Private tennis lessons in Clapham and Barnes
One-to-one coaching, or bring a friend or two. Juniors and adults, all levels. Weekday 5 to 6pm slots at The Elms Academy in Clapham and Saturday afternoons at Barn Elms in Barnes, sold as a series of six weekly lessons so your slot is yours for the whole block.
Pick a slot from the table below and book online. Nothing that fits? Join the waitlist and we will email you when a matching slot opens.
Why a private lesson
A private lesson is the fastest way to fix one thing. Serve, backhand, net play, match tactics – the coach works on exactly what you need, at your pace, for the full hour. Group courses build your game over a term; a private block gets a specific part of it sorted in weeks.
One-to-one
The whole hour on you.
Share with a partner
Rallies, points and feeding with a friend at a similar level, the coach correcting both of you.
Small group
Bring your friends and split the cost. Still a coach's eye on every player, unlike a big class.
The 5 to 6pm slot
For juniors it is straight after school – a one-to-one or a group of friends with a coach, before homework and dinner. For adults who finish early or work flexibly, it is a court and a coach before the evening courses start. Floodlit, all year.
At Barnes the private slots are Saturday afternoons, 2 to 3pm and 3 to 4pm, after the morning group programme.
How it works
Pick a slot
Choose from the table below and book a six-lesson package.
Tell us who's playing
Names, ages and level on the booking form. Same price for juniors and adults.
We confirm your coach
Our private-lesson team is Tete Sedzro, Thomas Chapman, Giulia Butnariu and Ezra Jellinek – all LTA accredited. We match you to whoever is available for your slot and email you before the first lesson.
Turn up and play
Bring your racquet if you have one, wear trainers and bring water.
Why six sessions
Private lessons are sold as a series of six weekly sessions. Six gives the coach time to change something properly – assess, correct, drill and then test it in points – rather than a one-off that is forgotten by the next week. It also guarantees your slot: the same court, day and time are yours for the whole block, so you can plan around it and nobody else can book it.
Prices
Per lesson for the whole group, not per person. Packages are six lessons; court hire is included.
| Players | Clapham – The Elms Academy | Barnes – Barn Elms |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £60 an hour · £360 for six | £55 an hour · £330 for six |
| 2 | £70 an hour · £420 for six | £60 an hour · £360 for six |
| 3 to 4 | £80 an hour · £480 for six | £70 an hour · £420 for six |
Available slots – book online
Choose a venue, then a weekly slot. Each block is one player or group, same day and time every week. Pick the ticket for the number of players when you register.
Prices are per lesson for the court and coach, not per person. Booking closes 24 hours before the first lesson. Nothing that fits? Join the waitlist and we will email you when a matching slot opens.
Clapham – The Elms Academy
The Elms Academy, Elms Road, London SW4 9ET. Monday to Thursday, 5 to 6pm. Floodlit courts, ten minutes' walk from Clapham Common or Clapham South; paid on-street parking on Elms Road.
Clapham venue page →Barnes – Barn Elms Sports Centre
Queen Elizabeth Walk, London SW13 0DG. Saturdays 2 to 3pm and 3 to 4pm, courts 6 and 7. Free parking; Barnes station is ten minutes' walk. Bring your own racquet.
Barnes venue page →Can't see the slot you want?
Tell us the venue, days and times that work, who is playing and their level. We will email you – and only you – when a matching slot comes up. If you would like a one-off lesson rather than a block, say so and we will let you know if a single session comes free.
Private tennis coaching near you in South West London
Our private lessons run at two venues, so most of South West London is within a short walk, cycle or bus ride of a court with a coach waiting.
Clapham – The Elms Academy, SW4
Weekday 5 to 6pm slots on floodlit courts. Handy for Clapham Common, Clapham South, Clapham North, Clapham Junction, Battersea, Balham, Stockwell, Brixton, Wandsworth Common and Tooting. Ten minutes' walk from Clapham Common and Clapham South tube.
Tennis lessons in Clapham →Barnes – Barn Elms Sports Centre, SW13
Saturday afternoon slots with free parking. Handy for Barnes, Putney, East Sheen, Mortlake, Hammersmith, Fulham, Castelnau, Roehampton and Richmond. Ten minutes' walk from Barnes station and on the 209, 283 and 419 bus routes.
Tennis lessons in Barnes →Your coaches
Private lessons are taught by our LTA accredited coaching team – Tete Sedzro, Thomas Chapman, Giulia Butnariu and Ezra Jellinek – the same coaches who run our adult courses and junior programme across Clapham, Barnes and Brockwell Park. We match you to the coach available for your slot and confirm by email before your first lesson, so you know who you'll be working with.
Lifetime Tennis Academy has coached in South West London since 2010. Our group programme runs all year; private lessons are the fastest way to fix one part of your game or to get a junior match-ready.
Questions about private tennis lessons
Can I choose my coach?
We assign the coach for your slot from our private-lesson team and confirm by email before the first lesson. All are LTA accredited and coach across our programme, so you will be in good hands whoever it is.
Do I have to buy a package?
Yes – slots are sold as six weekly lessons, same day and time, paid up front. It keeps the slot yours and gives the coach enough time to make a real difference.
What if I miss a week?
Lessons in a package are tied to their dates. Give us 48 hours' notice and we will try to fit a catch-up into a free slot; same-day cancellations cannot be rescheduled.
Is the price per person?
No – it is per lesson for the court and coach. Two players at Clapham is £70 an hour between you.
Are juniors and adults the same price?
Yes.
What ages do you coach privately?
Juniors from about six, and adults of any age. Tell us the player's age and level when you book and we will plan the sessions accordingly.
What happens if it rains?
Our poor weather policy applies: if the coach calls the lesson off, it is added to the end of your package.
Do I need my own racquet?
Bring your own if you have one – any adult or junior racquet from a sports shop is fine to begin with. Tell us on the booking form if you need to borrow one for the first lesson.
Can I book a one-off lesson?
Not online at the moment. Join the waitlist and say "one-off" – we will let you know if a single session comes free.