How do I find people to play tennis with in Berlin, Germany?

April 13, 2011 5:29 AM

How do I find people to play tennis with in Berlin, Germany? Do novices join tennis clubs to find playing partners?

I'm moving to Berlin soon, and I want to play a lot of tennis when I'm there—like everyday. How do I find people to play with?

I'm not much good but I love playing, so would joining a club and getting lessons be a good way to start, and a good way to find people through the club? I imagine joining a club could work out cheaper than having to hire courts every few days, no?

I'd like to keep it cheap and play a lot, but do people join tennis clubs in order to find playing partners, or more just to access facilities?

posted by takeyourmedicine to sports, hobbies, & recreation (3 answers total)

Can you just play in public courts in parks? I would do that and find partners via craigslist.

I don't know anything about Berlin, but it seems like in general the reason to join a club would be access to the non-tennis-court facilities (locker rooms, restaurant etc.), services (lessons, those ball-throwing machines etc.), and the status (play tennis away from the riff-raff and network with others who can afford to join clubs and don't like riff-raff). If all you want is a tennis court you can just go to the park.

If you want lessons you could either join a club, advertise on craigslist, or see what's offered in the parks.

Here's a picture of supposedly Berlin's public tennis courts. They look nice.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 6:03 AM on April 13, 2011

Try the Sport in Berlin board on Toytown.
posted by caek at 6:33 AM on April 13, 2011

My suggestion would be to sign up for a team or "freies Spiel" (just matches, no practice) at one of the Hochschulsport (university sport) centers. You sign up for one semester (on one or more teams, one time per week each) and it's pretty cheap, even for non-university students (Eksterne). Here are links to Humboldt, Freie and Technische University's Hochschulsport lists - they all offer tennis.

I don't know how old you are, but these teams of course scew younger (twenties), although there are plenty of late-twenties/early thirties (in my experience). Also, the teaching (if there is any) will be in German, but not too difficult - and a good way to learn.
posted by coraline at 8:56 AM on April 13, 2011