How to start playing tennis: a five-step route

Starting is easier than it looks: you don't need to buy anything, and you don't need to know anything. Here's the whole route.

Step 1. Book a trial lesson

One call or a WhatsApp message — the front desk will match you with a group at your level or a coach for a one-on-one lesson. Wondering if you're too old for this? Short answer: you're not — more here.

Step 2. Learn the rules — this will cover you for a while

Scoring goes 15–30–40, two serve attempts, game-set-match. It all fits into five minutes of reading.

Step 3. Pack your bag

Sportswear, sneakers without an aggressive tread, water. The club will lend you a racket. The only real nuance is footwear for clay — full breakdown here.

Step 4. First month — just keep showing up

1–2 sessions a week. Your coach will build your basic strokes, and the group will give you match practice. How to tell a good coach from a mediocre one, and what to expect from them — checklist.

Step 5. Your own racket — after 5–10 lessons

Not sooner: first your coach needs to see your style and suggest the right specs. When the time comes — buying guide.

What all this costs

The first month is comparable to a gym membership; after that, it depends on the format. An honest cost breakdown by option.

That's the whole route. The hardest step is the first phone call — after that, tennis pulls you in on its own.