Next generation

Next generation

National team status and international success

If you start getting good results in your first local competitions, it may provide further motivation to step up from the green level to the U12 to U18 age groups, where the prize is national team status and the first international successes. If you have what it takes and the results continue to come, you can move onto the Tennis Europe and ITF Junior series, which can open the door to an athletic scholarship at a US university. If you are able to complete your youth years at a high level, you have a chance of playing against the best in the world, even in front of packed crowds on the center courts at Grand Slam tournaments.This period of 6-8 years is extremely important because it is during these years that a player decides what path he or she will eventually take in his or her tennis career. Any child who decides to play tennis competitively needs to master the basics during this time in order to break through on the pro tour once their junior years are over. An ever-growing array of areas need to be addressed as part of an increasingly complex program. While the main focus at the Play & Stay level was on the game (with the tactical and technical side of tennis at the forefront), the following other elements of tennis will now play an increasing role:
  • fitness
  • mental preparedness
  • environmental factors