Tennis etiquette is the set of unwritten rules and courtesies that every player is expected to follow on and off the court. These are not part of the official ITF Rules of Tennis, but they are taken seriously by players at every level, from beginners hitting at a public park near Sheppard Avenue East to competitive juniors in tournaments across North York and the Greater Toronto Area. Knowing proper tennis etiquette makes the game more enjoyable for everyone, earns you the respect of your fellow players, and helps you fit in naturally at any club or court you visit.
This guide covers the 7 etiquette rules every new player must know, the 3 R’s of etiquette, what common mistakes to avoid, why players say sorry after a net cord, what good manners look like before and after a match, and everything in between. Tennis is growing fast in Canada: according to the 2024 ITF Global Tennis Report, Canada now ranks second globally for the percentage of its population playing tennis at 12.8%, with nearly 5 million Canadians picking up a racquet. With so many new players joining the sport, knowing the etiquette that keeps it enjoyable for everyone is more important than ever.
What Are the 7 Etiquette Rules in Tennis?
The 7 etiquette rules in tennis are: respect the warm-up, make honest line calls, control your emotions, keep quiet between points, return balls carefully, acknowledge good shots, and shake hands at the end of every match. These seven rules cover the most important on-court behaviours that define a respectful and fair player.
1. Respect the Warm-Up
Respect the warm-up by feeding balls to your opponent so they can prepare properly. The warm-up is not the match. It is a cooperative period for both players to loosen up, stretch, and find their timing before the first real point is played. According to the official Tennis Canada rules, a warm-up should be no longer than five minutes unless otherwise agreed by the players or organizers. Hit to your opponent at a moderate pace. Work through groundstrokes, volleys, overheads, and serves together. Never try to ace your opponent or put balls away in the warm-up. That wastes their time and yours, and it signals poor sportsmanship before the match has even started.
2. Make Honest Line Calls
Make honest line calls by giving your opponent the benefit of the doubt on any ball you are not 100% certain about. In the vast majority of recreational and club tennis matches played across North York and the broader Ontario Tennis Association area, there are no officials. Players call their own lines. According to the USTA’s official player code, “The Code,” any ball that cannot be called out with certainty must be played as good. Any part of the line is in. If you are unsure, the ball is in. This rule is non-negotiable. Bad line calls are the fastest way to earn a poor reputation on the circuit, and once that reputation forms, it is very difficult to shake.
3. Control Your Emotions
Control your emotions by staying composed after missed shots, bad bounces, and close calls. Throwing a racquet, shouting in frustration, or slamming the court surface are all violations of tennis etiquette, and at the competitive level they are also punishable under the ITF Code of Conduct. Emotional outbursts are disrespectful to your opponent, disruptive to players on adjacent courts, and damaging to the culture of the sport. Rudyard Kipling’s famous lines are displayed at the entrance to Centre Court at Wimbledon for a reason: meeting triumph and disaster with the same composure is the ideal every tennis player aspires to, even when it is very hard.
4. Keep Quiet Between Points
Keep quiet between points by staying silent when your opponent is preparing to serve and during all rallies. Talking, calling out, or making sudden movements while your opponent is hitting is considered a hindrance. According to Tennis Canada and the Ontario Tennis Association etiquette guidelines, making unnecessary noise during a point can result in the loss of the point if the distraction is deemed intentional. Even unintentional sounds that break a player’s concentration are frowned upon. Keep your voice down, keep your phone on silent, and save your conversations for changeovers and the time between games.
5. Return Balls Carefully
Return balls carefully by rolling or gently hitting them to the back of the opponent’s court when they have a ball on their side that has rolled in. Never smash a stray ball across the net or into an adjacent court. According to USTA’s “The Code,” each player is responsible for removing stray balls from their side of the court. If a ball from another court rolls onto yours during a point, call a let and replay the point. It is also good form to wait for a break in play on a neighbouring court before asking for your ball back. Families at courts near Leslie and McNicoll, in Earl Bales Park, or along the Bayview Avenue corridor see this happen all the time, especially during busy sessions.
6. Acknowledge Good Shots
Acknowledge good shots with a quick “nice shot,” a nod, or a tap of your racquet strings when your opponent hits something genuinely impressive. This is one of the most distinctive and admirable traditions in tennis. It costs nothing and signals that you respect both the game and the person on the other side of the net. Players who acknowledge their opponent’s best shots also tend to be more resilient emotionally, because they are focused on the quality of play rather than only the score.
7. Shake Hands After the Match
Shake hands or tap racquets at the net after every match, win or lose. This is the formal closing gesture of every tennis match at every level. Come to the net promptly when the last point ends. Shake hands with your opponent and, in doubles, with both opponents and your partner. Say “good match” or “well played” regardless of the result. This moment of sportsmanship is one of the things that makes tennis unique as a sport, and skipping it or being half-hearted about it leaves a poor impression that lingers long after the score is forgotten.
What Are Common Tennis Etiquette Rules Every New Player Must Know?
Common tennis etiquette rules every new player must know include arriving on time, wearing appropriate footwear, calling the score out loud before each point, not crossing behind a court during a point, and waiting for a break in play before entering or walking past a court. These rules govern the shared spaces and social dynamics of any tennis facility.
Arriving on time means being on the court and ready to play at the scheduled start time, not walking through the gate at that time. The TopSpinPro etiquette guide recommends arriving 15 to 20 minutes early so you have time for the bathroom, hydration, and a brief off-court warm up. Arriving late inconveniences your opponent and anyone waiting to use the court after you.
Wearing appropriate footwear means tennis-specific shoes with non-marking soles. Running or cross-training shoes leave scuff marks on hard courts and can damage the surface over time. Many clubs in North York, including those near the Donalda Golf and Country Club area and the Bayview Village Tennis Club, specifically require non-marking tennis shoes. Check the facility’s rules before your first visit.
Calling the score out loud before each point is required in recreational and club matches where there is no official. The server calls the game score before beginning each game, and the score within the game before each point. According to the Tyandaga Tennis Club’s etiquette guide, this practice helps prevent disputes and keeps both players on the same page throughout the match. Skipping this step is one of the most common etiquette mistakes new players make.
New players in Willowdale, Henry Farm, and across the wider North York community who understand these basics from their first time on a court find the entire experience far more welcoming. First impressions on the court matter, and proper etiquette creates them immediately.
What Are the 3 R’s of Etiquette?
The 3 R’s of etiquette are Respect, Responsibility, and Restraint. In tennis, these three principles underpin every specific rule and custom the sport observes.
Respect means treating your opponent, your partner in doubles, spectators, and the court itself with care and consideration. It means making fair calls, acknowledging good play, and behaving the same way whether you are winning comfortably or losing badly. According to TennisCompanion’s etiquette guide, good sportsmanship, which they define as fair and generous behaviour toward others, is at the core of everything tennis etiquette represents.
Responsibility means you own your side of the court, your calls, your conduct, and your behaviour. You are responsible for the line calls on your side. You are responsible for keeping stray balls off adjacent courts. You are responsible for being ready to serve or return without making your opponent wait. And you are responsible for cleaning up after yourself when you leave the court. No one else will do these things for you.
Restraint means managing your emotions, keeping your voice down, and holding back reactions that might disrupt others. Tennis has always rewarded the composed player. Courts near Cresthaven Park, the courts off Don Mills Road, and the facilities around Finch and Bayview are shared spaces where dozens of players may be on court at the same time. Restraint is what makes that shared environment work.
What Does 6-2, 6-3 Mean in Tennis?
A score of 6-2, 6-3 in tennis means one player won the match by winning two sets. In the first set, they won 6 games and their opponent won 2. In the second set, they won 6 games and their opponent won 3. To win a set in tennis, a player needs to win 6 games and lead by at least 2. If the set reaches 6-6, a tiebreak is played. To win the match in a best-of-three format, a player needs to win 2 sets.
From an etiquette standpoint, a score like 6-2, 6-3 is a decisive result. The winner should acknowledge their opponent’s effort genuinely at the net, not perform a wild celebration. The loser should congratulate the winner with sincerity and without making excuses. Both behaviours reflect the character that tennis is built on.
What Are the 5 C’s of Tennis Etiquette?
The 5 C’s of tennis etiquette are Courtesy, Composure, Consideration, Consistency, and Communication. These five words capture the full spirit of how a respectful tennis player behaves from the moment they arrive at the facility to the moment they leave.
Courtesy covers all the small gestures: holding the gate, returning stray balls, saying “good match,” and letting others know you need to cross behind their court before you do it. Composure is managing your reaction to missed shots, bad luck, and disputed calls without letting your emotions spill over onto other players or the court surface. Consideration means thinking about how your actions affect the players around you, including those on adjacent courts who can hear and see everything you do. Consistency means applying the same standard to yourself that you apply to your opponent: if you would not accept a call without certainty from them, do not make one yourself. Communication means calling the score clearly, signalling your partner in doubles, calling “mine” or “out” decisively, and talking to your opponent calmly if a dispute arises.
Junior players at camps near Steeles Avenue East and the Seneca Village community centre, as well as adult recreational players throughout the Newtonbrook and Lansing areas, find that learning these five C’s early makes the rest of the etiquette framework easy to remember and apply.
What Are the 8 Skills in Tennis?
The 8 skills in tennis are serving, returning, forehand groundstroke, backhand groundstroke, volleys, overhead smash, footwork and movement, and mental composure. These eight skills cover the complete technical and physical demands of the sport from beginner to competitive level.
Etiquette connects to every one of these skills, because good tennis etiquette requires that you never use them irresponsibly. You do not smash overheads directly at opponents at close range in recreational doubles. You do not serve full pace in warm-up. You do not use your footwork to dance around and distract your opponent during their service motion. The skills and the etiquette of the sport are inseparable: knowing how to hit every shot properly also means knowing when, where, and with how much intensity it is appropriate to use them.
What Is the Golden Rule of Tennis Etiquette?
The golden rule of tennis etiquette is: if you are not sure, the ball was in. This single principle, which appears in the USTA’s “The Code” and is endorsed by the Ontario Tennis Association, is the foundation of all line calling in recreational tennis. Doubt always goes to the opponent. Always.
This rule matters more than any other because it is the one most frequently broken and the one that creates the most conflict. A player who calls balls out when they are not sure is cheating, even if they tell themselves they saw it correctly. Calling a ball out requires certainty. Everything else is in. According to Talking Tennis’s guide to junior tennis behaviour, bad line calls are the quickest way to earn a cheating reputation on the circuit, and that reputation is extremely difficult to change once established.
Beyond line calls, the golden rule of tennis etiquette in its broader sense is simply: treat your opponent the way you would want to be treated. Players who compete at courts near Bayview Station, at facilities off Leslie Street, and across the parks and clubs of North York all share this standard. It costs nothing to be a fair and respectful player, and it makes every match better for everyone on and near the court.
Why Do Players Say Sorry in Tennis?
Players say sorry in tennis when they win a point through a net cord, a mishit, or pure luck rather than through skill. It is one of the oldest and most recognised traditions in the sport. The apology is not genuine in the sense that the player wishes they had lost the point. It is a gesture of acknowledgement that the point was not won through intent or ability, and that they respect both the skill required to play the sport well and the effort their opponent put into the rally.
According to Talking Tennis’s guide to junior sportsmanship, the “sorry” for a net cord is an important reminder that tennis players care about more than just the score. They respect the craft, the competition, and the culture of the sport. Saying sorry when you win a lucky point signals that you are not just trying to accumulate wins by any means. You value fair competition.
Similarly, when your opponent gets a lucky net cord or a mishit, the right response is a small smile or a brief laugh rather than frustration or a complaint. These moments happen to everyone. Your turn will come, and how you handle them defines your character on the court more clearly than any score ever will.
What Are the 7 Rules of Respect in Tennis?
The 7 rules of respect in tennis are: respect the court, respect your opponent, respect the score, respect your partner in doubles, respect the officials when present, respect the players on adjacent courts, and respect the tradition and culture of the sport.
Respecting the court means wearing non-marking shoes, not dragging your feet across clay or hard court surfaces, picking up ball cans and rubbish before you leave, and closing the gate behind you. Respecting your opponent means making fair calls, being ready to play on time, and never engaging in deliberate gamesmanship. Respecting the score means calling it clearly and honestly before each point, never adjusting it in your favour, and accepting the result at the end.
Respecting your partner in doubles means communicating, not blaming them for errors, calling “mine” or “yours” decisively, and approaching every point as a shared effort. Respecting officials when present means accepting their calls without argument. Respecting adjacent courts means keeping your voice at a level that does not carry across courts and waiting for a break in play before walking behind a court in use. Respecting the tradition of the sport means understanding why these customs exist and honouring them, even when it is inconvenient.
According to the 2024 ITF Global Tennis Report, Canada now has nearly 5 million active tennis players, with Ontario leading the country in participation. As more new players arrive at courts across North York, including parks near Victoria Park and Finch, near Warden Avenue and Steeles, and at facilities all along the Bayview and Sheppard corridor, the collective standard of court respect shapes whether the sport remains as welcoming and enjoyable as it should be for everyone.
What Are Examples of Good Etiquette in Tennis?
Examples of good etiquette in tennis include introducing yourself to your opponent before the match, offering to spin for serve rather than just assuming, feeding easy balls during the warm-up, calling the score before every point, saying “good shot” when your opponent hits a winner, apologising for net cords, waiting for a break in play before crossing behind another court, and shaking hands immediately and sincerely at the final point.
Small gestures count enormously in this sport. Returning a stray ball by gently rolling it to the back of the opponent’s court rather than smashing it at them. Having two balls ready before you serve so the point can begin without delay. Not returning your opponent’s clearly missed first serve so they do not have to chase it down before their second. Keeping your celebrations proportionate to the moment. These are the details that experienced players notice and new players sometimes miss.
The SOKY Tennis etiquette guide makes an important observation about doubles specifically: it is not against the rules to target the weaker player in doubles, but in recreational matches where fun is the purpose, doing so relentlessly is poor etiquette. Know the difference between playing to win in a competitive match and playing to humiliate in a friendly one. Tennis should be enjoyable for everyone on the court, and a skilled player always has the power to make it better or worse for the others around them.
Players who want to develop both their game and their etiquette at the same time will find that structured instruction from certified coaches naturally builds these habits. The junior spring program at Hillcrest Tennis Camp incorporates sportsmanship and etiquette education as part of every session, so players learn the culture of the sport alongside the technical skills from day one.
What Are Common Etiquette Mistakes New Players Make?
Common etiquette mistakes new players make are: not calling the score before serving, failing to wait for adjacent courts to finish their point before crossing behind them, returning a clearly missed first serve instead of blocking it aside, using the warm-up to practise winners, making line calls they are not certain about, and not shaking hands promptly at the end of the match.
Another very common mistake is leaving the gate open when entering or leaving the court. Most tennis facilities ask players to keep gates closed to contain stray balls and prevent them from rolling onto adjacent courts or into walkways. It is a small thing that many new players overlook, but experienced players notice it immediately.
A less obvious but significant mistake is bouncing the ball excessively before serving. According to the USTA’s “The Code,” excessive bouncing of the ball before serving is considered a form of stalling and is subject to penalty under the Point Penalty System in formal competition. In recreational play, it is simply inconsiderate of your opponent’s time and focus. Serve without unnecessary delay.
Parents watching junior matches also have etiquette responsibilities. According to the SOKY Tennis parental etiquette guide, excessive emotional reactions from parents, coaching from the sidelines, and intervening in line call disputes on behalf of a child are all breaches of tennis etiquette and can put unfair pressure on young players. The standard expectation is the same for parents as it is for spectators: watch supportively, stay quiet between points, and let the players manage what happens on the court.
What Are the 4 Pillars of Tennis?
The 4 pillars of tennis are technical skill, physical fitness, tactical intelligence, and mental strength. These four pillars describe the complete development framework used in player pathways at every level, from beginner programs to elite competitive training.
Etiquette connects directly to the fourth pillar, mental strength. A player who can maintain composure after a bad call, a lucky net cord for their opponent, or a run of missed shots is demonstrating exactly the kind of mental control that separates good players from great ones. Etiquette is not separate from mental strength. It is one of its clearest expressions. Every time you choose to be gracious under pressure, you are practising the mental discipline that will serve you in the most competitive moments of your tennis career.
According to Tennis Canada’s participation data, 25% of Canadians under the age of 12 played tennis in 2023, and 30% of Canadian parents said they intended to enrol their children in tennis programming in the year ahead, up from 23% in 2022. For all of these young players coming into the sport, learning the 4 pillars together, including the etiquette dimension of mental strength, creates well-rounded athletes and well-rounded people.
Junior players who join programs at Hillcrest Tennis Camp, near Cresthaven Park in the heart of Hillcrest Village, learn all four pillars in a structured, progressive environment with certified coaches who model excellent sportsmanship in every session they run. Families from Don Mills, Bayview Village, York Mills, and Newtonbrook trust Hillcrest for exactly this holistic approach to player development.
What Are the 4 Types of Serves in Tennis?
The 4 types of serves in tennis are the flat serve, the slice serve, the kick serve (also called the topspin serve), and the body serve. Each serve has a different flight path, bounce, and tactical purpose, and each one carries its own etiquette considerations when used appropriately or inappropriately in different match contexts.
The flat serve is hit with minimal spin and travels fastest through the air. It is the most powerful serve and the one most likely to produce an ace. The slice serve curves away from the receiver and is effective for pulling opponents wide off the court. The kick serve bounces high and kicks away from the receiver, making it ideal as a second serve because the extra spin reduces the risk of double faults. The body serve is aimed directly at the returner’s hip or shoulder, jamming them and forcing a weak return.
From an etiquette standpoint, the underarm serve, which is technically legal, is a subject of ongoing debate. SOKY Tennis notes that some players view it as disrespectful, while others consider it simply a tactical choice. The general consensus in recreational tennis is that using it occasionally as a surprise is acceptable, but using it repeatedly as a primary tactic is considered poor form outside of a competitive match where the goal is solely to win.
Tennis Etiquette: Quick Reference Guide for New Players
| Situation | Correct Etiquette | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Before the Match | Arrive early, introduce yourself, spin for serve together | Arriving at match time with no time to warm up |
| Warm-Up | Feed easy balls to all parts of the court; help your opponent prepare | Going for winners or practising aces during warm-up |
| Line Calls | Call only with certainty; doubt always goes to the opponent | Calling balls out without being sure; calling from the wrong side |
| Score Calling | Call game score before each game, point score before each point | Not calling the score; adjusting it later when disputed |
| Ball Handling | Have two balls ready to serve; return stray balls gently | Making your opponent wait while you find a ball; smashing stray balls |
| Lucky Points | Say sorry for net cords and mishits; accept your opponent’s luck graciously | Wildly celebrating a lucky point; complaining about your opponent’s luck |
| Emotions | Stay composed; breathe; reset between points | Racquet throwing; shouting in frustration; excessive self-criticism |
| Adjacent Courts | Keep voice down; wait for point to finish before crossing behind | Walking behind courts mid-point; loud conversations near in-use courts |
| After the Match | Come to the net promptly; shake hands; say “good match” sincerely | Delaying the handshake; making excuses; leaving the court without picking up rubbish |
Sources: USTA “The Code” – Players’ Guide to Fair Play and the Unwritten Rules of Tennis; Ontario Tennis Association etiquette guidelines; Tennis Canada official warm-up rules; Tyandaga Tennis Club etiquette guide; Beaumont Etiquette guide; Etiquette School of New York tennis etiquette reference; SOKY Tennis etiquette guide; Talking Tennis junior sportsmanship guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important tennis etiquette rules for junior players in North York?
The most important tennis etiquette rules for junior players in North York are making honest line calls, calling the score out loud before every point, controlling emotions after lost points, and acknowledging their opponent’s good shots. According to Talking Tennis’s guide to junior tennis behaviour, bad line calls are the fastest way to earn a poor reputation among other junior players, and that reputation is hard to change. Junior players at facilities near Cresthaven Park, along Finch Avenue East, and throughout the Hillcrest Village and Bayview Village area benefit from learning these habits in structured programs where coaches model and reinforce them consistently from the first lesson.
What is proper tennis etiquette when a ball from another court rolls onto yours?
Proper tennis etiquette when a ball from another court rolls onto yours is to call a let and replay the point. The point is automatically interrupted because the stray ball creates a safety hazard and a distraction. You should then return the ball to the adjacent court at a break in play by rolling it or gently hitting it back, not by smashing it. According to the USTA “The Code,” each player is also responsible for clearing stray balls from their side of the court before serving to prevent the same hazard from affecting their opponent. This rule applies at courts near McNicoll Park, in the parks off Leslie Street, and at any recreational facility in North York where multiple courts run side by side.
Is it bad etiquette to grunt loudly in tennis?
Loud grunting in tennis is considered poor etiquette in recreational play, even though it is common among professional players. The Ontario Tennis Association’s etiquette guidelines specifically state that players should avoid grunting or making other loud noises. In recreational and junior club tennis, loud grunting can disrupt both your opponent’s concentration and the players on adjacent courts. Some players grunt naturally as part of their physical effort, and that is generally accepted. Deliberate, exaggerated grunting intended to obscure the sound of ball contact or distract the opponent crosses into hindering behaviour and is a breach of both etiquette and the rules of the game.
What does good etiquette look like when watching a junior match in North York?
Good etiquette when watching a junior match means staying quiet during points, cheering only after points end, never coaching from the sideline, and not reacting loudly or emotionally to line calls. According to the SOKY Tennis parental etiquette guide, excessive emotional reactions from parents place unfair pressure on young players and can affect their enjoyment and performance. Parents watching junior matches at facilities throughout Willowdale, Newtonbrook, Henry Farm, and Don Mills should encourage effort rather than outcomes, stay positive regardless of the score, and trust the players and coaches to manage what happens on the court.
What should you wear for tennis in North York and what are the etiquette rules around dress code?
For tennis in North York and across Ontario, the basic dress code expectation is athletic clothing and non-marking tennis shoes. Non-marking shoes are required at most indoor and club courts because other footwear scuffs and damages the court surface. According to SOKY Tennis’s etiquette guide, recreational players sometimes show up in running or cross-training shoes, which shortens the lifespan of the court and is considered poor etiquette. Some private clubs and prestigious facilities in the Greater Toronto Area may have stricter dress codes, including collared shirts or specific colour requirements. Always check a new facility’s rules before your first visit to avoid an awkward situation at the gate.
How does understanding tennis etiquette help new players improve faster?
Understanding tennis etiquette helps new players improve faster because it aligns their mindset with the culture of the sport from the very beginning. Players who understand and follow proper etiquette earn the respect of opponents and coaches, find hitting partners more easily, and create a positive environment where the focus stays on improving rather than managing conflict. According to the 2024 ITF Global Tennis Report, Canada now ranks second globally in the percentage of its population playing tennis at 12.8%, up 7.1% since the previous report. With nearly 5 million Canadians playing the sport, the players who understand its culture fit into any court environment naturally and get more out of every session they play.
Why is tennis etiquette especially important for children learning the sport?
Tennis etiquette is especially important for children learning the sport because the habits formed in the earliest stages of a player’s development stay with them for decades. A junior player who learns to make honest calls, manage their emotions, and respect their opponent at age 7 carries those habits through every level of competition they reach. A 2025 study by The Harris Poll and First Tee found that 92% of parents believe playing sports helps children build character. Tennis, with its strong etiquette tradition and self-officiated structure, is one of the best sports for developing exactly this kind of character. Coaches at Hillcrest Tennis Camp incorporate etiquette education into every junior session, teaching players not just how to win but how to compete with integrity.
Learn Tennis the Right Way, From Day One
At Hillcrest Tennis Camp, etiquette is not an afterthought. It is taught alongside technique, tactics, and fitness from the very first session every junior and adult player attends. Our coaches model the behaviours they expect: honest calls, emotional composure, respect for opponents and partners, and genuine sportsmanship at the net every time a match ends.
Director Peter Nielsen is a Tennis Canada National Coach with over 40 years of experience and more than 17,000 students coached. Head Pro Roshun Razik, a former Davis Cup player, leads on-court instruction with the kind of international-level professionalism that sets the standard for every player who comes through our courts on Cresthaven Drive in North York’s Hillcrest Village. The entire coaching team is OTA certified and committed to developing well-rounded players with excellent on-court character.
Families from Bayview Village, Don Mills, Willowdale, Newtonbrook, Henry Farm, York Mills, Lansing, Banbury, and across the Greater Toronto Area enrol their children and themselves at Hillcrest for exactly this reason. Explore the full range of junior and adult programs, including our spring, summer, and fall options. For private one-on-one instruction focused on your specific game, private lessons are available seven days a week. Call 647-335-7473 or email info@hillcresttenniscamp.com to get started today.
