Comments on: More Australians Are Playing Tennis Than Ever… So Why Does It Feel Like the Game Is Going Backwards?

By: Lewis

Lewis — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 02:01:26 +0000

Perhaps the question should be: how many people who try tennis are still playing five or ten years later? Strong clubs, competitions, coaches and volunteers are what turn participation into lifelong involvement. Those measurements deserve just as much attention as headline participation numbers.

By: Helen

Helen — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 02:01:07 +0000

I’ve played tennis for decades and this describes what many of us are seeing. There might be plenty of people hitting tennis balls, but traditional competition and club culture don’t feel as strong as they once did. Governing bodies need to measure retention and engagement, not simply participation.

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 02:00:37 +0000

This article raises an important distinction, participation and engagement are not the same thing. Getting someone onto a court once or twice is great, but strong tennis communities are built by people who join clubs, compete, volunteer, coach and remain involved for years.

By: Steve Merker

Steve Merker — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:00:22 +0000

This is a great summary and describes well the problem between recording who is who in the zoo with participation verse engagement.

If the sport does not address the areas of concern, we could become the next squash or indoor cricket if we are not careful.

Time for us to be honest with ourselves and man up if we genuine care about the sport.

By: John Dickson

John Dickson — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 12:00:34 +0000

The biggest difference I’ve noticed (over 50 years of competitive play), is that Juniors are now only playing other Juniors (in practice & in tournaments). They are missing the knowledge that comes from playing against adults (& losing). This can only be reversed by creating local Fixture Competitions that encourage & facilitate open-age leagues … WITH coaches playing amongst their pupils (not just taking the money & going home)! Oh, & more coaches going out of their way to actually attend their pupils’ matches (not just take the 💰&🏃‍♂️).