Every year as summer winds down, the US Open takes over New York City. But the excitement isn’t just at Flushing Meadows. Across the city, and the country, people pick up racquets, dust off tennis shoes, and look for a coach to get them started. At TeachMe.To, we’ve seen the same pattern year after year: tennis lesson bookings spike right around the Open.
If you’ve ever felt inspired to book a lesson after watching a 5-set thriller, you’re not alone. And now we’ve got the numbers to prove it.
NYC: Ground Zero for the Tennis Boom
It makes sense that New York would lead the charge. With the Open happening in Queens, the city practically vibrates with tennis energy for two weeks. Pop-up courts show up in parks, after-work rallies become a thing, and you can’t walk through the subway without seeing someone carrying a racquet bag.
What the data shows in NYC:
In summer 2024, tennis lesson searches nearly quadrupled between June and August.
Lesson bookings followed the same path, rising to about four times the early-summer levels by the time the Open started.
Year over year, the Open season (July–September 2024) brought nearly twice as many lesson bookings as the same stretch in 2023.
In fact, about 40% of all tennis lessons in NYC in 2024 were booked during those three months alone.
The trend is even clearer in 2025. From March through August, NYC tennis lesson bookings climbed steadily, hitting a late-summer peak that was roughly 2.5× higher than spring levels. Coaches across the five boroughs reported fully booked schedules weeks before the Open began.
And New York is ready for it, with more than 500 public courts spread across the city plus the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where some TeachMe.To coaches even give lessons on the same courts used during the Open.
Nationwide Momentum
The spike isn’t just a New York thing. Across the U.S., lesson interest rises in lockstep with the Open. Google searches for “tennis lessons near me” and “tennis coaches” hit their highs during late August and early September, and bookings follow.
The national picture looks like this:
In 2024, U.S. tennis lesson bookings during July–September were close to double what they had been the previous year.
Almost 4 in 10 tennis lessons booked nationwide in 2024 happened during this Open season window.
In 2025, demand is trending even higher. By August, national tennis lesson bookings on TeachMe.To were roughly 40% above the same month in 2024.
The USTA’s broader participation numbers back it up: 25.7 million Americans played tennis in 2024, an increase of nearly 2 million from the year before. That’s about 1 in 12 people in the country picking up a racquet.
Why the US Open Drives Lesson Demand
So why does lesson demand spike so sharply during the Open? It’s a mix of cultural buzz and inspiration:
The spotlight effect: When nearly 1.05 million fans attend the 2024 Open, the first time the tournament has ever crossed the million-mark, the sport feels impossible to ignore.
Role models: Stars like Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz are bringing fresh energy, and their runs in New York make tennis relatable for new players.
Pop culture crossover: Even movies (Challengers, 2024) have nudged interest, global searches for “adult tennis lessons” more than doubled after it hit theaters.
The social pull: The Open has become a cultural happening. The celebrity sightings, TikTok trends, and Instagram stories make tennis look cool, sparking curiosity among younger players.
2025: The Biggest Year Yet?
All signs point to 2025 being the strongest year yet for tennis lessons in both NYC and the U.S. nationally. The Open itself expanded to 15 days to meet fan demand. And by mid-year, TeachMe.To’s lesson bookings were already running well ahead of 2024’s pace.
For coaches, this has meant busier schedules and longer waitlists. For players, it’s meant more opportunities to get on court with experienced instructors, from beginners learning how to rally to intermediates fine-tuning their serves.
From Fans to Players
The best part? This isn’t just a short-term bump. Many of those who start lessons around the US Open stick with the game long after the last ball is struck in Queens. That’s the real legacy of the tournament: not just crowning champions, but inspiring thousands of new players to join the sport.
So if you’ve been feeling the itch to get on court, now’s the time. Whether you’re in New York City or anywhere else in the U.S., chances are there’s a coach nearby ready to help you ride the wave of US Open energy.
Game, set, match, tennis lessons are booming, and 2025 might just be the year the sport breaks through to a whole new level.
