A game-changing national program for youth to try, learn, and play tennis

Tennis Canada, in partnership with Rogers, has launched a national program to introduce Canadian youth to the sport of tennis. Delivered in collaboration with Provincial and Territorial Tennis Associations, Rogers First Set inspires youth and families in communities across Canada to try tennis and learn fundamental tennis skills in a fun, welcoming, safe, and positive environment.

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Empowering youth through tennis

Rogers First Set is designed to help players find early success, provide an environment that is safe and inclusive, and create positive experiences. This all leads to the growth of tennis and promotes lifelong participation.

Rogers First Set follows a holistic approach to player development, focusing on more than just the technical and tactical skills required to excel in tennis. It emphasizes the development of the whole person, including their character, confidence, connections, and competence. By fostering a positive and inclusive culture, players are encouraged to grow and develop not just on the court, but in all areas of their lives.

Rogers First Set helps players identify as tennis players rather than just lesson-takers. This creates a culture around playing the sport and encourages players to see tennis as a fun and exciting activity. All the activities in the program are designed to connect to playing tennis, building the necessary skills and knowledge for players to become confident and competent on the court.

Denis Shapovalov, Rogers First Set Ambassador

"I want to help introduce people of all ages and abilities to the sport I love so much."

Driven by a deep desire to give back to the sport that shaped his life, Canadian tennis star and 2022 Davis Cup champion Denis Shapovalov is the inaugural ambassador of Rogers First Set.

“I’m excited to be named the first official ambassador of Rogers First Set,” Shapovalov said. “Tennis has given so much to me over the years, and it’s always been a goal of mine to give back to the sport back home. The fact it provides opportunities for young Canadians to take their first steps onto the court was a huge factor because I want to help grow the game as much as possible and introduce people of all ages and abilities to the sport I love so much. To be able to play a part in that feels pretty special.”

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Your tennis journey begins here

At the heart of the program is the belief that every Canadian should have the opportunity to play and enjoy tennis, regardless of their background or ability.

Rogers First Set adopts the progressive tennis model that allows participants to play, develop, and compete using the appropriate racquet and balls which are adapted to the rightsized court.

Using this approach, players will learn the fundamental skills to serve, rally, and play points.

Learn about Progressive Tennis

Rogers First Set: Try, Learn, and Play pathway

A typical tennis journey begins with attending a Try event, followed by joining a Learn or Play program, and then progressing to competition. While every player’s path is unique, this pathway provides a structured approach to developing a love for tennis.

Sign up for our mailing list to find out when a Rogers First Set event is happening near you!

Become a tennis player and develop a love for the game.

Try, Learn, & Play programs

Try

What it is: Your child’s first experience with tennis or an opportunity to try the sport in a new environment.

Highlights:

Low-cost, low-barrier introduction to tennis.
Fun and exciting entry-level exposure to the sport.
Events are held at clubs, municipalities, and local community organizations across the country.

Learn

What it is: Structured 4-8 week programs or camps designed to help your child develop skills on and off the court.

Highlights:

Hosted by Community Tennis Champions across Canada.
Focus on skill-building in a supportive environment.
Programs are available nationwide at clubs, municipalities, and local community organizations.

Play

What it is: Play days where children can enjoy tennis, play with friends, and experience friendly competition.

Highlights:

Develops on-court skills and builds a player’s tennis identity.
Encourages fun and participation in early-stage competition.
Delivered nationwide at clubs, municipalities, and community organizations.

Find Try, Learn, Play programs Here

Rogers First Set Tour: First step into competition

The Rogers First Set Tour is the perfect way for young players to begin their competitive tennis journey in a fun, supportive, and exciting environment. With two tournament levels designed to match player experience, the tour helps bridge the gap between entry-level tennis and more competitive play.

Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie

Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie is a national program designed to bridge the gap between entry-level tennis and the provincial competitive junior circuit. Originally launched in 2009, the tour reaches thousands of juniors each year at tennis clubs and community venues across the country. In 2024, there were over 6,000 registrations across the country in over 450 events.Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie encourages players to continue through the tennis pathway and transition to sanctioned competition or continue to adopt tennis as a sport for life.

Boys and girls aged 18 years and younger are eligible to play in Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie events. All Rookie events are non-elimination tournaments. These events offer beginner competitors a fun and exciting experience with multiple opportunities to play. Each player is guaranteed a minimum of three matches.

Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie is for:

Beginner and intermediate players aged 18 years and younger who wish to compete for the first time.
Players who wish to compete at an introductory level.
Players who have not participated in any sanctioned provincial tournaments.

Find Junior Tournaments

Tips for Parents

Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars

Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars provides young Canadian tennis players (ages 7 to 10) with an opportunity to play competitive tennis in a fun environment. In 2023, approximately 1,000 boys and girls across the country competed in over 450 events. Rising Stars tournaments are the perfect opportunity for young tennis players to improve their skills and make new friends. Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars is designed to provide a tournament format for kids whereby they take part in multiple meaningful matches in a short block of time, making it convenient for families.

Rogers First Set Tour – RISING STARS is for:

Competitors who are looking to enhance their competitive experience and meet the Whole Player Development Pathway (WPDP) competitive criteria. As such:

We strongly recommend players having some competitive tennis playing experience (minimum of 3 events) such as Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie events or club tournaments.
U9 events (orange ball competition) are for players who will turn nine years old during this current year or are younger.
U10 events (green ball competition) are for players who will turn 10 years old during this current year or are younger.

Host Rogers First Set programming

Hosting a Rogers First Set program is a great way to introduce youth to tennis and create a lasting impact on your community. Here’s how to get started:

Become a Delivery Partner:

To learn more or become a Rogers First Set delivery partner, contact firstset@tenniscanada.com.

Why Get Involved?

Introduce new players to tennis.
Help retain players for life.
Develop the next generation of Canadian tennis stars.

Register Your Event:

Your event will be featured in the national database on the Rogers First Set App, helping parents and kids find and join your program.

Rogers First Set App

Rogers First Set resources for coaches

Rogers First Set adopts the progressive tennis model that allows participants to try, learn, play and compete using the appropriate racquet and balls which are adapted to the rightsized court.

The proportional equipment supports the size of younger athletes and helps in the overall development of the sport’s key fundamentals. The fun and early experiences fostered through Rogers First Set will also encourage players to continue in the sport over time.

Using this approach, players will learn the fundamental skills to serve, rally and play points.

There is no single way to develop a tennis player, but Tennis Canada believes that starting with Rogers First Set helps young players establish the fundamental skills and tactics essential for long-term success on a full-sized court. This progressive approach introduces tennis in an engaging, age-appropriate way, ensuring players develop key competencies step-by-step.

To provide a holistic development experience, Tennis Canada follows the Whole Player Development Pathway and Wheelchair Player Development Pathway, which emphasizes physical, tactical, technical, and mental growth at every stage of a player’s journey.

Explore how progressive tennis can set the foundation for your child’s development, and learn more about these interconnected pathways to give them the best start in their tennis journey.

Competition teaches many aspects of the game that cannot be learned in training. Hence, regular match play, both in tournaments and practice, is an essential part of a young player’s development. Rogers First Set focuses on playing points and building an identity as a tennis player. Furthermore, regular competition will help develop mental skills such as:

The ability to focus.
Consistent effort and determination.
Learning to cope with basic competitive environments.
Learning emotional control and maintaining a positive attitude.
Learning to display good sportsmanship.
Developing and understanding the love of competing.
Fostering the concept of respect for coaches, officials and other players.

Selection of competition should ideally be based on achieving a 3:1 win-loss ratio over a period of time. This ensures both the development of confidence (through winning) while still maintaining motivation to improve and train hard (through losing). In general, it is recommended that juniors compete in their proper age category and only “play up” if they are winning tournaments easily and have exhausted the competition in their age category.

Rookie Tournaments
To participate, players must:

Register as a Recreational Member with their Provincial/Territorial Tennis Association (PTTA).
- For Ontario, an OTA Rookie membership is required, which includes a fee.
Register for a specific Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie tournament.

Visit the Rookie Tournaments Calendar to find events near you.

Rising Stars Tournaments
To compete, players must:

Register for a PTTA membership or upgrade their existing membership (if previously in Rookie tournaments).
Sign up for a specific Rising Stars tournament on the Tournament Software website.

Visit the Rising Stars Tournaments Calendar for event details.

Go to the Registration page.
Click the Log In/Sign Up button.
Select your province.
Agree to the rules and regulations.
Create a profile.
Select your membership type:
- Recreational Membership (free).
- ON-Rookie Membership (Ontario only, includes a fee).
Finalize your account.

Note: Registering for a membership does not automatically register you for tournaments.

Rookie Tournaments

Format:
- Focused on helping players transition from entry-level tennis to the junior competitive circuit.
- Matches use progressive balls and smaller courts based on age:
  - Ages 7-8: Red ball, 1/2 court.
  - Ages 8-10: Orange ball, 3/4 court.
  - Ages 9-11: Green dot ball, full court.
  - Ages 10-18: Yellow/regular ball, full court.
Draws: Non-elimination, with a guarantee of three matches per player.
- Draws may combine boys and girls depending on entries.
Scoring: Matches use modified formats to ensure shorter, beginner-friendly games.

Rising Stars Tournaments

Format:
- For advanced U9/U10 players looking to build competitive skills.
- Matches are age-specific:
  - U9: Orange ball, 3/4 court, racquet size 23". Boys and girls combined.
  - U10: Green ball, full court, racquet size 23-25". Separate draws for boys and girls.
Draws: Compass or round-robin formats ensure three matches per player.
Scoring: Matches last 30-45 minutes, using modified scoring systems like:
- One set, first to 6 games (with no-ad scoring).
- 8-game pro set (first to win 8 games, margin of 2).
- Best of 3 short sets (to 4 games each, tie-breaker at 4-4).

Yes, Rogers First Set reflects a globally recognized approach to player development.

Programs similar to Rogers First Set have been used in Europe (e.g., France and Belgium) for decades, producing numerous professional players.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) and 45+ countries worldwide have adopted this model, which is now considered the best pathway for young athlete development.
Scaled-down approaches like this are also common in other sports such as baseball, soccer, and golf to nurture young talent.

Rookie Tournaments

Prizes are awarded at every event.
Players can compete in multiple events to collect all available prizes.

Rising Stars Tournaments

Players receive prizes at their first event and their fifth event of the year.
Leaderboards track performance and participation:
- Participation Points: 40 points per tournament.
- Bonus Points: 200 points for playing 10+ tournaments in the same age category.
- Match Points: 10 points per win.
- Top 5 players on each leaderboard (Boys/Girls U9 & U10) are awarded prizes annually.

Fair Play is essential for creating a positive tournament experience. Players, parents, and officials are expected to:

Follow the rules of the game.
Show respect for opponents, officials, coaches, and spectators.
Display good sportsmanship, embracing both victory and defeat with dignity.
Avoid verbal, physical, or online abuse.

For more details, see the Tennis Canada Rules of the court.

Parents are asked to be familiar with the information available regarding the Rogers First Set Tour as well as tournament regulations before entering their child into an event.

Feedback is welcome via email at tournaments@tenniscanada.com

Rookie Pathway:

Players should participate in at least three Rookie events before moving to Rising Stars tournaments.

Rising Stars Pathway:

Events prepare players for the U12 provincial competitive circuit.

Explore the full Whole Player Development Pathway (WPDP) or the Wheelchair Tennis Whole Player Development Pathway (WTWPDP)

ROGERS FIRST SET AT THE NATIONAL BANK OPEN

Rogers First Set programming will be available at the National Bank Open in Montreal and Toronto this summer. Visit the Tennis Canada Fan Zones in both cities to participate.

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Help us Discover the Next Canadian Tennis Star

Your donation makes tennis accessible to more kids through Rogers First Set. Together, we can break down barriers, introduce more kids to tennis, and inspire future generations of players.

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Contact Us

If you have any further questions about the Rogers First Set or require more information about hosting a Rogers First Set event, please email firstset@tenniscanada.com or sign up for our mailing list to find out when a Rogers First Set event is happening near you.

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