Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world. There are several tennis champions from the US, but is tennis popular in the USA?

Other sports may receive greater television coverage, and tennis may not be the sport of choice where you live, but when it comes to global trends, tennis is one of the most popular sports on the planet.

Tennis, unlike other sports, is not very popular in the US. The decline of tennis in America is due to a number of issues. The lack of Americans playing university tennis, the fall in American-based tennis competitions, and the lack of American tennis superstars are just a few of them.

One out of every ten Americans claims to play tennis at least occasionally; however, only 4% do so on a regular basis. Another 16% rarely play, and three out of four Americans never play tennis.

After conducting our research and speaking with various tennis players in the industry, we have put together this guide to help you learn more about the popularity of tennis in the US.

Is Tennis Popular in the USA?

To be a top player in tennis, you must begin at an early age, put in a lot of time, and receive top-notch training and mentorship. However, since tennis is usually a 2-3 person game, most youngsters are more interested in playing team sports, such as soccer, football, basketball, baseball, and even hockey with their peers.

Tennis, like golf, is a country club sport. To pick it up or get into it, you usually need to have resources. Therefore, many children lack access to top-notch facilities and coaching, and their parents may be unable to pay for country club dues or weekend travel to tournaments or matches. Tennis requires consistent effort and commitment by the players. Although there have been several high-level American tennis players recently, most individuals do not get the opportunity to practice the sport at an early age.

Football, baseball, and basketball are three of the most popular sports in the United States. This is because the rules are less complex and easier to learn, the sport is more exciting and engaging, and nearly everyone has some level of experience with one of the three. Plus, basketball, football, and baseball have a much bigger fan following in the US compared to tennis.

Tennis has an air of elitism that the other major sports lack. Most of the best tennis players are foreign; whereas, merely one or two are from the United States. Conversely, practically every participant in football and basketball is an American. Also, baseball is considered to be a great American pastime.

You also have to consider the media coverage; the only time ESPN considers airing tennis is during the Majors (8 weeks out of the year, and the coverage is even worse) or the finals of a couple of US Open series tournaments in the summer when baseball is the only other sport on TV.

Also, the variety of styles you mention are only evident to those who have played, are playing, or have seen a lot of tennis whereas you don't have to play football to understand the differences between Tom Brady and Michael Vick.

According to a report published by the Physical Activity Council's Participation, tennis participation in the United States climbed by 22% in 2020, with 21.64 million people participating in the courts. The report and poll track over 120 different activities and sports that Americans participate in.

The Decline of Tennis in the United States

Unfortunately, the popularity of tennis is slowly decreasing in the US as a result of complications caused by a variety of factors. Tennis in the United States is dropping in all areas that matter: collegiate and professional levels, television, and popular culture.

Tennis' downfall in the United States is perplexing, given that the sport is quite successful in other parts of the world. Prize money for major tournaments is increasing, and elite tennis players are becoming increasingly wealthy. Roger Federer is the highest-paid athlete in the world, second only to Tiger Woods. According to Forbes magazine, tennis players account for four of the top five richest female athletes.

Tennis is clearly alive and thriving in other parts of the world, but no American men are placed in the top ten of the ATP rankings. The United States which once dominated the Davis Cup in the 1970s has not won since 2007. The television ratings of the US Open are merely a fraction of what they were during the era of John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, and Chris Evert.

So, why is it that a sport that is gaining popularity around the world is fighting to thrive in the United States?

There was a time when the NCAA produced a steady stream of new tennis talent. John Isner (UCLA), Arthur Ashe (UCLA), Jimmy Connors (UCLA), and John McEnroe (Stanford) all used college tennis as a training ground. Isner is the biggest-ranked American male at No. 14. Lisa Raymond, a former Florida player from the early 1990s, is the last women's collegiate player to reach into the top 20 in singles.

Who Is a Tennis Player?

Tennis is played by a similar percentage of Americans as golf, another popular solo sport (a CBS poll conducted in 2020 found that 9 percent of Americans occasionally participated in golf). Tennis is more popular among the younger lot, while golf is more well-liked among older Americans (17 percent of seniors 65 and older claimed they played golf on a regular basis when polled in 2020). According to studies, eighteen percent of Americans under the age of 35 participate in the sport on a regular basis, compared to only 3% of those 65 and older.

Is Tennis An Elitist Sport?

Professional tennis is more popular among Americans with greater income and education levels. However, in terms of who plays tennis, the sport appears to appeal to a wide range of demographic groups in the United States. Tennis is played by a similar number of Americans regardless of income or education level, and it is at least as popular among non-whites as it is among whites.

Soccer, cricket, and field hockey are the only three sports with more supporters than tennis. However, cricket and field hockey is rarely played in the United States, as we all know. Soccer is the least popular of the four main sports in the United States. However, due to its worldwide appeal, it has a sizable following in the United States.

Tennis has had its own channel (The Tennis Channel) since 2003, and tournaments are broadcast virtually every week on television. The Australian Open, one of the year's most important tournaments, is currently underway. The tournament's entire prize pool is $62.5 million, with the winner receiving an extraordinary $4.1 million. The overall prize money has climbed by 351 percent in the last 18 years.

This shows that tennis is on course to grow in popularity not just in the United States and Australia, but around the world. Tennis has grown steadily over the previous two decades, thanks to megastars like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal who have dominated the sport.

The beauty of tennis is that new stars are always on the verge of breaking through. Naomi Osaka, a Japanese tennis player, stunned the world by handily defeating Serena Williams at the 2018 U.S. Open. There is no shortage of incredible talent when it comes to tennis.

Where in the World Is Tennis the Most Popular Sport?

Tennis is a popular sport all throughout the world, yet it is more popular in some countries than others. Australia is one of the top countries on the list. With one of the four grand slam tournaments (the Australian Open) being held there, it makes sense.

Tennis has a large following in Australia, but cricket and football (or rugby) are more popular. New Zealand, which is near Australia, is in a similar boat.

Moreover, Bulgaria continues to lead the world in online tennis involvement per capita. Many people may be surprised by this, but those who have been watching the game attentively have noticed an increase in tournaments and players from Bulgaria and its neighboring nations.