Step 1 - Create a free account
Register for a free trial - no credit card required to start. This gives you an API key you'll use to authenticate every request.
Step 2 - Find your API key
Once registered, your API key is available from your account dashboard. Keep it out of client-side code where possible - call the API from your backend and forward only the data you need to your frontend.
Step 3 - Make your first request
Every endpoint follows the same pattern: a base URL, a method name, and your API key as parameters. Here's a minimal example fetching the list of tournaments with curl:
curl "https://api.api-tennis.com/tennis/?method=get_events&APIkey=YOUR_API_KEY"The full list of methods, parameters and response fields is in the documentation.
Step 4 - Pull live fixtures
To get today's matches, call the fixtures method with a date range. In JavaScript (Node or browser with a backend proxy):
fetch("https://api.api-tennis.com/tennis/?method=get_fixtures&APIkey=YOUR_API_KEY&date_start=2026-07-14&date_stop=2026-07-14")
.then(res => res.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));This returns structured fixture data you can render directly - tournament, players, scheduled time and status.
Step 5 - Go live
Once fixtures are working, add live score updates. For polling, call the livescore method on an interval. For real-time updates without polling, connect to the WebSocket feed instead - see REST vs WebSocket for live tennis data to decide which fits your product.
What to build next
With fixtures and live scores working, you have the core of most tennis products. For ideas on what to build on top of this foundation, read What Can You Build With a Tennis API?.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a credit card to try the API?
No - API Tennis offers a free trial so you can make real requests and see live data before choosing a plan.
What format does the API return?
Responses are returned as JSON by default, with XML also available - see the full reference in the documentation.
Where do I find my API key?
After registering, your API key is available in your account dashboard, and is passed as a parameter on every request as shown in the documentation.