Professional tennis players earn a ton of money doing what most of us only dream of. What tennis fan wouldn’t give up their day job to make a living playing tennis? Unfortunately only a very small percentage of tennis players can actually earn a living.

So if you love the game of tennis, and aren’t a gifted athlete, you’ll have to find a different way to make money. The good news is that there are lots of opportunities in the industry that don’t require as much talent on the tennis court.

On the Court
If professional tennis isn’t in the cards for you, there are other ways to earn a living on the tennis court. Consider becoming a certified professional, giving private instruction, or coaching at the collegiate or high school level. There are other opportunities such as tennis official (i.e. tournament official, umpire, etc) but that might not be steady work.

Off the Court
You can stay close to the game of tennis by staying close to the tennis court. Look for opportunities at local clubs to run the office or schedule tournaments. Other professions that may keep you close to the tennis action would be a sports writer or photographer. You could also choose a supporting role to the athlete such as trainer or nutritionist. The ultimate goal may be to own your own tennis shop.

In the Office
Opportunities in tennis away from the court are more positioned to support the industry. Those include sales, marketing, promotion and even sports management. There are also local, national and international tennis associations (i.e. USTA and sections) that run all aspects of a business as it relates to tennis. That means there’s even a chance for all you accountants and lawyers to can get out of the corporate world and into the tennis industry.

Tennis is not a booming industry, not by a long shot. There may be some success by association, such as combined golf and tennis venues, where one supports the other. Make no mistake, though, there is money to be made, and you don’t have to be an elite athlete. The best career advice, other than do what you love, is to find out what you’re good at, and be the best at that.