The USPTA was founded in 1927 as the Professional Lawn Tennis Association. It has grown from a membership of less than 200 to its current 12,500 members including individuals in 60 nations. Among its members, past and present, are many of the great names in tennis history. The USPTA has alliances with associations in several nations such as Japan, Mexico, and South Africa, but it is primarily a U.S. organization, with its 17 divisions each a U.S. region.
To gain USPTA certification, you must pass an exam that includes:
- demonstrating your own proficiency at executing various strokes
- teaching a group and a private lesson
- analyzing stroke errors
- demonstrating grips
- passing a written exam that covers a wide range of tennis topics, including teaching, playing, equipment, and history
The USPTA and the PTR offer similar versions of the benefits listed on the previous page. For example, both currently provide $4 million in liability insurance, a tennis teaching magazine, and discount relationships with several manufacturers. The specifics vary, but they tend to match each other's benefits.
