Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Session Dates
Sessions commence the week beginning Monday 13th April and the last date of sessions will be the Sunday 19th July.
There are no sessions over half term: 25th May to 31st May
No sessions on Bank Holiday Dates: 4th May
Please note: Orange sessions are for 1 hour.
LTA Youth Orange Ball is the next step in the LTA's junior tennis program, designed for children aged 8 to 9. Building on the basic skills from the Red Ball stage, Orange Ball introduces more advanced tactics and techniques on a slightly larger court with a faster ball.
Key features
Age group: Primarily for children aged 8 and 9 born in 2017 & 2018
Court size: Played on an enlarged court, which is still smaller than a full-sized court. For singles, the court is 18m x 6.5m.
Equipment:
Ball: A low-compression orange ball is used. It is 50% slower than a standard yellow ball and bounces lower, giving players better control and more time to hit shots.
Racket: Players typically use slightly larger rackets, recommended at 58cm to 63cm (23–25 inches).
Net height: The net is set at 80cm (31 inches), the same height as for the Red Ball stage.
Skill development: The orange stage focuses on developing tactical awareness, problem-solving, and a wider variety of shots. Children learn to serve overarm and return, and participate in longer rallies.
Competition: Friendly competition is encouraged, with matches introducing scoring and the concepts of singles and doubles play. For instance, a match might consist of a best-of-three-sets format, with each set being a seven-point tie-break.
Pathway: After mastering the Orange Ball stage, children progress to the Green Ball stage (ages 9–10) before moving to a full-sized court with standard yellow balls
Session Dates
Sessions commence the week beginning Monday 13th April and the last date of sessions will be the Sunday 19th July.
There are no sessions over half term: 25th May to 31st May
No sessions on Bank Holiday Dates: 4th May
Please note: Orange sessions are for 1 hour.
LTA Youth Orange Ball is the next step in the LTA's junior tennis program, designed for children aged 8 to 9. Building on the basic skills from the Red Ball stage, Orange Ball introduces more advanced tactics and techniques on a slightly larger court with a faster ball.
Key features
Age group: Primarily for children aged 8 and 9 born in 2017 & 2018
Court size: Played on an enlarged court, which is still smaller than a full-sized court. For singles, the court is 18m x 6.5m.
Equipment:
Ball: A low-compression orange ball is used. It is 50% slower than a standard yellow ball and bounces lower, giving players better control and more time to hit shots.
Racket: Players typically use slightly larger rackets, recommended at 58cm to 63cm (23–25 inches).
Net height: The net is set at 80cm (31 inches), the same height as for the Red Ball stage.
Skill development: The orange stage focuses on developing tactical awareness, problem-solving, and a wider variety of shots. Children learn to serve overarm and return, and participate in longer rallies.
Competition: Friendly competition is encouraged, with matches introducing scoring and the concepts of singles and doubles play. For instance, a match might consist of a best-of-three-sets format, with each set being a seven-point tie-break.
Pathway: After mastering the Orange Ball stage, children progress to the Green Ball stage (ages 9–10) before moving to a full-sized court with standard yellow balls