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Getting Started in Local Tennis

• Introduction
• USA League Tennis - MALT
• Player Eligibility
• How to Get Involved
• How to Join USTA and Get a Rating

Introduction Getting started in playing tennis locally is easy in the Madison tennis community.  There are many players that would be most happy to assist you.  The following offers suggestions for getting to know local tennis players and the resources available to you.  If you browse this website, you will find many email links to league coordinators, program directors, GMTA members and others that all stand ready to help get you oriented and involved in the local tennis community — Let's play tennis!

USA League Tennis - MALT
Experience the fun, friends and fitness benefits of tennis by playing competitive tennis on a team at your level of play — beginners are welcome!

You will see the acronym "MALT" — "Madison Area League Tennis".  MALT is the local division of the national USA League Tennis and is sponsored by USTA.

USA League Tennis is the country’s largest recreational tennis league, providing organized, structured team matches for almost 400,000 participants, men and women of all ability levels.  The purpose of USA League Tennis is to provide organized play, emphasizing local competition, with advancement for winning teams to State, Sectional (regional) and National championships.

Women’s and men’s teams compete at six levels as determined by the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) from beginner (2.5) through the accomplished (5.0) ability rating, to determine local champions.  Do you know what level player you are?  To determine, your rating see below.

The senior division (50 years of age or older), which debuted in 1991 attracted almost 55,000 players in 2000. The senior division has four NTRP levels from an intermediate at the 3.0 level through the advanced 4.5 level.

In addition to the adult and senior divisions, there is now a Super Senior division (60 and older).  MALT offers Summer leagues for men, women, seniors, super seniors, mixed doubles and senior mixed doubles at the 2.5 through 5.0 levels.  Madison has over 100 teams in these leagues.

Local winners in each of the USTA’s 17 sections advance to their area and sectional championships, and the top women’s and men’s 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0. 4.5, and 5.0 teams qualify to compete for national titles. The adult division (19 years of age and older) had almost 270,000 participants

Player Eligibility
Adult Leagues:  Any man or woman who will reach the age of 19 of the current calendar year.

Senior Leagues:  Any man or woman who will reach the age of 50 of the current calendar year.

Super Senior Leagues:  Any man or woman who will reach the age of 60 of the current calendar year.

All players must have an NTRP rating - see below.

All players must be a member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) - go to USTA website for joining the USTA - Membership Application.

How to Get Involved 
If you are not rated (i.e., if you do not have an NTRP rating), see below for how to get a rating.

To find a team and/or determine what league(s) that you may enjoy participating in, you can contact one of the local USTA coordinators for Men's, Women's and Mixed Doubles leagues (adult and senior leagues).

Also, browse this website.  Find events that you might like to participate in by checking out the Tennis Calendar and our other Web pages.  By going to any of the events, you will meet other tennis players that can help direct you to tennis enthusiasts and team captains that would be most happy to include you.

The GMTA Board of Directors (see our Contact Us page) are always anxious to help anyone interested in enjoying all that our tennis community has to offer.

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