As the professional grass court season rolls into the Wimbledon Championships, it’s the time of the tennis season when recreational players get the urge to try grasscourt tennis. It is a luxury that most modern tennis players will never enjoy in their lifetime. However, there actually is an opportunity for almost every Adult player in the United States to experience grasscourt tennis this year. This is my annual post summarizing the opportunities to play on the grass by entering a sanctioned USTA tournament. There are quite a few events in 2024 with registration deadlines that have yet to pass. This is your year!
If you enter, you will most likely be accepted. The selection process that limits entry into National Championship tournaments is rarely necessary in Adult tennis. Any player who meets the eligibility criteria will probably get into the draw. Additionally, even when selection is required, the cutoff is lower than many players probably assume. For example, in 2021, a full 64 draw for Men’s Open Singles included quite a few 4.5 NTRP and at least one NTRP 4.0 player.
Will you get your ass handed to you on the court? Maybe, but that is something that eventually happens to almost everybody at that level. A few years ago, I won two rounds in a Level 1 hardcourt main draw before evisceration at the hands of a former WTA player in the Round of 16. I promise you that no one will mind or resent your participation in the tournament. Have fun and take lots of pictures.
I will check off an item on my bucket list in August by playing the Mother-Daughter doubles hosted by the Longwood Cricket Club. It is an iconic venue for its rich history with tennis, including hosting the first-ever Davis Cup tie and the U.S. National Championships (now the U.S. Open) on multiple occasions. It is a prestigious and historic tennis venue, and stepping onto the court to compete there will be a highlight of my tennis life.
For anyone interested in tips or experience playing on grass, “Playing on Grass” captures my first experience with the surface at Mission Hills in 2022.
Here is a summary of the grass court tournaments remaining in 2023. Maybe this is your grass court year!
| Date (Entry Deadline) | Divisions | Tournament/Location |
| July 15-21 (July 5) | Women’s 35+, 45+, 55+, 65+, 75+, 85+ Singles and Doubles | Level 1: USTA National Women’s 35-85 Grass Court Championships, Germantown Cricket Club, Philadelphia, PA |
| July 15-17 (July 1) | Father-Son Doubles, Grandfather-Grandson Doubles | Level 1: USTA National Father-Son & Grandfather-Grandson Grass Court Championships, Longwood Cricket Club, Boston, MA |
| August 1-4 (July 26) | Men’s and Women’s 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+, 85+ Singles and Doubles | Level 4 Open: New England Grass Court Senior Slam, Agawam Hunt, Rumford, RI |
| August 1-3 (July 19) | Father-Daughter Doubles | Level 1: USTA National F-D Open, F-D Senior, F-D SS & Father over 80 Grass Court Championships, Longwood Cricket Club, Boston, MA |
| August 1-3 (July 19) | Mother-Daughter Doubles | Level 1: USTA National Mother Daughter Open, M-D 60 & M-D 70 Grass Court Championships, Longwood Cricket Club, Boston, MA |
| August 3-6 (July 19) | Men’s 30+ and 35+ Singles and Doubles | Level 1: USTA National Grass Courts Men’s 30’s & 35’s, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia, PA |
| August 12-18 (August 1) | Men’s 70+ Singles and Doubles | Level 1: USTA National Men’s 70’s Singles & Doubles Grass Courts, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia, PA |
| August 20-26 (August 8) | Men’s 70+ Singles and Doubles | Level 1: USTA National Men’s 60’s Grass Court Championships, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia, PA |
| September 3-9 (Registrations open July 10) | Men’s 65+ Singles and Doubles | Level 1: USTA 65 National Men’s Grass Tournament, Seabright Lawn Tennis Club, Rumson, NJ |
| September 10-15 (August 31) | Men’s 50+ and 55+ Singles and Doubles | Level 1: USTA Men’s 50s and 55s Grass Court National Championships, Agawam Hunt, Rumford, RI |
| September 16-22 (September 6) | Men’s and Women’s Open Singles and Doubles, Mixed Doubles | Level 1: USTA National Open Grass Court Championships, International Tennis Hall Of Fame, Newport, RI |
| September 23-30 (September 15) | Women’s 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+, 70+, 80+, and 90+ Singles and Doubles | Level 1: Women’s National Grass Court 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 & 90, Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, CA |
