5 is an accomplishment.

 

[Fedace]

Howdy y'all. I'm 14 years old and have been playing for a year and a month.

In that time, I was able to reach the 3.5 level. What are my chances of becoming a professional tennis player and what are the steps I can take to reach that level?

No, In 1 year, you should be 5.0 if you have the talent to be a Professional.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

Oh...well should I just stop playing now then? What's the point?

College tennis seems boring to me...It's not something I like watching or feel like doing. Guess I'll have to think about this for a while.

I was even thinking of making a living off of tennis.

How does one benefit from running around and playing for fun? What's in that? No sponsorships, no money.

I've been so confident for weeks and ran into a brick wall just now. Anyway, thanks guys; at least you were honest with me.

 

[JW10S]

Howdy y'all. I'm 14 years old and have been playing for a year and a month.

In that time, I was able to reach the 3.5 level. What are my chances of becoming a professional tennis player and what are the steps I can take to reach that level?

Very slim. While there are a few exceptions most of the pros playing on tour now, even at the lower tiers, were top ranked players and were already competing internationally when they were 14. Many pros now on tour started playing their first pro events at 15 or 16. It sounds like you haven't even played any kind of tournaments yet--so you are way behind. You need to start entering tournaments, set short term goals, and go from there. Get your head out the clouds and get into some tournaments--that will let you know where you stand.

 

[Hokiez]

Shoot, my roommate in college more or less won nearly every state title while growing upj, was the #1 singles player for 4 years at a D1 school, top 10 in the country in singles and doubles, and he didn't make it as a pro.

Get your education and play for fun.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

Thanks Hokiez.

 

[HunterST]

As many people have said, it will be difficult for you to become a pro because "you're behind the curve". Although you've reached 3.5 in only a year, which takes a lot of people much longer, you've started late in life compared to players who become pros, they mostly start between 3-6.

This does not mean your tennis "career" is a waste or that you should quit. If you enjoy the sport enough to want to make a living off of it, be thankful that you've discovered it and that you can play it your whole life at one level or another.

Now, there was a kid in my school district who started playing tennis his freshmen year, and by his senior year he got 4th at state. That shows that you could reach a pretty high level if you work hard enough. Your goal should simply to always be improving, and always to have fun. Don't pick an incredibly high goal like becoming a pro, it will most likely lead to disappointment. Just keep trying to be better than you were yesterday.

 

[Fedace]

Oh...well should I just stop playing now then? What's the point?

College tennis seems boring to me...It's not something I like watching or feel like doing. Guess I'll have to think about this for a while.

I was even thinking of making a living off of tennis.

How does one benefit from running around and playing for fun? What's in that? No sponsorships, no money.

I've been so confident for weeks and ran into a brick wall just now. Anyway, thanks guys; at least you were honest with me.

Take up Golf. there is litterally Billions in prize money. It is ridiculous how much money is in pro Golf. Even guy ranked #500 in the world is a Millionare.....:shock:

 

[Fedace]

As many people have said, it will be difficult for you to become a pro because "you're behind the curve". Although you've reached 3.5 in only a year, which takes a lot of people much longer, you've started late in life compared to players who become pros, they mostly start between 3-6.

This does not mean your tennis "career" is a waste or that you should quit. If you enjoy the sport enough to want to make a living off of it, be thankful that you've discovered it and that you can play it your whole life at one level or another.

Now, there was a kid in my school district who started playing tennis his freshmen year, and by his senior year he got 4th at state. That shows that you could reach a pretty high level if you work hard enough. Your goal should simply to always be improving, and always to have fun. Don't pick an incredibly high goal like becoming a pro, it will most likely lead to disappointment. Just keep trying to be better than you were yesterday.

It doesn't matter as much that he started late. the Talent is the key. If he has the talent then he can still make it. For example, that Korean guy that Beat Tiger Woods in PGA championships, started playing Golf at Age 19:shock:

 

[The_Steak]

You have zero chance.

College tennis is tennis, be happy of what is possible, and what you can achieve.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

You have zero chance.

College tennis is tennis, be happy of what is possible, and what you can achieve.

Oh, well thank you sir.

 

[Fedace]

You have zero chance.

College tennis is tennis, be happy of what is possible, and what you can achieve.

College tennis is great fun. and not to mention all the chicks...

 

[i_need_rice]

I'm in the exact same position as you. I'm 14, and I'm a 3.5 player after playing for one year. I realized that I couldn't make it on the pro circuit and became kinda discouraged. So I decided to play college tennis and hopefully
D1.

But what really encouraged me was John Isner. He started tennis at age 11, and went to UGA and after college, he went to play professional tennis. So at age 22, he became a pro. He hasn't won a slam yet, but he's getting better. He also went to a public school.

Btw, I guess you could say that if he wasn't 6'9 he wouldn't be a pro.... but it just proves that if you're talented enough, you can do it.

 

[Claudius]

Hranydrko, I respect your aspirations, but let's be realistic here. Even if you turn pro, do you think you'd live the high life? More than likely, you'd be stuck on the Futures tour, and maybe once in a while you'd make it to the Challengers. The majority of pro tennis players don't play on center court day in and day out. It's a gritty lifestyle, and I don't know if you'd enjoy it.


Now, if you want to play college tennis, that's a much more realistic goal. If you train and work hard, you can make it to a division one school.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

Hranydrko, I respect your aspirations, but let's be realistic here. Even if you turn pro, do you think you'd live the high life? More than likely, you'd be stuck on the Futures tour, and maybe once in a while you'd make it to the Challengers. The majority of pro tennis players don't play on center court day in and day out. It's a gritty lifestyle, and I don't know if you'd enjoy it.


Now, if you want to play college tennis, that's a much more realistic goal. If you train and work hard, you can make it to a division one school.

I'd be satisfied with being a top 25-100 professional.

 

[babolat141]

I'd be satisfied with being a top 25-100 professional.

so would the rest of the tennis players in the world.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

so would the rest of the tennis players in the world.

Did you read the question I was asked?

 

[JW10S]

I'd be satisfied with being a top 25-100 professional.

As I said in my earlier post you should start by trying be top 25-100 14&under in your section first. You're dreaming...

 

[SourStraws]

My coach started at 15 and was good enough to play challengers after college...You can still go pro but it probably won't be as glamourous as you think if you're not good enough. I want to go pro too and I started at 16 and have been playing for 14 months. Im about a 4.0 and am still pushing. Don't give up, even if you dont get to where you want to be, the fun is in the journey

Your only limit is your soul

S.S.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

My coach started at 15 and was good enough to play challengers after college...You can still go pro but it probably won't be as glamourous as you think if you're not good enough. I want to go pro too and I started at 16 and have been playing for 14 months. Im about a 4.0 and am still pushing. Don't give up, even if you dont get to where you want to be, the fun is in the journey

Your only limit is your soul

Thanks, I appreciate your reply.

S.S.

As I said in my earlier post you should start by trying be top 25-100 14&under in your section first. You're dreaming...

Of course I'm dreaming. Doesn't everyone who is serious about tennis dream about becoming a great professional tennis player?

 

[JW10S]

Of course I'm dreaming. Doesn't everyone who is serious about tennis dream about becoming a great professional tennis player?

Probably not after only playing for 1 year and having never played a tournament.

 

[revolutionary technique]

The chances of you making it to 100 is very, very slim. You could go pro but probably will be playing challengers and a few tour events.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

The guy above me does, and so did his coach. Thanks for your reply =p

 

[Fedace]

The guy above me does, and so did his coach. Thanks for your reply =p

Golf man....you can make millions

 

[revolutionary technique]

Seriously take your life one step at a time. start by playing usta tournys, then its, opens, nationals, try to get a college scholarship and then think about pro tennis. You cant just say I am gonna go pro and thats it. It takes time and resourcess as I said before. Its not a straight road to gold, you have to go through different paths to get there, and you might not even get there or might get stuck at a certain path.

 

[revolutionary technique]

Let me tell you if you can't go pro and are discourage because of this you probably don't have the love and the obession with the game as I do. I expect nothing more than a satisfying feeling after playing or while playing. I do want to play for a college but if it dosen't happen I am not at all discouraged, because I love this sport so much I will never get bored of it.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

Seriously take your life one step at a time. start by playing usta tournys, then its, opens, nationals, try to get a college scholarship and then think about pro tennis. You cant just say I am gonna go pro and thats it. It takes time and resourcess as I said before. Its not a straight road to gold, you have to go through different paths to get there, and you might not even get there or might get stuck at a certain path.

Yes, I understand what you mean. And that post were I was like "the guy above me does" was not meant for you. We must have pressed submit simultaneously.

About time, I know becoming a professional is going to take a while. I'm ready. If college tennis is something I have to do then fine...(grr...) But I've always been against it considering the time I lose not gaining ranks. You feel me?

 

[SourStraws]

Yes, I understand what you mean. And that post were I was like "the guy above me does" was not meant for you. We must have pressed submit simultaneously.

About time, I know becoming a professional is going to take a while. I'm ready. If college tennis is something I have to do then fine...(grr...) But I've always been against it considering the time I lose not gaining ranks. You feel me?

I would still try to go to college first...John Isner said going to UGA helped his game a lot and you'll only be 22 by the time you're out.

S.S.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

Let me tell you if you can't go pro and are discourage because of this you probably don't have the love and the obession with the game as I do. I expect nothing more than a satisfying feeling after playing or while playing. I do want to play for a college but if it dosen't happen I am not at all discouraged, because I love this sport so much I will never get bored of it.

I love playing tennis so much, and am happy when I play. But when I go out to play tennis I'm always thinking about how this "x amount of hours" hours will do good for me in the future. I don't hit two balls, laugh that my backhand went 8 feet long and joyfully call "0-40". Then happily drive home with my mother because "I was at least lucky enough to play today".

 

[revolutionary technique]

I love playing tennis so much, and am happy when I play. But when I go out to play tennis I'm always thinking about how this "x amount of hours" hours will do good for me in the future. I don't hit two balls, laugh that my backhand went 8 feet long and joyfully call "0-40". Then happily drive home with my mother because "I was at least lucky enough to play today".

I understand...... well now you know what people think but every thing is with you, its your decision and your choice. I will say do what your heart tells you because atleast you are persueing your passion.

 

[revolutionary technique]

.............................

 

[tikkimonkey]

Oh...well should I just stop playing now then? What's the point?

College tennis seems boring to me...It's not something I like watching or feel like doing. Guess I'll have to think about this for a while.

I was even thinking of making a living off of tennis.

How does one benefit from running around and playing for fun? What's in that? No sponsorships, no money.

I've been so confident for weeks and ran into a brick wall just now. Anyway, thanks guys; at least you were honest with me.

People play tennis to have fun.... If you don't feel the same way, maybe you should quit. -.-

 

[Deleted member 56360]

I understand...... well now you know what people think but every thing is with you, its your decision and your choice. I will say do what your heart tells you because atleast you are persueing your passion.

Yes, thanks for your opinion.

.............................

I'm sorry were you waiting for a reply? I was exploring the greatness of Windows 7. I just got a new computer from my dad's business. It's excellent!

 

[Deleted member 56360]

People play tennis to have fun.... If you don't feel the same way, maybe you should quit. -.-

I play tennis for fun as well. Perhaps the fun I seek is different from that of others.

 

[Ballsboy]

OK Hrandyrko, I'll tell you my thoughts about your chances of being pro.

Although you've reached 3.5 within one year and a month, i highly doubt you'll reach pro level at an early age (say 18). If you want to become better fast, train regularly.But i believe that if you keep trying and show enough dedication and talent, you'll eventually make it.

First off, you need to have money to travel and pay board and lodging. If you don't have the money, you'll have limited access to tournaments, I mean, there are a lot of tournaments, but they are all distributed across the country.

Second, I don't think you need tennis lessons, unless they are private, but rather to play lots of hours with someone at your level. I take group lessons and I'm not satisfied because they are too short (1.5 hours of tennis, 1.5 hours of training). Besides, they make me play with a kid whose footwork sucks. I'd rather go to my club or pay for a court (too expensive, at least in my country) and play with a friend (most likely my doubles partner) and try to play as much as possible.

Third, I've been told that to enter a Future tournament, if you are unranked, it is possible to enter one, but you need to play the pre-qualification round, then the qualy round, and finally, you'd be playing at the main draw.

Fourth, DON'T WASTE THE SUMMER; In the club where I practice, there's absolutely no one on the courts at noon. They usually arrive at 6 o'clock. play as much as you can, but beware of the heat. Use sunscreen to protect you, replenish lost electrolytes and stay hydrated. We don't want you to have a heatstroke. You'll have to endure the heat to train. You can also train early in the morning on weekends.

Finally, condition yourself physically AND mentally; try to be relaxed and play calmly. Do not fall in frustration, when you're playing badly, you'll play even worse if you are frustrated than if you weren't.

And about school, I was once told by certain coach that you should NEVER leave school, because if you don't make it, you won't have any backup plan.

I hope my advice can help you with this.