Calories burned playing tennis
Tennis is short, sharp bursts of sprinting and hitting, with a rest between points. Singles burns more than doubles because you cover more of the court.
That is roughly the energy in about 4.5 bananas, about 4 rotis or about 2.5 samosas.
At every effort level
| Effort | MET | Calories for 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| Easy doubles | 5 | 350 kcal |
| Regular games | 6.5 | 455 kcal |
| Hard singles | 8 | 560 kcal |
Calories burned playing tennis, by weight and time
At a regular pace (Regular games).
| Body weight | 30 min | 45 min | 60 min | 90 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 165 kcal | 245 kcal | 325 kcal | 490 kcal |
| 60 kg | 195 kcal | 295 kcal | 390 kcal | 585 kcal |
| 70 kg | 230 kcal | 340 kcal | 455 kcal | 685 kcal |
| 80 kg | 260 kcal | 390 kcal | 520 kcal | 780 kcal |
| 90 kg | 295 kcal | 440 kcal | 585 kcal | 880 kcal |
Good to know
- Long rallies and a hard hitter on the other side raise the effort.
- Heat changes how tiring it feels, so drink water between games.
These are estimates for an average adult, based on the Compendium of Physical Activities. Your real figure depends on your fitness, technique and effort. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
Questions people ask
How many calories does an hour of playing tennis burn?
At a regular pace, a 60 kg person burns about 390 kcal, a 70 kg person about 455 kcal and an 80 kg person about 520 kcal in an hour. Taking it easy (easy doubles) burns about 350 kcal for a 70 kg person, and going hard (hard singles) about 560 kcal.
How many calories does 30 minutes of playing tennis burn?
At a regular pace, about 195 kcal for a 60 kg person, 230 kcal for 70 kg and 260 kcal for 80 kg. Use the calculator above to enter your own weight and time.
How is the number worked out?
Calories burned = MET x your weight in kg x time in hours. A MET says how many times more energy an activity uses than sitting still. For playing tennis we use 5 (easy), 6.5 (regular) and 8 (hard). These values follow the Compendium of Physical Activities, a standard research list, and are averages for adults.
How accurate is this?
It is an estimate, usually within about 20 percent. Your fitness, technique, body build and how hard you really work all change the true figure, and fitness watches can differ from it too. Use it to compare activities and plan, not as an exact count.
Is playing tennis good for weight loss?
Any activity that gets you moving helps, and the best one is the one you will keep doing. Weight depends on what you eat as much as what you burn. As a very rough rule, around 7,700 kcal is about 1 kg of body fat, but real results vary from person to person. If you have a health condition, check with a doctor before starting something new.
