For your first tennis lesson, bring water and comfortable athletic clothes. Check the booking before you buy a racket or pick shoes: some coaches supply equipment, and some courts have footwear rules. Confirm where to meet the coach, then arrive ready to learn one basic skill.
Your First Tennis Lesson Packing Checklist
Start with water and clothes you can move in. The rest depends on the program, the court, and whether you play indoors or outside.
| Category | Item | What to prepare | What changes the answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical default | Water | Bring a drink. | Check whether the venue has drinking water. |
| Practical default | Athletic clothes | Pick clothes that let you turn, step sideways, and swing. | Follow the dress code if your booking names one. |
| Class-dependent | Racket | Bring a strung racket if the class requires one. | Some classes lend one to first-time students. |
| Class-dependent | Tennis balls | Check who supplies them. | Some coaches supply balls for drills. |
| Venue-dependent | Shoes | Wear shoes the court surface allows. | Some courts require tennis-specific or non-marking shoes. |
| Weather-dependent | Outdoor extras | Hat, sun protection, towel, or an extra layer. | Indoors or in mild weather, you need less. |
| Usually unnecessary | Premium racket, bulk balls, elaborate bag | Hold off on big purchases. | Buy an item when your class requires it or you have a reason to choose it. |
The booking's requirements override this list. Mark each item bring, provided, confirm, or not needed, and you have your packing list.
Do You Need Your Own Racket and Tennis Balls?
Rules differ from program to program. Some lend rackets and balls, others expect you to bring your own. Three examples:
| Published program | Equipment policy | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| USTA Florida beginner programs | Many introductory clinics and events offer loaner rackets and balls. | Ask whether your class includes equipment. |
| Tennis On The Lake | The FAQ lists racket loaners at Waveland Park and Arrive Streeterville. | Check your location before counting on a borrowed racket. |
| USTA Chicago Adult Tennis 101 | One published course asks students to bring their own racket, water, and appropriate shoes. | Bring what that course lists. |
With loaners, you can try tennis before you buy a racket. If the class requires your own, bring one that is strung and comfortable to handle.
Chicago Tennis Champions Center's equipment FAQ asks students to arrange loaner rackets in advance.
If the booking doesn't say, send one message: “It's my first lesson. Will you supply a racket and balls, and do I need to request a loaner ahead of time?” If you must bring your own racket, the racket selection guide covers grip size, frame weight, and strings.
What to Wear: Court Shoes, Comfortable Clothes, and Outdoor Extras
Wear athletic clothes you can move in freely for footwork and racket drills, and follow any dress code in your booking.
Shoes depend on the court. A USTA-hosted true-beginner program specifies tennis shoes, and Tennis On The Lake requires non-marking court shoes. Running shoes are comfortable, but they can break a court's shoe rule.
Outdoors, the weather decides which extras you need. The CDC's guidance for athletes in hot weather advises hydration and attention to heat conditions. If you feel faint or weak while exercising in the heat, stop and move somewhere cool.
Check These Details Before You Leave for the Court
Read your booking confirmation for the start time, full address, court or entrance, and meeting point. Look for any check-in, weather-relocation, cancellation, or filming instructions. Some venues ask for more: the USTA National Tennis Center's adult programs specify a waiver and government-issued photo ID. If an entry or meeting detail is unclear, ask the club.
What Happens During Your First Tennis Lesson?
Expect work on racket grip, footwork, and your contact point, with gentle feeds from the coach and sometimes a short rally. USTA National Tennis Center's Intro to Tennis 101 describes using low-compression balls to suit learners' needs.
Coordinating your feet, the incoming ball, and the racket is harder than it looks. In a private lesson, instructions can come faster than a beginner can use them.
I feel super stiff, slow, and kinda old not gonna lie. Like my body just doesn’t move how it’s supposed to. Also didn’t realize how hard it is just to hit a clean ball. Respect to anyone who makes this look easy. ... Does this get better? Or is this just how it feels at the start for everyone?
When the feedback piles up, ask the coach for one correction to focus on for the next few balls. It could be where you stand, the racket's position, or the timing of contact. Let the coach pick.
Scoring and match flow can wait. The beginner guide to tennis play explains rallies, strokes, and points if you want that foundation before your next session.
Private Lesson or Beginner Group: What Should You Expect?
A private lesson puts the coach's attention on you alone, so adjustments come throughout the session. A new player may still find a steady stream of technical feedback hard to use.
In a group, the coach splits attention among participants. Exercises include taking turns, partner feeds, or rallies with classmates. One first-time participant described a group lesson that began with rallies:
I recently joined tennis lessons with my bf and I'm miserable. The coach teaches group of 4 to 5 people at once. I'm not sure if this is the norm but the coach just starts with us rallying against each other. And I'm really bad, for context I have not played a sport in my life and this is the first time, I have bad hand eye coordination, my ball doesn't go past the net sometimes.
A rally needs both players to return a playable ball. If you struggle to clear the net, a coach-fed exercise is a better place to start. Group lessons work for first-timers when the drills match their experience.
Choosing a format? The guide to tennis lesson formats covers that decision separately.
Is This Beginner Class Suitable for a First-Timer?
Beginner can mean someone holding a racket for the first time or someone returning after years away. Labels like new to tennis, beginner clinic, and adult apprenticeship describe a course, but the organizer sets the expected starting skills.
One adult described feeling out of place in a clinic where other participants had previous experience:
I'm currently about halfway through a group USTA apprenticeship program. There's 8 of us. I am quite clearly the worst of the bunch. In my defense, it was labeled an "adult beginner's" clinic and all of the descriptions seemed fitting for me, a 25 year old who has never picked up a tennis racket. To my surprise, everyone else in the clinic HAS played tennis before. Some of them have been playing with friends for a year or two, some have been through the training before, and some of them even used to be very good league players before taking a break and needing a refresher.
If you've never played, tell the coach. Ask whether the group welcomes people who can't rally, serve, or keep score yet. If the class assumes those skills, ask for simpler drills or a more introductory group.
Already enrolled and out of your depth? Talk to the organizer about adjustments or a true-intro alternative. Registration terms decide whether you can transfer or get a refund.
After Your First Lesson: Leave with One Thing to Practice
Corrections fade fast once you leave the court. Write down three things:
- The cue: the one coaching instruction you want to remember, for example “turn your shoulders earlier.”
- What you tried: the movement or exercise you practiced with that cue.
- The next task: the exercise the coach recommends before your next session.
If the coach suggested nothing, ask for one exercise you can handle at your current level.
