The Wimbledon Championships may have inspired you to want to try grasscourt tennis. It is a luxury that most tennis players will never enjoy in their lifetime. However, there is actually an opportunity for almost every Adult player in the United States to experience grasscourt tennis this year. Quite a few USTA tournaments remain in 2023 with registration deadlines that have yet to pass. This could be your year!
The selection process that limits entry into National Championship tournaments is fairly rare in Adult Senior tennis. Essentially, if a player meets the eligibility criteria, they’re probably going to 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 players.
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 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.
Last December, I played on grass for the first time at the 50’s National Championships at Mission Hills. My experience playing on that surface was chronicled in “Playing on Grass.” That post has a lot of tips and observations for first timers competing on that surface.
Here is a summary of the grass court tournaments remaining in 2023, along with the entry deadlines. Maybe this is your grass court year!
| Date (Entry Deadline) | Divisions | Tournament/Location |
| 8/3-5 (7/21) | M-D, Senior M-D Super Senior M-D | 2023 USTA National Mother Daughter Open (Grass) Longwood Cricket Club Chestnut Hill, MA Level 1 |
| 8/3-5 (7/21) | Father-Daughter Senior F-D Super-Senior F-D 80+ F-D | 2023 USTA National Father-Daughter Grass Court Championships Longwood Cricket Club Chestnut Hill, MA Level 1 |
| 8/5-8 (7/21) | Men’s 30’s & 35’s | USTA National Grass Courts The Philadelphia Cricket Club Philadelphia, PA Level 1 |
| 8/11-13 (8/7) | Mixed Doubles | MSR Grass Court Adult Mixed Doubles Championship Mayfield Sand Ridge Club Euclid, OH Unsanctioned |
| 8/14-20 (8/3) | Men’s 70’s | USTA National Men’s 70’s Grass Court Championships Philadelphia Cricket Club Philadelphia, PA Level 1 |
| 8/21-24 (8/9) | Men’s 85’s and 90’s | 2023 USTA National 85 & 90 Grass Court Championships Longwood Cricket Club Chestnut Hill, MA Level 1 |
| 8/22-28 (8/10) | Men’s 60’s | USTA National Men’s 60’s Grass Court Championships The Philadelphia Cricket Club Philadelphia, PA Level 1 |
| 8/24-27 (8/16) | Men’s 50’s through 85’s Women’s 50’s through 75’s | Grass Court Senior Slam at Agawam Hunt Agawam Hunt Rumford, RI Level 4 |
| 9/5-10 (8/30) | Men’s 65’s | USTA National Men’s 65 Grass Championship Seabright Lawn Tennis Club Rumson, NJ Level 1 |
| 9/18-23 (9/6) | Men’s Open Women’s Open Mixed Open | USTA National Open Grass Court Championships International Tennis Hall Of Fame Newport, RI Level 1 |
| 9/19-24 (9/13) | Men’s 50’s and 55’s | USTA National Mens 50 & 55 Grass Court National Championship Agawam Hunt Rumford, RI Level 1 |
| 9/26-10/2 (9/17) | Women’s 30’s through 80’s | USTA National W 30,40,50,60, 70, & 80 Grass Court Championships Mission Hills Country Club Rancho Mirage, CA Level 1 |
Dates and venue are still pending for the National Senior, Super Senior & Ultra Senior FS Grass Court Championships (Level 1).
I share the enthusiasm for playing in grass. If you haven’t played on the surface then you really are missing a really joyous experience.
The sound of the ball on the racket is different and the court just feels comfortable! This is tennis as it should be played. If you have played other sports on grass fields – you will apprecaite the experince of playing tennis on grass even more.