New Balls Please! Covid Drives U.S. Tennis Boom

As gyms were forced to shut down when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in March 2020 and remained deserted for large parts of 2020 and 2021, Americans were forced to look for alternative ways to work out and stay active. And while many discovered cycling as a nice, socially-distanced activity amid lockdowns, others picked up their old tennis rackets, hitting the outdoor courts across the country.

According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) 2022 Sports, Fitness and Leisure Activities Topline Participation Report, 22.6 million Americans played tennis last year, up almost five million from the last pre-pandemic year. "Many individuals turned to tennis during the pandemic and it is incredibly encouraging to see that the sport was able to capitalize on this momentum and continued to see growth in 2021,” Craig Morris, Chief Executive, Community Tennis at the USTA said in a statement, applauding the next American tennis boom.

Interestingly, this boom differs from previous tennis crazes as it is more of a grassroots movement, driven by people’s desire to exercise and play rather than by the pull of an American superstar player. In the 1980s, every kid wanted to be John McEnroe, in the 1990s everyone wanted to be Andre Agassi. Now, it seems, people just want to play tennis.