Know your level
Tennis Guides
What the NTRP numbers mean, what a 4.0 player actually does on court, and what you genuinely need to buy. The vocabulary the rest of this site ranks by.
Every ranking on this site is sorted by NTRP level, which only helps if you know what the numbers mean. These guides explain the rating scale, describe what each level looks like in practice, and cover the buying questions that come before any specific product decision.
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Everything in this hub
All guides
Buyer's guide
NTRP Ratings Explained
The NTRP scale from 2.5 to 5.0 in plain English, how USTA assigns a rating, NTRP versus UTR, and which gear tier each level should be shopping in.
Buyer's guide
What Is a 4.0 Tennis Player?
What a 4.0 NTRP player does on court, the specific differences from 3.5 and 4.5, how long it takes to get there, and the gear that suits the level.
Buyer's guide
The Tennis Gear Checklist
The four essentials to start playing tennis, what to add in month two, and the gear that can wait — with picks for each tier.
Buyer's guide
How Much Does Tennis Gear Cost?
The three tennis gear tiers, the recurring costs (string, shoes, balls) people forget to budget, and where spending more genuinely returns something.
Buyer's guide
What Is a 3.5 Tennis Player?
What a 3.5 NTRP player does on court, the gap to 4.0, and the racquet, string and shoe specs that suit the level.
Buyer's guide
How to Grip a Tennis Racket
The beginner answer to holding a tennis racket: shake hands with it for the forehand, continental for serves and volleys, plus how the eight bevels work and how tight to squeeze.
Buyer's guide
How to Prevent Tennis Elbow
How to prevent tennis elbow: what it actually is, the five load factors you control, which gear changes matter most, and what a brace does and does not do.
Buyer's guide
How to Practice Tennis Alone
How to practice tennis alone, free and paid: serves, wall rallying, shadow swings and footwork, plus what a rebound net, hopper or ball machine actually adds.
Buyer's guide
How to Regrip a Tennis Racket
A step-by-step regrip: stripping the old grip, which direction to wrap, how much overlap, and finishing. Plus how to put on an overgrip and how often to replace both.
Buyer's guide
Can You Bring a Tennis Racket on a Plane?
TSA allows tennis rackets in carry-on and checked baggage. The real constraint is the airline's cabin-bag size rule — here is how to travel with frames without checking them.
Buyer's guide
A Tennis Beginner's Guide
How to start learning tennis: the three purchases that matter, the first three skills in order, how to practice alone, and what not to buy in your first season.