May is National Tennis Month in the U.S., and there's no better time to get out and play

Tennis participation has risen in the United States in each of the last four years, and the USTA, the national governing body of tennis in the U.S., is spearheading efforts this May to get even more players on the courts.

Tennis participation first surged in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to tennis' status as an inherently socially-distant sport, and that momentum has continued in the years since. In 2023, nearly 24 million people played tennis in the U.S., according to a recently-released Tennis Industry Association study. That represents a 34% increase since 2019. Nearly 5 million of those, or 20% of the total, were first-time players, which is a 133% increase since 2019.

In recent years, the USTA has declared the year's fifth month as National Tennis Month in the hopes of taking a more active role in evangelizing the many health and wellness benefits the sport can provide to Americans in response to this overall increase in players. A Mayo Clinic study published in 2018, for example, showed that tennis players live, on average, more than nine years longer than those who live a sedintary lifestyle. The organization has summed that up succinctly by proclaiming tennis as "the world's healthiest sport," and National Tennis Month takes that big picture and tailored it to local play.

It provides players, coaches, clubs and organizations with the resources needed to elevate the game; bring even more new players into the fold; and energize their communities through special events, activations and play opportunities.

People interested in participating in or hosting their own National Tennis Month event can take advantage of the USTA's database of events to find a place to play, and they'll also be able to find assets online to promote and manage those events once they've found them. There's even a proclamation kit that'll help particularly passionate lobbiers encourage their city councils and mayors to officially declare May as National Tennis Month locally. (States including Rhode Island, the home of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and Texas, which boasts more than 2 million of the total tennis players in the U.S., were among the more than 100 states, cities and towns that did just that in 2023.)

But taking the steps towards improved health and longevity aren't the only perks that'll come with hitting the courts this May. The USTA is also offering a tangible reward for providers and players who participate in programming throughout the month. There's an opportunity to win tickets to the US Open, as well as other prizes. And they're not the only ones: The sporting goods retailer Dick's, and Fage yogurt, are among the national sponsors who also will be activating throughout the month.

"We hope it can serve as a connector to better retain new players, inspire our current players and strengthen ties locally where the game is played," said Elliott Petit, the USTA's senior director for retention and brand, who summed up National Tennis Month as a way to "celebrate all that our amazing sport has to offer."