The high-stakes environment of junior tennis is creating significant pressure on young players, with coaches and former athletes pointing to parental behavior as a key contributing factor. This intensity can turn the sport into a source of burnout rather than enjoyment, according to those involved.
Ellie-Rose Griffiths, a former top-ranked junior player who stopped competing at 19 due to burnout, recalled the pressure surrounding her junior career. "You see parents shouting at children all the time in tennis," Griffiths told BBC Sport. "There's a lack of understanding on how they should behave... on how they could help their child to blossom into the athlete that they should become."
Chris Johnson, head coach at Sutton Coldfield Tennis Club for 36 years, has witnessed the extreme end of this behavior. "We've had situations here before where unfortunately we've had to call the police because the parents' behaviour is getting that far out of control," he stated. "They won't listen, they think they can get away with anything, they don't respect the referees, it can get a bit ugly."
Both Griffiths and Johnson suggest that the competitive structure of tennis contributes to this parental pressure. The sport demands significant commitment from an early age, with children potentially starting on modified courts from age four. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has a performance pathway that supports promising juniors from age seven with the goal of reaching elite levels.
Competitions begin for children aged eight and under, and the ratings and rankings derived from these matches are seen as crucial for progression. "The minute they start playing their first competition," said Johnson, the pressure intensifies. He questioned the appropriateness of this early emphasis on competition, noting, "A lot of adults can't cope with the pressures of playing an individual sport and then they're expecting young children to be able to do so."
Steve Whelan, a coach with nearly three decades of experience, agreed that the system places too much emphasis on winning at a young age. "It just creates this race to the bottom because parents are chasing ratings and rankings," he observed. Whelan advises parents, "These are not tennis players. They are kids who play tennis and there's a big difference."
In response to concerns about excessive pressure on young athletes, the LTA conducted a review of its rating and ranking system in 2018. As a result, national rankings for peers are now only available for players in the under-11 age group. Younger children, from age eight upwards, are organized into competitions based on recent form rather than national rankings.
The LTA acknowledged that "there are occasions when a small minority of parents do not uphold the standards of behaviour expected" and is planning to launch a new initiative called Fair Play to promote positive parental conduct and support coaches. Despite these changes, the intense atmosphere surrounding junior tennis remains a significant concern for those aiming to foster healthy development in young athletes.