 The rules have changed for Kids 10 and Under!
USTA has changed the rules for kids playing tennis who are 10 years old and under. Using the QuickStart Tennis play format, your child will learn to rally and play quickly which makes tennis more enjoyable and rewarding to the young player who is just starting out. With courts and equipment that are sized appropriately for your kids, the game becomes more accessible - allowing your child to get involved right from the start.
Waiting to hit the ball from long lines can be frustrating to the new player. This new format allow your child to play like a pro, and will build their confidence to keep them coming back for more. Click to see a list of our classes.
How Does the New Format Benefit My Kids?
By getting involved immediately, your child will be moving around, rallying, having fun, and playing with others within the first hour of stepping onto the court. By scaling the game to their size, the learning process is easier and a lot more fun. Other youth sports have followed this resizing formula for years.
- Baseball begins with smaller bats, smaller fields and progresses from tee ball to coach pitch to player pitch.
- Basketball and soccer employ similar methods, including shortened playing surfaces and appropriate-sized equipment.
Changes to the Court and Equipment
Appropriately sized equipment will ensure ensure that your kids’ experiences will leave them overjoyed, not overwhelmed.
- Racquet sizes starting at 19 inches for smaller hands on up to 26 inches for the older child.
- Red felt or foam balls are used for the younger child and the older kids are challenged with the standard yellow tennis balls.
- Scaled court sizes from 60' to 36' - dividing a regular court for 8 and under.
Shorter and narrower courts will give your kids the confidence and ability to cover the entire court. Most kids have trouble controlling full-sized racquets because they are too long, too heavy and the grips are too large. 10 and Under Tennis racquets are proportionate in length and weight and have the grips that fit smaller hands, which allows for more control. Traditional tennis balls bounce higher and faster, the new low compression balls bounce at a height equal to kids’ playing ability which provides for better and longer rallies.
10 and Under Tennis arranges kids into multiple age groups. The following chart shows standard equipment and scoring rules as well as the court structure by age:
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