Women and girls special: we’re here to keep you in the game
by Ruth Jarvis
SELT Team
Tennis is one of the UK’s most gender-balanced sports, but there’s still a little way to go. In childhood, girls and boys play in equal numbers, but among adults, more than six out of ten players are men. So we’re launching a spring drive to keep our girls and women enjoying the sport’s many lifelong benefits, with a suite of classes and courses just for them.
We’ve found (and research agrees) that women can have different drivers for playing recreational tennis to men, with social enjoyment and fitness goals as important as competition for some. They may have caring responsibilities to prioritise, and they may prefer to develop their game in their own space. Meanwhile, there’s a real crisis brewing in girls’ tennis, with more giving up the game in their teens than ever before, for a perfect storm of reasons all amplified by social media (see the feature below). Our classes are designed to respond to the particular needs and concerns of women and girls in a fun and social atmosphere.
To keep mothers with childcare duties on court, we’re introducing an exciting new class at Manor House Gardens on Friday mornings: ‘mums and tots’ (book here). Mums who’ve played a bit of tennis before can join a (more-or-less!) normal session, while we keep the little ones entertained on the court next door. Children aged three and up are welcome; or if you’re a new mum please bring the baby in your buggy. There’s also a standard women-only cardio session at 9am (book here). Both these classes can be booked on a one-off basis.
In addition, we’ve restarted our girls-only sessions at Hilly Fields on Thursdays, for 7 to 10 year olds and 11 to 17 year olds; also at Hilly Fields we a running a women-only Tennis Xpress course, which is ideal for anyone new to tennis or who hasn’t played in a long time. These courses have just kicked off but the remaining sessions can still be booked; or sign up for our newsletter (above) to find out about future classes.
It sounds like great news. The number of children playing tennis in the UK is on the rise: it was up by 11% to 3.8 million in 2024, and 49% of these were girls. But this success story hides a far more concerning picture when girls hit puberty. In around Year 10 or 11, a sharp divergence kicks in between the participation and enjoyment of PE among girls and boys, known as the ‘enjoyment gap’. A shocking 43% of girls fall out of love with sport in their teens. And even as women’s pro sports are flourishing, girls are no longer daring to dream of an athletic career. Tennis is far from immune to this trend, and we know it affects our young players here in Lewisham, which is why we’re introducing girls-only classes for seven to 17-year-olds (see above).
Some reasons are physical. While the hormone changes of puberty typically supercharge energy levels and muscle mass in boys, for girls they bring challenges that can feel like real barriers. Periods (pain, low mood and worry about leakage) are an issue for over a third of secondary-school girls, and two-thirds say they cannot jump or run freely without a (costly) sports bra. Becoming hot and sweaty is another disincentive.
Then there are the social reasons: a natural self-consciousness; body image and a lack of choice in kit; peer and cultural pressure; gender stereotypes; and, disturbingly, a growing trend for abuse, including on social media. One in three girls now receive sexist comments when playing sports.
To keep their daughters enjoying the game, tennis parents need to be ready with emotional and practical support at home, bearing in mind the competing demands of social life, romantic interests and schoolwork. Make sure your daughters have all the period products they need, along with a couple of sports bras they are happy with (here’s some advice on choosing one).
Our coaches have noticed that some girls drop out when their friends do, and Women and Sport have found the single most effective incentive to keep teenagers engaged in sport is having a friend to go with, so stay alert to friendship groups shifting and do a little social engineering if you can.
It’s also important to keep sessions fun and interesting, and that’s what our coaches aim to do, day in, day out. We don’t care what you wear (except on your feet), and we don’t care whether you win. We don’t care how ‘sporty’ you are – we want you to be you.
Age 16
Favourite court Hilly Fields
Favourite shot Forehand
Dream doubles partner Aryna Sabalenko
How did you get into tennis? When I was five, my dad bought my mum a tennis voucher with SELT, and then mum started to take me along too.
What does it bring to your life? I love the community, and I’ve got a whole friendship group at Ladywell. Tennis is my main sport so it definitely keeps me fit and it helps dial me down from all the academics, which can really get in your head. When playing my matches, I’m just thinking ‘how am I going to win this point?’.
How often do you play? It was about four times a week before GCSEs, and the summer camps too, but it’s down to once a week now so I can focus on the schoolwork. I sometimes play competitively, ladies doubles in the North Kent League. I’ve made a lot of friends through it and it’s great to visit the other clubs and see different people playing. When I get to A levels I think I’ll be able to do a bit more but the timetable can go up to 5pm, so it will be challenging. They used to have courts at school but not many people were playing and they stopped. I’ve been finding out that a lot of young girls drop out of tennis in their teens.
Has this affected you? Yes, when I was younger, there used to be quite a few more girls. And on Saturdays, two of my best friends have left: I think it was because of academics.
Do you have any advice for girls thinking of leaving? The more you play, the more you get better, right? So it’s going to be more rewarding the more you play. And it’s a big community in Ladywell, so that’s a good reason for staying.
And it’s brought you lots of opportunities? Yes, I’ve represented Lewisham in the London Youth Games, had tournament experience in the Ladywell Cup [Alex won the ladies’ doubles with her mum, Doris, in 2024, pictured above] and I’ve been an SELT Young Leader since I was 13. It helps with my tennis, because when you play a lot you can lose some of the basics, and I learn more things with the older coaches as well.
What does it involve? You help out the coaches at junior sessions, support them with demos and show the kids where they need to be.
Not just picking up balls, then? Everybody has to pick up for us!
Thanks, Alex, and good luck with the exams!
🎾 Children who play racket sports regularly develop strong neural connections for alertness and memory, which often correlates with higher academic performance.
🎾 A study of 14-16-year-old girls found that playing tennis significantly improves self-esteem and body image and builds a positive, ‘can-do’ attitude.
🎾 As a high-impact weight-bearing activity, tennis during puberty contributes significantly to building in bone mineral density in the spine and hips, protecting against the osteoporosis that women can experience in later life.
… and women (in addition to the all-round benefits!)
🎾 Tennis promotes a ‘dynamic core’. Its controlled multidirectional lunges help strengthen the pelvic floor and transverse abdominals more effectively than static exercises – good news for women, especially if they have had children.
🎾 The stop/start nature of tennis is notably better than continuous cardio for managing the changes in fat deposition during perimenopause and menopause.
🎾 While men typically have a ‘fight or flight’ response to stress, women’s brains are wired for a ‘tend-and-befriend’ response. The social interaction on the court triggers an oxytocin release that acts as a mental-health reset.
Not sure what to wear on court? Tell it like it is with this fab T-shirt from SPRT London. Their mission is to help women fall in love with sport, and a slice of their profits goes to funding access for females. Plus their awesome active gear supports you in all the right places.
Women have some distinct physiological advantages on court, particularly regarding endurance, balance and stability, but men are generally more powerful. Here are two key ways to level the playing field.
Tennis: facing a strong serve
In mixed doubles, your main aim as receiver of the first serve is to redirect the ball strategically rather than trying to meet power with power.
🎾 Stand several feet behind the baseline in a wide, stable stance, elbows out
🎾 Get your split-step in early and don’t expect to have time for a take-back (think block, not swing)
🎾 Aim, if you can, crosscourt to the server’s body, or down the middle
Pickleball: the reset
If a strong player is banging the ball at you, your job is to ‘reset’ the point by returning it gently into the non-volley zone to force a slower, more tactical game. The idea is to take the pace off the ball, so absorb the power with a loose grip.
🎾 Keep your paddle in a ‘ready’ backhand position in front of you
🎾 Block, don’t swing, and don’t move either your paddle or your body forward
🎾 Aim to ‘kill’ the ball so it lands softly in the kitchen, preventing the opponent from smashing the next shot
And that’s all for this month. Time to get out and enjoy the sun!
See you on court!
Website by Dan Stevens