The rapid rise of tennis in China, highlighted by Zheng Qinwen’s victory at the Paris Olympics, underscores the urgency of advancing tennis education at Chinese universities. However, traditional teaching methods often fall short in fully engaging students and fostering skill development. This study investigates the application of the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGFU) model in Chinese university tennis education, aiming to address the shortcomings of traditional methods in skill acquisition. Through pre- and post-test assessments over an 8-week intervention period, the study found that TGFU significantly enhanced students' tactical awareness, decision-making abilities, and overall tennis performance, outperforming traditional teaching methods. Additionally, TGFU was shown to support long-term skill retention and student engagement. This research provides empirical support for pedagogical innovation in sports education and is expected to positively influence the development and policy-making of tennis programs in Chinese universities, laying the groundwork for nurturing future tennis elites.