Tennis participation in the United States has surged to new heights. Last year, there were 25.7 million players following five consecutive years of growth.
Hoosier families can find themselves in the game on the grassy lawn of Midtown Plaza in Carmel, Ind. as part of the city’s Move with the Mayor initiative and National Tennis Month this May.
National Tennis Month is a nationwide celebration driven by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and its industry partners to recognize tennis and its many health benefits, both physical and mental.
On May 17 from 1-5 pm, tennis fans are invited to bring their friends and family members to Midtown Plaza for special playing opportunities, tennis racquet giveaways and an interactive art performance. The best part is, the event is free!
Here’s what you can expect: Try Red Ball Tennis on shorter courts! Red Ball Tennis is a fun, low-pressure and social version of the game with modified equipment, designed to teach beginners how to play tennis in 10 minutes or less. Racquets and balls will be provided onsite. Plus, artist Dylan Sadiq—aka the College Cuber—will be at the event building a portrait of local tennis celebrity, Rajeev Ram, entirely out of Rubik’s Cubes! Ram is a proud resident of Carmel, Ind. who has won six Grand Slams and two Olympic medals, most recently winning silver in men’s doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
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If you think you’ve seen a lot of tennis lately (movies, fashion, buzzy pop culture), it’s not just you! Tennis’ popularity has seen growth—as well as retention—across the country and various demographics. Most significantly, tennis has grown by more than 8 million players since 2019, an increase of more than 45%.
According to the USTA, a key reason that so many players are turning to the game is that tennis is the world’s healthiest sport. Getting out on the court and enjoying the game can have tremendous benefits for children and adults. According to multiple sources and studies, tennis’ numerous health and wellness benefits include:
- Tennis improves coordination, agility and balance.
- Tennis helps players build and keep friendships.
- Tennis raises self-confidence, relieves stress and lowers tension.
- Tennis players on average lived an additional 9.7 years than sedentary individuals.
- The 9.7 additional years for tennis players ranked highest among all sports included within the study, beating out soccer by 5 years (4.7), cycling by 6 years (3.7), swimming by 6.3 years (3.4) and jogging by 6.5 years (3.2).
So what are you waiting for? Try tennis with your child. Learn a sport together that’s good for you and can be played anywhere… like the lawn next to your local brewery!
