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For any up and coming tennis player, competitive play is absolutely crucial. Players need to combine hard work, drills and coaching with the competitive element that only matchplay can provide. Therefore playing tournaments is of massive benefit to anyone who wants to improve their tennis performance.

The standard of tournaments can range from anything between local club tournaments to the biggest events that the likes of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal & Andy Murray will compete in. Here is a brief guide to some of the most well known events:

Grand Slams

The most famous tennis tournaments are collectively known as the 'Grand Slams'. These are the biggest tournaments on the tennis calendar, and the top players will concentrate all of their efforts towards good performances in these.

In total, there are 4 'Grand Slams':

• Australian Open

• French Open (Roland Garros)

• Wimbledon

• US Open

ATP World Tour Finals

The ATP World Tour Finals is an end of season tournament played between the top 8 players in the men's world rankings. The tournament has existed under various names since 1970, and is currently played in London.

The main difference with this tournament is that it is not straight knockout like most regular competitions. Instead players are divided into two groups. The winners of each group will then play off in the final. Only the 4 grand slam tournaments are more prestigious, and accordingly the World Tour Finals offers large prize funds and plenty of ranking points.

Masters Series Tennis

The ATP World Tour Masters 1000 is a series of tournaments which take place throughout the season at various locations around the world. They are organised by the ATP and were introduced in 1990.

The Masters Series tournaments are considered to be the most prestigious in the world, behind the 'Grand Slams' and the 'World Tour Finals'. Players can also score more ranking points and larger prizes from these tournaments, and so the best players in the world are drawn to them.

Davis Cup

The Davis Cup is the biggest team tennis competition in the world. Teams of men from various nations around the world compete in a knock-out format. It has been held since 1900, and is now organised by the ITF.

The women's equivalent is the Fed Cup.

Initially the Davis Cup was just a match between Great Britain and the United States, but over time it has grown to include over 130 countries. Four members of the Harvard University tennis team wished to challenge the British team, and so student Dwight Davis (who the competition is named after) devised a format and purchased a trophy. He was part of the first United States team, who were victorious in the inaugural year.

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