I play tennis twice a week.
'Tennis' is pronounced approximately TEN-nis in Italian (very close to English).
Use this when talking about racquet sports. After Italy's recent successes in tennis, the sport has become extremely popular. Saying you play tennis will often lead to a conversation about recent Italian champions and favourite tournaments.
The pattern 'giocare a' + sport name is consistent: giocare a tennis, a calcio, a pallavolo, a basket. The frequency 'due volte a settimana' is very natural — note the preposition 'a' between 'volte' and 'settimana'.
Sono socio di un circolo tennistico.
I am a member of a tennis club.
Club membership adds a social dimension
Ho iniziato a giocare a tennis durante il lockdown.
I started playing tennis during lockdown.
Common experience during 2020
Mi alleno con un istruttore una volta a settimana.
I train with an instructor once a week.
Shows investment in improving the skill
Italian tennis experienced a renaissance with Jannik Sinner's rise to World No. 1 in 2024. Italy won the Davis Cup in 2023 and 2024, and tennis club memberships across Italy surged. The Italian Open (Internazionali BNL d'Italia) in Rome is one of the most prestigious clay-court tournaments in the world.