[varrozans]

What is the career path for a tennis player? Say you're a 4 year old boy or girl and Santa brings you a tennis racket. What do you have to do to get to Wimbledon, or Roland Garros, or Flushing Meadows?

(sorry if this information is already posted somewhere, but I couldn't find it)

[Buildityrit]

Get an agent, a video camera, and a YouTube account.

[seodiary]

What is the career path for a tennis player? Say you're a 4 year old boy or girl and Santa brings you a tennis racket. What do you have to do to get to Wimbledon, or Roland Garros, or Flushing Meadows?

(sorry if this information is already posted somewhere, but I couldn't find it)

It's like asking how to get to Carnegie Hall ... "practice." Or, in my case, "buy a ticket."

Seriously, one could be blessed with incredible physical skills, natural athleticism, and strong concentration, and get some really good coaching, and perhaps hope for a college scholarship to a Div I or II school.

I hope I'm not raining on your parade, but the percentage of people who try tennis and eventually get referred to as "very good" is pretty small, and the amount who can turn pro is infinitesimal.

But hey, if the 4-year old seems to enjoy playing, and wants to keep doing it, let them go for it. There should be lots of opportunities to play in local tournaments (there are 12-and-under tournaments, once they get close to that age range), and eventually on a high school team. Maybe a week-long tennis camp sometime in the summer, when they're old enough to handle that? If they've really got something special, I suspect someone will say something, or you'll be able to tell based on results.

For an early start with the game, I'm impressed with what the USTA is doing to promote smaller courts, shorter nets, slow-moving foam balls, and mini-rackets, so kids can experience some early success at rallying, etc.
http://www.usopenshop.org/category_s/3984.htm

Most of all, I hope you all end up with a sport you'll enjoy for a lifetime. One of the aspects I love most about tennis is that you can play at pretty much any skill and physical ability level, and have opportunities to learn about competition, teamwork, etc. (Some of us are still learning! )

[TeNuaTe]

I hope I'm not raining on your parade, but the percentage of people who try tennis and eventually get referred to as "very good" is pretty small, and the amount who can turn pro is infinitesimal.

Seriously. The only way you can guarantee that a 4-year-old with a tennis racquet will go to the US Open is to buy them a ticket.

The single most important thing is that the child wants it. If they do, you'll know. From there you can seek reliable advice about what path to follow. But it scares me, really really scares me, to hear people ask questions like, "I'm going to give a 4-year-old a tennis racquet/baseball glove/ice skates/basketball for Christmas, how do I turn them into a successful professional athlete?"

[ArrichMer]

Seriously. The only way you can guarantee that a 4-year-old with a tennis racquet will go to the US Open is to buy them a ticket.

The single most important thing is that the child wants it. If they do, you'll know. From there you can seek reliable advice about what path to follow. But it scares me, really really scares me, to hear people ask questions like, "I'm going to give a 4-year-old a tennis racquet/baseball glove/ice skates/basketball for Christmas, how do I turn them into a successful professional athlete?"

To some extent, I agree. But it is also true, as politically incorrect it might sound, there have been many cases in which a kid got pushed by a parent to do well in some field, and it was only after growing up a bit that the kid started really getting attracted to it. The desire to succeed often starts out as a parent's dream and is then internalized by the child. Example: Williams sisters. I'm of course not advocating slave-driving, but making the kid (within reasonable extents) pursue a goal is not necessarily detrimental.

[TeNuaTe]

I'm of course not advocating slave-driving, but making the kid (within reasonable extents) pursue a goal is not necessarily detrimental.

No, of course not. But it has to, at least on some level, be the child's goal. It can't just be the parent's. And I can't begin to tell you how many times I have personally witnessed the tragedy of the latter.

But as far as sports go, I will never advocate a parent deciding a child's career path no matter how well it may work out for some people (i.e., the Williams). For every success there are a thousand failures, with untold financial, emotional, and physical consequences. I've seen it too many times to lay it out any differently.

[medshop]

I think I've read in the past that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice to get to a competitive level of play - usually seen in response to someone who picks up a racket at a later age.

[indianstory]

Not sure I've heard any top player say being a tennis player was ever their goal. Both Williams sisters and Chris Evert all said it was their dad's dream, not theirs. It became theirs but not until much later. Players like Jankovic started in earnest later so they could have more ownership in the decision. But there clearly needs to be some shoving involved if you start that early.

[varrozans]

I guess I phrased the original question badly. I'm not giving a child a tennis racquet. I was just wondering what path a player travels to get to the tournaments that we see on TV. I guess before they play at pro level they play in the juniors? Where are they playing before they get into the juniors tournaments? And before that? Is the Challenger series for juniors, as well as adult players who don't qualify to play in bigger tournaments?

[seodiary]

I guess I phrased the original question badly. I'm not giving a child a tennis racquet. I was just wondering what path a player travels to get to the tournaments that we see on TV. I guess before they play at pro level they play in the juniors? Where are they playing before they get into the juniors tournaments? And before that? Is the Challenger series for juniors, as well as adult players who don't qualify to play in bigger tournaments?

oh, gotcha. Sorry I misunderstood.

Unless they're Venus or Serena, kids play junior tournaments. This is the best way to get noticed, if you're hoping to do more.

In the US, there are local tournaments for juniors, arranged something like futures, challengers, International Series, and slams. Kids have novice tourneys (which anyone can enter), open ones (also open to all, but more competitive), then tournaments that require an invitation (based on rankings/prior results) at the sectional and national level.

At some of those tourneys, there are scouts for racket, shoe, and clothing brands, as well as for the big academies (Bolletieri, etc). They're looking for prospects.

Hope this helps,

[TeNuaTe]

I guess I phrased the original question badly. I'm not giving a child a tennis racquet.

Oh, thank God.

Sorry, everyone. I just... react poorly to potential Cah-razy Sports Parents. It's war out there, ya' know.

[Falik]

I guess I phrased the original question badly. I'm not giving a child a tennis racquet. I was just wondering what path a player travels to get to the tournaments that we see on TV. I guess before they play at pro level they play in the juniors? Where are they playing before they get into the juniors tournaments? And before that? Is the Challenger series for juniors, as well as adult players who don't qualify to play in bigger tournaments?

Fay,
There are sectional junior tournaments. When I first started playing NELTA (New England Lawn Tennis Association) tournaments, I was about 11 years old. There are tournaments for different age groups..(12 and under, 14 and under, 16 and under etc). And within these age groups there are "B" tornaments for those not quite as good or those who want to try and build their confidence. After playing a minimum amount of sectional tournaments, one will, as I remember, receive a year end ranking for that section within that age group. The highest ranked juniors from each section will receive invitations to represent the section in National tournaments for a given age group. If a player makes it to that level then all other answers should present themselves for further advancement. Things may have changed in the last 20 years from when I was a junior. But that's what it was like for me.
So find out what section you're in and then find tournaments within that section that may be appropriate for a particular individual.

[varrozans]

Thanks for the help, folks