What Players Really Gain From Each Part of a Tennis Programme (And why they all matter)
Dominic Ross-Hurst - Feb 2026
When parents look at a tennis programme, it is completely natural to focus on what their child is getting from each individual session. Is it structured enough? Are they improving quickly enough? Should they be doing more one-to-one lessons or more competition? These are sensible questions, but they often come from viewing each element in isolation. An effective tennis programme is not designed around one perfect session type. It is built from a combination of environments, each serving a different purpose, and it is the balance between them that creates long-term development, enjoyment, and confidence.
It is also important to understand that progress in tennis is rarely linear. Players do not improve at a steady, predictable rate. There will be periods where development feels slow, flat, or even frustrating, followed by moments where things suddenly accelerate. This is normal. A well-designed programme is built with this in mind, allowing players the time and space to develop without constantly reacting to short-term changes. When concerns arise, the most effective step is always open communication with the coach, rather than removing or reshaping parts of the programme in isolation.
Group Classes: The Backbone of Tennis Development
Group coaching is the foundation of almost every tennis journey, and for good reason.
The most valuable thing in tennis, especially at a young age, is time on the tennis court. Time hitting balls. Time moving. Time becoming comfortable in the environment. Even without perfect structure or instruction, simply being on court has huge value.
Group sessions provide:
Regular and reliable court time
A consistent weekly commitment to tennis
A social environment built around shared experience
A lower-pressure and enjoyable way to learn
Within group sessions, there will be teaching points, repetition, and games, but the atmosphere is intentionally less intense and less individualised. This is not a weakness of group coaching. It is its greatest strength.
From a parent’s perspective, it can sometimes feel as though their child is not receiving enough individual attention. That may be true in the short term, but that does not mean the group environment should be removed. Group coaching is what keeps children enjoying tennis, building confidence, and wanting to come back week after week. Without that consistency and enjoyment, no amount of individual work can succeed.
One-to-One Lessons: How Technique Is Truly Learned
Individual lessons are where coaching becomes personal. Not because the content is always different, but because the delivery is. In the early stages of development, many children are learning very similar technical fundamentals such as grips, movement patterns, and swing shapes. What differs is how each child understands and responds to information.
Every player has a unique personality, learning style, attention span, and way of processing feedback. In one-to-one lessons, coaches draw from a wide range of explanations, drills, and images to find what works best for that individual.
This is where individual lessons become invaluable:
They allow technical detail to be refined
They support confidence and understanding
They accelerate learning once motivation increases
One-to-one coaching does not replace group sessions. It enhances them. When a player is ready, individual lessons deepen understanding and reinforce what is being learned elsewhere in the programme.
Informal Competition and Match Play: Learning Without Fear
Informal competition sits between coaching sessions and formal tournaments.
These environments include internal match play, practice matches, and competitive games within training. They allow players to apply skills in realistic situations without the pressure of official results or rankings.
Informal competition helps players:
Bridge the gap between practice and matches
Experiment with new skills safely
Build confidence in competitive situations
Mistakes are expected. Learning is prioritised over outcomes. This stage plays a crucial role in preparing players for formal competition without fear or avoidance.
Formal Competition: Where Everything Comes Together
Formal competition is essential because tennis is, at its core, a match-based sport. A match is the only environment where the player is fully responsible. Decisions must be made independently. Emotions must be managed alone. Skills must be applied without prompts or guidance. Scoring, momentum, and pressure are real. Matches highlight strengths, expose weaknesses, and reveal what needs further development. They are not a judgement of ability, but a vital source of information for both player and coach.
Trusting the Process
The structure outlined above is not unique to one club or one programme. It reflects principles that are widely accepted and consistently used across effective tennis programmes around the world. These environments have been tested over decades and refined through experience, not theory.
Exceptional programmes that look very different can exist, but they are exactly that: exceptions. They require exceptional circumstances, exceptional players, or very specific contexts to justify a different approach. For most players, most of the time, long-term success comes from trusting a complete, balanced programme and allowing it time to work.
When all parts of a tennis programme work together, something powerful happens. Players enjoy the game, develop steadily, and build resilience and confidence alongside their tennis skills. Trusting the process, staying patient through inevitable ups and downs, and communicating openly with coaches creates the best possible environment for players to thrive, both on and off the court.
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