What are the basic levels in tennis???

Question

I've noticed people talking about their levels in tennis like 3.5 or 4 etc. My coach said that I am a three when I have only been taking tennis lessons for two weeks... I am very confused because this seems very unlikely in my opinion as someone who has been doing tennis lessons for over a year is 3.5...?? If someone could explain the levels to me it would really help. thx

Answer 1

This is called a NRTP rating.  I highly doubt you are a 3 when you have only been taking lessons for two weeks.  You coach needs to do some research.

Answer 2

It sounds like you are more like a 2.5.  Maybe you have some athleticism that can allow you to compete at the 3.0 level.  The basic ratings are very broad.  Some people are stuck at 3.0 or 3.5 their whole lives.  The ratings are a bit complicated.  If you consistently win at the 3.0 level, you get bumped up to 3.5 by the USTA.  So a 3.5 should consistently beat most 3.0 players.  And a 4.0 should be be able to consistently beat most players.  Most Tennis competitions are based on your NTRP rating, gender, and age.  You could join USTA, self-rate at 2.5, and play in some competitive tournaments, against people like you (beginners), and have a real shot at winning a trophy!  Competition really helps you improve at a faster rate than simple rallying.  Good luck with your tennis game!

Answer 3

Noobs, experienced Noobs, just for the h**l of it players, Low level tournament players, High level tournament player, College tennis, College dropout semi pro, Money making pro, Nike million dollar contract pro,

Answer 4

The ratings are available at the USTA web site.  However, maybe this can clear up the confusion... High school players may not "self rate," themselves lower than a 3.0... so if you play in high school, your rating will be at least a 3.0 unless you've lost consistently to lower ranked players.  If you competed in post season play in High School your self rating will be a 3.5...

The ratings are just a guideline to try and find partners of the same skill level as you.  Depending on your age and abilities your ratings might go up or down.  If you were to play in a league at the different levels you'll notice a huge difference in the skills of your opponents.

Since I've been an adult this is what I've found in different leagues.

2.5- The "getting back into tennis level,"

3.0 -  The "always return to their backhand level."

3.5-- The "lob level"

4.0 - The "power hitter level

4.5- The "run you around cause you're out of shape level"

5.0-- The "too good for me level"

Answer 5

This won't answer your question but I need to get it off my chest.  I think the rating system is a load of c**p.  No real tennis player uses that Non-Sense, and people throw it around like a trophy.  I've heard people say ooo he's reallly good he's a 5.0, which means absolutely nothing to someone who has been playing tennis for most of their life and is still young enough to compete at a high level.  I won't be surprised if we see that rating system go out the door in the near future, b/c it's awful.  There are too many important parts to the game of tennis to rate someone based on a number scale, unless it's based off of tournament performance.  The people who disagree and say "Well i play better in practice" are all cowards.  It's easy to play well in practice because if you miss a shot, you just feed another one... the players who play well in matches are as well are the real players, because they are able to have enough confidence in their ability to not let it hinder them when the ball they hit actually means something.

The rating system is an old school idea that is outdated and unnecessary.  If you watch other people play, then you can make a judgement if you are good enough to play with them or not.

Answer 6

He is talking about your NTRP rating. It ranks you by the skills you have.

these links will give you more info:  http://dps.usta.com/usta_master/usta/doc...      (On the top of the page you will see the ratings horizontally lined up starting with 7.0, scroll over to the right side of this page to see what abilities a 3.5 player should have.)

http://www.cypresscoveresort.com/Calenda...

http://www.usta.com/USTA/Global/Active/C...

this video from the usta should helo you understand it:   http://tennislink.usta.com/leagues/HelpT...

Answer 7

I memory serves, there is a scale called the NTR (national tennis rating) which is from 1.0 thru 7.0.  1.0 is a rank beginner which is usually defined as someone who had hit fewer than 10,000 tennis shots, 7.0 being a "pro" although there are many levels in the pro category.  Most people become a 3 to 4 after 2-3 years of frequent play.  A person's ability is judged not only by the quality of shots made, but by his/her innate sense of position on the court in both singles and doubles.  I played year-round for 20+ years and managed to be a 4.5, on a  good day only.  Over that period I took dozens of lessons and spent hundreds of hours on the ball-machine practicing, and I consider myself average..