How to find a tennis partner and set up a game

Where to meet players

• Ask at the courts. The simplest way. If you see two people hitting and you are on your own, ask whether they need a fourth, or leave a note at a clubhouse or recreation office. Regulars know who is looking for a game.
• Club ladders and round robins. Many clubs run ladders, social doubles and mixers that exist for exactly this purpose. Some are open to non-members for a fee. Ask the front desk.
• USTA leagues. Adult leagues place you on a team at your rating level, with scheduled matches. They need a commitment over a season, but they give you a regular set of players. See our guide to NTRP and UTR ratings for what the levels mean.
• Parks and recreation programs. Cities often run beginner classes, adult clinics and drop-in sessions. They are cheap, and the people there are looking for partners as well.
• Clinics and lessons. A group clinic puts you on court with players of a similar level. Stay after, or swap numbers with someone you enjoyed hitting with.
• Local social groups. Many areas have online groups, community boards and messaging groups for tennis players. They vary a lot in quality and in how active they are, so try a few.

Meeting someone from the internet is the same as meeting anyone else: choose a public court, tell a friend where you will be, and trust your judgment if something feels off.

Match the level

A game works best when both players are within about half a level of each other. If you do not know your rating, ask the other person how they would describe their game: how long they can rally, whether they volley, how consistent their serve is. Be honest about yours. The guide to NTRP and UTR ratings explains how to place yourself. A slightly stronger partner is good for improving. A much weaker partner can still be a good rally session if both of you know that is what it is.

Singles or doubles

Singles is more tiring and needs only two people. Doubles needs four but is easier on the legs, easier to organise around a wide range of levels, and more social. If you are starting out, doubles is a gentler way to get used to match play, and a good way to meet more players for next time.

Say which you want in your first message. A game that falls through because one person expected singles and the other brought three friends is easy to avoid.

Agree on the details

Before you meet, settle the things that cause awkwardness on court.

• Format. Rally for an hour, play a set, play a best-of-three match, or play practice points. Say which.
• Balls. Decide who brings them. A common arrangement is that each player brings a fresh can and you use one of them, so that both take turns.
• Court fees. If the court costs money, agree to split it, or take turns paying.
• Length and start time. Fix an end time as well as a start time, so no one feels trapped. An hour to ninety minutes suits most singles sessions.
• What to do if it rains or is too hot. Agree on a fallback day, and see our guide to tennis in the heat if summer is the issue.

Pick a court that is fair to both

The court that is closest to you is often far from them, and the partner who always drives is the one who stops showing up. Aim for a court that is a reasonable drive for everyone, not the shortest drive for one person.

The map on Where.Tennis does the working-out for you. Open the map, shortlist the courts that look right, and send one link to one to three other players. Each person sees their own real road drive time to every court on the list, and votes yes or no. A court that everybody accepts is the one you play. Nobody needs an account to answer, so a new partner can reply from their phone without signing up for anything.

Before you suggest a court, check who can play there. Some are open to anyone, some are behind a gate, some need a booking or a fee, and clubs sell court time or day passes. The court directory shows the access type for each, and our guide to finding public tennis courts explains what each one means.

Confirm and show up

• Confirm the day before. A short message with the time, the court and a number to call is enough. It catches mix-ups and gives a way out if someone is ill.
• Be on time. Arrive a few minutes early, particularly at a court where you need to wait for a free slot. Being late shortens a short session.
• Cancel early. If you cannot make it, say so as soon as you know. Nobody minds a cancellation with notice. A no-show is how a partnership ends.
• Have a backup court. A public court may be full when you get there. Choose a second court nearby before you leave.

Keep a regular game going

A one-off game is easy. A regular game takes a little more care.

• Fix a standing slot. Every Tuesday at 6 is much easier to keep than a new negotiation each week. If a booking system applies, book ahead.
• Build a small pool. Three or four people who can sometimes make it beats two who must always make it. When one is away, the game still happens.
• Rotate the burden. Take turns choosing the court, bringing balls and sending the reminder.
• Be a good loser and a good winner. Nobody keeps playing someone who argues every line call or gloats about a result. See our guide to public court etiquette.