Get out and play a tournament! Doubles tournament at my club in two weeks

Playing USTA League is popular with a lot of players.  Playing generally one match per week over 2-3 months works for a lot of people's schedules, and it usually results in matches between player's of similar abilities.  Quite a few folks also like the idea of playing on a team where the camaraderie and team result is the focus, and everyone works towards a season long goal.

For those that prefer to have their matches more condensed and/or are working on individual goals, there is tournament play.  Tournaments are usually played over 3-4 days and on weekends, with anywhere from 2-5 matches played depending on the size of the draw or tournament format.  The USTA sanctions both age division and NTRP tournaments, and other organizations sanction tournament play as well that may be ratings based or even gender neutral.  Some players play exclusively in tournaments and don't play in league, so playing in tournaments also offers the opportunity to play new players if you grow tired of facing the same players in league year after year.

NTRP Nationals for tournament players was just held the past few weekends and these players qualified to go based on playing NTRP tournaments in the area.  Different sections use different criteria for determining who will advance, but all involve qualifying by playing in NTRP tournaments during the year to accumulate points or advancing to a Sectionals tournament to identify the top players.

If you are interested in going to NTRP Nationals next year, now is the time to start playing NTRP tournaments.  The club I play at, Columbia Athletic Club Silver Lake, is hosting a few tournaments in the next month, a doubles event starting April 25th, and a singles event starting May 16th.

If you are wanting to get to NTRP Nationals, or just want to give tournament play a try, find a tournament near you!