Free resource

Tennis Self-Rating Guide

Work out your own NTRP level, from 1.0 to 5.5, by finding the description that sounds most like your game. It is the chart clubs use to sort players into leagues, ladders and group lessons.

Do it as a 2-minute quiz ›Read the full NTRP guide

1.0Overview

This player is just starting to play tennis.

1.5Overview

This player has limited experience and is still working primarily on getting the ball into play.

2.0Tap for the full breakdown

Forehand: Incomplete swing, lacks directional intent.
Backhand: Avoids backhands; erratic contact; grip problems; incomplete swing.
Serve or Return of Serve: Incomplete service motion; double faults common; toss is inconsistent; return of serve erratic.
Volley: Reluctant to play net; avoids backhand; lacks footwork.
Playing Style: Familiar with basic positions for singles and doubles play; frequently out of position.

2.5Tap for the full breakdown

Forehand: Form developing; prepared for moderately paced shots.
Backhand: Grip and preparation problems; often chooses forehand instead of backhand.
Serve or Return of Serve: Attempting a full swing; can get the ball in play but lacks directional control and depth; can return slow-paced serve.
Volley: Uncomfortable at net; avoids backhand volleys; lacks footwork.
Special Shots: Can lob intentionally but with little control; can make contact on overheads.
Playing Style: Can sustain a short rally of slow pace; modest court coverage; frequently out of position.

3.0Tap for the full breakdown

Forehand: Fairly consistent with some directional intent; lacks depth control.
Backhand: Frequently prepared; starting to hit with fair consistency on moderate shots.
Serve or Return of Serve: Developing rhythm; little consistency when trying for power; second serve is often considerably slower than the first.
Volley: Consistent forehand volley; inconsistent backhand volley; has trouble with low and wide shots.
Special Shots: Can lob fairly consistently on moderate shots.
Playing Style: Fairly consistent on medium-paced shots; most common doubles formation is one up, one back; avoids playing at net; inconsistent serve; returns with moderate success.

3.5Tap for the full breakdown

Forehand: Improved consistency; directional control on moderate shots.
Backhand: Hits with directional control on moderate shots but is still developing stroke technique.
Serve or Return of Serve: Starting to serve with control and some power; developing consistency; second serve is often considerably slower than the first.
Volley: More aggressive net play; some ability to cover court; returns with depth on moderate shots.
Special Shots: Consistent overhead on moderate shots; developing approach shots, drop shots, and lobs.
Playing Style: Improved court coverage; starting to look for opportunity to come to net; capable of putting away easy shots.

4.0Tap for the full breakdown

Forehand: Good consistency, hits with depth and control on moderate shots; able to move opponent around the court.
Backhand: Directs the ball with consistency and depth on moderate shots; developing the use of varying spin.
Serve or Return of Serve: Places both first and second serves; can return with depth in singles and mix returns in doubles.
Volley: Depth and control on forehand volleys; backhand volleys are inconsistent; overhead has limited success.
Special Shots: Can put away easy balls; can hit approach shots with some consistency; can return lobs defensively.
Playing Style: Good court coverage; recognizes opportunities to attack; developing team strategy and consistency in doubles.

4.5Tap for the full breakdown

Forehand: Very good consistency; uses speed and spin effectively; controls depth; tends to over-hit on difficult shots; offensive on moderate shots.
Backhand: Can control direction and depth but may break down under pressure; offensive on moderate shots.
Serve or Return of Serve: Aggressive serving with limited double faults; uses spin; second serve has good direction and depth; can vary speed and spin.
Volley: Can handle a mixed sequence of volleys; can direct forehand volleys; backhand lacks control; overhead is hit with some success but inconsistent.
Special Shots: Hits approach shots with good depth and control; drop shots are used with success.
Playing Style: Very good to excellent consistency; frequently hits with depth and pace; uses tactics according to opponent's weaknesses; beginning to handle pace.

5.0Tap for the full breakdown

Forehand: Strong shot with control, depth, and spin; uses the forehand to set up offensive situations.
Backhand: Can use the backhand as an aggressive shot with good consistency; good direction and depth on most shots; varies spin.
Serve or Return of Serve: Serve is placed effectively to set up offense; has a variety of serves to rely on; good depth, spin, and placement on most second serves.
Volley: Hits most volleys with depth, pace, and direction; plays difficult volleys with depth; given an opportunity at net, will usually win the point.
Special Shots: Approach shots and passing shots are hit with pace and effectiveness; can lob offensively; overhead can be hit from almost any position.
Playing Style: Frequently has an outstanding shot or attribute around which the game is built; varies game plan according to opponent; good shot anticipation.

5.5Overview

This player has developed power and/or consistency as a major weapon and can vary strategies and styles of play in competitive situations.

6.0-7.0Overview

These players have had intensive training for national or international competition. A 7.0 is a world-class player competing at the professional level.

NTRP

National Tennis Rating Program

Forehand

Backhand

Serve or Return of Serve

Volley

Special Shots

Playing Style

1.0

This player is just starting to play tennis.

1.5

This player has limited experience and is still working primarily on getting the ball into play.

2.0

Incomplete swing, lacks directional intent.

Avoids backhands; erratic contact; grip problems; incomplete swing.

Incomplete service motion; double faults common; toss is inconsistent; return of serve erratic.

Reluctant to play net; avoids backhand; lacks footwork.

Familiar with basic positions for singles and doubles play; frequently out of position.

2.5

Form developing; prepared for moderately paced shots.

Grip and preparation problems; often chooses forehand instead of backhand.

Attempting a full swing; can get the ball in play but lacks directional control and depth; can return slow-paced serve.

Uncomfortable at net; avoids backhand volleys; lacks footwork.

Can lob intentionally but with little control; can make contact on overheads.

Can sustain a short rally of slow pace; modest court coverage; frequently out of position.

3.0

Fairly consistent with some directional intent; lacks depth control.

Frequently prepared; starting to hit with fair consistency on moderate shots.

Developing rhythm; little consistency when trying for power; second serve is often considerably slower than the first.

Consistent forehand volley; inconsistent backhand volley; has trouble with low and wide shots.

Can lob fairly consistently on moderate shots.

Fairly consistent on medium-paced shots; most common doubles formation is one up, one back; avoids playing at net; inconsistent serve; returns with moderate success.

3.5

Improved consistency; directional control on moderate shots.

Hits with directional control on moderate shots but is still developing stroke technique.

Starting to serve with control and some power; developing consistency; second serve is often considerably slower than the first.

More aggressive net play; some ability to cover court; returns with depth on moderate shots.

Consistent overhead on moderate shots; developing approach shots, drop shots, and lobs.

Improved court coverage; starting to look for opportunity to come to net; capable of putting away easy shots.

4.0

Good consistency, hits with depth and control on moderate shots; able to move opponent around the court.

Directs the ball with consistency and depth on moderate shots; developing the use of varying spin.

Places both first and second serves; can return with depth in singles and mix returns in doubles.

Depth and control on forehand volleys; backhand volleys are inconsistent; overhead has limited success.

Can put away easy balls; can hit approach shots with some consistency; can return lobs defensively.

Good court coverage; recognizes opportunities to attack; developing team strategy and consistency in doubles.

4.5

Very good consistency; uses speed and spin effectively; controls depth; tends to over-hit on difficult shots; offensive on moderate shots.

Can control direction and depth but may break down under pressure; offensive on moderate shots.

Aggressive serving with limited double faults; uses spin; second serve has good direction and depth; can vary speed and spin.

Can handle a mixed sequence of volleys; can direct forehand volleys; backhand lacks control; overhead is hit with some success but inconsistent.

Hits approach shots with good depth and control; drop shots are used with success.

Very good to excellent consistency; frequently hits with depth and pace; uses tactics according to opponent's weaknesses; beginning to handle pace.

5.0

Strong shot with control, depth, and spin; uses the forehand to set up offensive situations.

Can use the backhand as an aggressive shot with good consistency; good direction and depth on most shots; varies spin.

Serve is placed effectively to set up offense; has a variety of serves to rely on; good depth, spin, and placement on most second serves.

Hits most volleys with depth, pace, and direction; plays difficult volleys with depth; given an opportunity at net, will usually win the point.

Approach shots and passing shots are hit with pace and effectiveness; can lob offensively; overhead can be hit from almost any position.

Frequently has an outstanding shot or attribute around which the game is built; varies game plan according to opponent; good shot anticipation.

5.5

This player has developed power and/or consistency as a major weapon and can vary strategies and styles of play in competitive situations.

6.0-7.0

These players have had intensive training for national or international competition. A 7.0 is a world-class player competing at the professional level.

Content by the USTA · Designed by the tennisss team · tennisss.com

Content by the USTA · tennisss.com

How to rate yourself

1.Read the chart from the top, starting at 1.0.
2.Find the level that best describes your general standard of play.
3.Between two levels? Rate toward your stronger skills - that is the USTA's own guidance.
4.Ask a coach to sanity-check it if you want a second opinion.
5.Re-rate yourself now and then. Your level moves as you play more.

Self-ratings are usually off by half a point or more in either direction, so treat yours as a starting point rather than a verdict.

A note for Canadian players

Tennis Canada used to publish its own “Play Tennis” self-rating guide as a PDF, and many clubs still link to it - but that file was taken down and the link now returns a 404. Tennis Canada moved to the World Tennis Number (WTN) as its official rating, which is earned from match results rather than self-assessed.

In practice most Canadian clubs, ladders and group lessons still organise players by NTRP, so the chart above is the one you want. If you need a WTN equivalent, the converter below uses the Tennis Canada and Tennis BC comparison charts.

Rating converter

Rough equivalencies only - no official conversion exists between systems.

Your NTRP

WTN (Tennis Canada chart): 26+
WTN (Tennis BC chart): 28+
UTR (ballpark): 3-4.5

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Rating descriptions are the USTA’s National Tennis Rating Program self-rating categories. Laid out and published by tennisss.com - free to link to and print for club use.