Every year, as Singapore moves into its year-end examination season — PSLE, the O-Levels, the A-Levels, and end-of-year school assessments — we hear the same question from parents at Sanwa X Tennis Academy: should my child stop tennis to focus on studying? It is a fair question, and the instinct to clear the calendar is understandable. But after two decades of developing junior players in Singapore, our coaches have seen that the answer is rarely a simple yes.
This guide sets out how our coaching team — led by Head Coach Wataru Ochi and Director of Tennis Kento Takeuchi, a former ATP Tour professional — thinks about balancing tennis with exams, and how families can adjust training rather than abandon it during the crunch months.
Why Stopping Completely Often Backfires
Physical activity and academic performance are not in competition — they support one another. Regular exercise is widely recognised to improve concentration, sleep quality, and mood, all of which matter enormously during a stressful revision period. A child who sits at a desk for weeks without an outlet often studies less effectively, not more.
There is also a skill cost to stopping entirely. Tennis is a motor skill built through repetition, and long unplanned breaks let hard-won technique fade — a child who takes two months off usually spends the first few weeks back simply recovering timing and footwork. Keeping even one focused session a week preserves that foundation, so the return after exams is a continuation rather than a restart.
Adjust the Load, Don’t Remove It
The right approach is almost always to reduce and refocus rather than pause. During peak exam weeks, we typically suggest families scale back to one session per week — enough to keep the body moving and the skills sharp without competing for study time. The session becomes a deliberate break: 60 to 90 minutes of movement, fresh air, and a complete mental reset from the books.
For juniors on a competitive pathway, we adjust the content of that session too. Instead of pushing new material, we keep things familiar and confidence-building — rallying, serve rhythm, and light movement — so the player leaves feeling good rather than fatigued. If you are unsure how frequently your child should train in a given phase, our coaches break down ideal lesson frequency in How Often Should You Take Tennis Lessons in Singapore.
A Simple Exam-Season Weekly Rhythm
- One tennis session (60–90 minutes), ideally on a lighter study day, treated as a scheduled reset.
- Short daily movement — a walk or gentle warm-up — on study-heavy days to break up long sitting.
- Protect sleep first. If a child is exhausted, rest wins over any session; tennis should relieve stress, never add to it.
- Plan the return. Note where you left off so the post-exam ramp-up is structured, not haphazard.
After the Exams: The Best Time to Accelerate
Once papers are done, the long stretch from mid-November into the year-end school holidays is one of the best windows in the Singapore calendar for tennis development. Children have time, energy, and freedom from homework — perfect conditions for the concentrated court hours that produce real jumps in ability. Many of our families use our school holiday tennis camps in Singapore to turn that window into meaningful progress.
If your child is returning to a structured programme, our junior tennis lessons and kids tennis lessons both run age-appropriate, level-based pathways. For advanced juniors targeting school, national, or regional competition, Sanwa X works in partnership with Coach XT, a leading tennis coach in Singapore, and parent organisation TAG International Tennis Academy, giving serious players a genuine high-performance route back into full training.
Looking for a lower-intensity way for the whole family to stay active together during the break? Many of our parents have taken up pickleball at PickleChoo, Singapore’s premier public pickleball venues — an easy, social sport that complements tennis nicely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my child stop tennis completely during exams?
In most cases, no. Reducing to one focused session a week usually works better than stopping entirely — it preserves skills, relieves stress, and helps concentration, while still protecting study time. Full stops make sense only in the final days before major papers or when a child is genuinely exhausted.
Does exercise really help with studying?
Physical activity is widely recognised to support concentration, sleep, and mood — all of which help a child study more effectively. A short, enjoyable tennis session can act as a mental reset that makes revision time more productive rather than less.
How quickly can my child get back to full training after exams?
If they kept one session a week, they can usually resume full training almost immediately. The year-end school holidays are an ideal time to accelerate through an intensive camp or additional sessions. Email hello@sanwatennis.com or use our contact page and we will plan a sensible ramp-up.
Coaching perspective on this page reflects the experience of the Sanwa X coaching team, led by Head Coach Wataru Ochi and Director of Tennis Kento Takeuchi (former ATP Tour professional, career-high ATP World No. 378, All Japan U-18 Champion). Explore our full tennis lessons in Singapore. Last reviewed: September 2026.
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