Calories burned during tennis
General tennis burns roughly 210–285 kcal in half an hour for a 70 kg person — a range, because singles with long rallies runs far higher than a relaxed doubles game with breaks between points. Court time is rarely non-stop. Enter your own weight and playing time below for a closer estimate.
Enter your weight and how long you moved — the estimate comes back as a range, the same way our diary does it.
| Weight | 15 min | 30 min | 45 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 76–103 | 152–205 | 228–308 | 303–411 |
| 60 kg | 91–123 | 182–246 | 273–369 | 364–493 |
| 70 kg | 106–144 | 212–287 | 319–431 | 425–575 |
| 80 kg | 121–164 | 243–328 | 364–493 | 486–657 |
| 90 kg | 137–185 | 273–369 | 410–554 | 546–739 |
| 100 kg | 152–205 | 303–411 | 455–616 | 607–821 |
| 110 kg | 167–226 | 334–452 | 501–677 | 668–903 |
Each cell is a range (±15%). Read down for your weight, across for your time. These are population estimates, not a measurement of you.
| Intensity | 30 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| Tennis, general · 6.8 MET | 212–287 | 425–575 |
| Tennis, singles · 8 MET | 250–338 | 500–676 |
A 30-minute session at 70 kg — the pace changes the cost far more than a few kilos do.
Energy cost from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities (Herrmann, Willis, Ainsworth et al.). kcal = MET × 3.5 × weight(kg) ÷ 200 × minutes; we show it as a band because a MET is a population average. Why a range, not one number →
How many calories does tennis burn?
It depends on your weight, how long you keep it up and — a lot — your pace and fitness, so there is no single true number. The table and the calculator give a range for your weight and time. Two people of the same weight can differ by 15–25% at the same activity.
Why show a range instead of one number?
Because a MET value is a population average. Your real burn shifts with fitness, technique, terrain and how hard you actually went. A single "347 kcal" reads as precise when it isn't — the honest answer is a band, and that is what we show.
Do calories burned mean I can eat that much back?
No. This is an estimate of energy spent, not calories you have to "earn" or a licence to eat more. Movement is worth doing for its own sake. If you track a day's balance, use the range — never treat the top of it as exact.
Where do the numbers come from?
MET values from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, a public reference cited by researchers. We apply the standard MET formula and widen it into a ±15% band (±25% for strength work, which a MET barely captures).