Missing an ace? Tennis’ affordability problem

Half the world away in Edinburgh, Scotland, Uma Iyer, a Level 2 tennis coach and a mother of two up-and-coming tennis enthusiasts, splashed out £300 per month on restringing alone. With each racquet costing about £25 per restring and both kids going through at least two racquets a week – plus the additional cost of restringing before tournaments – it became more sustainable for her to invest in a machine that could do the job more cost-effectively.

However, such creative solutions meet just one of the challenges that face emerging tennis players in a sport in which it is notoriously – and often prohibitively – expensive to pursue a meaningful career.

Burst of interest

The summer months in the Northern Hemisphere are peak tennis season. The famous red clay of Roland Garros in Paris is followed by the lush green grass of Wimbledon, before the US Open in late August brings the buzz of New York’s Flushing Meadows to the screens of fans worldwide. This is the prime time to inspire youngsters to try their hand at a sport that has global popularity and has produced some of the most famous athletes of all time.

However, after an initial burst of interest, many realise that they simply cannot afford to play on a regular basis, let alone pay for coaching that could potentially pave the way to Grand Slam glory one day. Therefore, the opportunity passes for many to fuel their initial interest and, inevitably, some potential ‘Serenas’, ‘Rogers’ or ‘Novaks’ slip through the cracks.

This affordability barrier is a long-term problem for tennis – and is not just consigned to tasks such as restringing. Iyer, for example has a tennis bill that tops £2,000 per month per child, when training and competitions are also taken into account. Tournament costs, entry fees and other expenses add up. Participation in national tournaments in the UK was free a decade ago, but now, post qualification for a Grade 1 tournament, she pays about £50 in addition to a doubles’ participation fee. The potential to earn anything from these tournaments depends on how far the youngsters progress.

“I can’t afford to take the coaches there, so I am their coach, their mentor, their physio, their person to talk to, their person to strategise, everything,” she tells Global Sustainable Sport. “Tennis Scotland does provide a few coaches here and there to support, but there is one coach for 10 children. If I take a coach for a tournament, it’ll cost me £500, plus their meals, stay etc… you know how expensive the UK is!”

Financial challenge

This financial challenge is not unique to parents like Iyer; and even professional athletes face similar hurdles. Prize money in many smaller tournaments remains flat, and the same as it was in the 1990s in some instances. Devvarman recalls earning $1,000 from a tournament in 2004, prompting his decision to turn pro. However, he quickly realised that $1,000 wasn’t enough to take him far, leading him to apply and pursue a college scholarship. He eventually landed a partial scholarship at the University of Virginia.

“Racquets cost a lot of money,” he tells Global Sustainable Sport. “And the hard part about tennis in terms of being financially very hard is the travel, because if it was only you, it wouldn’t be that hard, but you have a coach and a trainer. Luckily, because I graduated from UVA, I had a little bit of help in terms of people backing me. It obviously helps that I had a bit of success, but it wasn’t like I had a guaranteed contract or anything. That little bit of help ran out quickly and I was on my own, but I had that initial push. In hindsight, it’s very important to be stress-free about money because otherwise it’s hard to play.”

Exacerbating the affordability issue in tennis is the perception of the sport being ‘elitist’. Michael Gainsborough-Adam, the National SERVES Programme Manager at StreetGames UK, started playing tennis when he was about five years old at a local club, having been introduced to the sport by his tennis-loving mother. He played up until he was about 17 years old, and ultimately went down the coaching route with a Level 2 qualification, as well as volunteering and working at local clubs. That led him to working with charities and community groups to try and eliminate barriers by bringing tennis to underserved communities.

Community programmes

StreetGames is the national partner of the SERVES Programme, which is run by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the governing body of tennis in Great Britain, and takes tennis to youngsters in various communities.

“I think people often expect the financial costs to be more than they actually are, so that’s a barrier in itself; they just assume playing tennis will be too expensive,” Gainsborough-Adam says. “Often it is very expensive, particularly for some of the groups we work with. For the lower socioeconomic groups, it’s just not viable for them at all. A lot of the park courts in England used to be free to play, but the courts weren’t in a very good condition. So I know that local councils and the LTA have been involved in revamping them, redeveloping them, but it’s a bit of a cost.”

In 2023, Lewisham Council started charging £5 per hour for the use tennis courts at Hilly Fields, Telegraph Hill, Catford Bridge and Chinbrook Meadows. The courts were previously free, but they will be managed by the LTA following refurbishments. In Thanet, the cost will be £7 per hour post-redevelopment.

“That is a barrier,” Gainsborough-Adam adds. “There are now not as many free tennis courts to play on. And if you want to take up tennis seriously rather than just a hobby, coaching costs are quite substantial. I used to live in London, so I know it’s extremely expensive to play tennis there and in terms of coaching as well, and equipment costs… those can add up very quickly.

“There’s also the barrier of that perception and stereotype of tennis being a white, upper middle-class sport, where people wear white and drink Champagne and eat strawberries. It will take time to change. For young people to see more people playing tennis who represent them will make a massive difference. That’s people from Black and Asian communities in particular need role models for them to resonate with.”

Accessibility

Iyer’s journey with tennis began in India during her youth, thanks to the fortunate presence of tennis courts near her home. Her kids took up tennis partly due to her needing a couple of hours of childcare. Where she was in Edinburgh, toddler tennis was easily accessible and, as a result, her children started playing when they were five. In terms of participation and accessibility, Iyer believes that the ecosystem has improved in the last few years.

“Accessibility has improved because they’ve created versions of tennis like pickleball and padel,” Iyer explains. “Affordability is relative and depends on where you want to play tennis. Outdoor courts are easily accessible while indoor courts are quite expensive, but when you play the sport at a group level, it is more affordable. A membership at clubs like Thistle is about £150-200 for the year and you can find your group to play with.”

There are other clubs working towards community participation in the UK, such as Minchinhampton, that are offering free beginner and return-to-tennis sessions, while The Parklangley Club is running the Tennis for Free scheme, where they charge £25 per family for a year. However, it still remains a challenging system with significant obstacles for those who progress through the ranks with the ambition of making it to a professional level.

“The LTA has a few kids on their list who travel to places, experience tournaments and experience different situations, so they learn a lot. Tennis Scotland does not, so a lot boils down to money,” Iyer says.

“It’s not just about the intent or the capability of players, because at a certain point all these kids are capable. It’s like if you’re a top-500 in the world, you are naturally good at tennis, but you need support. For example, you need injury prevention or injury support, or you need mental health coaching to deal with different situations. You should play in different weather conditions to acclimatise yourself so that you have enough time to prepare, you need nutrition and coaching to be able to deal with different conditions. You need a support system and that boils down to money.”

Bridging the gap

When asked how tennis can bridge the affordability and accessibility gap, Devvarman says: “Increase prize money in the local systems and have a better coaching system. Players who can’t pay, but deserve to be in the programme… you help those kids out as much as possible, putting in extra hours and time and whatever they need. Most good coaches in the world are doing this, because they realise that a kid being really good at tennis doesn’t mean that they have the money. That’s why the system has to change.”

In the highly competitive sports landscape, protecting and enhancing participation will be vital to the long-term sustainability of sports such as tennis. Whilst accessibility and affordability levels vary to a degree worldwide – and depend on a range of personal circumstances – it is clear that creative solutions are required from the sport’s administrators, as well as those who have a passion for tennis, to boost opportunities for the many rather than the few.

Words: Kritika Naidu

Images courtesy of Uma Iyer

Main Image: Chino Rocha on Unsplash