Tennis asks a lot of a few areas of the body: the shoulder and forearm of the hitting arm, the hips and legs that power every sprint and lunge, and the back that rotates on every stroke. Stretching keeps these areas mobile, but the right type of stretch depends on when you do it.
Before playing: dynamic stretches
Before tennis, favor dynamic movements that take joints through their range without holding positions for long. Long static holds right before play can slightly reduce power and are better saved for later. Do each of these for 30 seconds to a minute after a few minutes of light jogging:
- Arm circles, small to large, forward and backward.
- Cross-body arm swings, hugging yourself then opening wide.
- Trunk rotations with arms out or holding the racquet.
- Leg swings forward and back, then side to side, holding the net post.
- Walking lunges with a twist toward the front leg.
- Hip circles and high-knee walks.
Our tennis warm-up routine shows how to fit these into a full warm-up.
After playing: static stretches
After a match or practice, when muscles are warm, hold each stretch for about 20 to 30 seconds, breathing slowly, without bouncing. Stretch both sides, even if you play with one arm.
Shoulders – Cross-body shoulder stretch: bring the hitting arm across your chest and press gently with the other arm. – Sleeper stretch: lying on your hitting side, with the arm in front at 90 degrees, gently push the forearm toward the floor. Many tennis physios recommend it for the back of the shoulder; stop if you feel pinching.
Forearms and wrists – Wrist extensor stretch: arm straight, palm down, pull the hand gently toward you. Useful for preventing tennis elbow. – Wrist flexor stretch: palm up, pull the fingers back.
Hips and legs – Hip flexor stretch in a half-kneeling lunge. – Hamstring stretch: one leg straight on a bench or the ground, hinge forward from the hips. – Quadriceps stretch, standing, holding the ankle. – Calf stretch against the fence, with straight and bent knee.
Back – Child’s pose for the lower back. – Lying spinal twist, knees to one side, shoulders on the ground.
What to avoid when stretching
Stretching cold muscles hard, bouncing, holding your breath and pushing into pain all increase the risk of injury. Stretching should feel like gentle tension. If a specific area keeps feeling tight or painful, see a physiotherapist rather than stretching harder.
Make it a habit
Five to ten minutes after each session is enough. Add a longer mobility session once a week, or yoga, if you feel stiff. Stretching is part of good recovery after a match, and together with strength work it helps prevent the problems described in common tennis injuries.
