I expect that this, my initial dissertation on the fundamentals of tennis, will be found useful by both novices and experts alike in the tennis world. I am striving to arouse interest in the student of the game of tennis by a somewhat prolonged discussion of match play, which I hope will cast a new light on the sport of tennis.
I will address the novice in my opening and write of certain matters which are second nature to the skilled player. The best tennis equipment is not much good for the beginner even if he really is trying to succeed. However, one has to buy good quality; it is a saving in the end, as good quality material far outlasts poor quality gear.
It is important to always dress in tennis attire when playing tennis. The question of selecting a tennis racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not advise forcing a certain make of racquet upon any player, since all the famous brands are excellent. However, it is on the weight, balance, and size of handle that the real value of a racquet frame depends, while good stringing is essential to obtain optimum results.
After you have selected your racquet, make a firm resolve to use only good tennis balls, as a consistent bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a "dead" ball is no use at all. If you really desire to succeed at the game and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to watch all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the leading players and try to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a great help.
Much more tennis can be picked up off the tennis court in the study of theory and in watching the best players in play, than can ever be learned in one's own actual play. I do not advise that you should miss opportunities to play tennis, far from it. Play tennis whenever you can, but strive when playing to put into practice the theories you have read about or the strokes you have watched.
Do not allow yourself to become discouraged by lack of progress. The trick of playing some stroke you have worked at over weeks in vain, will suddenly come to you when least expected. Good tennis players are the product of hard work. Very few players are born geniuses at the game. Tennis is a game that pays you dividends all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any city.
The brotherhood of the game is universal, since none but a fit sportsman can succeed in the game for any long period of time. Tennis offers relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the person who is tied hard to his job until late afternoon.
The following is the order of development that produces the quickest and most lasting results: i. Concentration on the game. ii. Keep the eye on the ball. iii. Foot-work and weight-control. iv. Strokes. v. Court position. vi. Court generalship or match play. vii. Tennis psychology.
Concentration. Tennis is played primarily with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique invented will not suffice if the directing mind is wandering. There are many causes of a wandering mind in a tennis match. The chief one is lack of interest in the game. No one should play tennis with any hope of real success unless he cares enough about the game to be willing to do the drudgery necessary to learn the game properly.
Give it up at once unless you are willing to work hard. Conditions of play or the noises in the gallery often confuse and bewilder experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Complete concentration on the matter in hand is the only remedy for a wandering mind, and the sooner the lesson is learned the quicker the improvement of the player.
The surest way to keep a game in focus is to go for every set, every game in the set, every point in the game and, eventually, every shot in the point. A set is just a collection of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the final victor.
I will address the novice in my opening and write of certain matters which are second nature to the skilled player. The best tennis equipment is not much good for the beginner even if he really is trying to succeed. However, one has to buy good quality; it is a saving in the end, as good quality material far outlasts poor quality gear.
It is important to always dress in tennis attire when playing tennis. The question of selecting a tennis racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not advise forcing a certain make of racquet upon any player, since all the famous brands are excellent. However, it is on the weight, balance, and size of handle that the real value of a racquet frame depends, while good stringing is essential to obtain optimum results.
After you have selected your racquet, make a firm resolve to use only good tennis balls, as a consistent bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a "dead" ball is no use at all. If you really desire to succeed at the game and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to watch all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the leading players and try to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a great help.
Much more tennis can be picked up off the tennis court in the study of theory and in watching the best players in play, than can ever be learned in one's own actual play. I do not advise that you should miss opportunities to play tennis, far from it. Play tennis whenever you can, but strive when playing to put into practice the theories you have read about or the strokes you have watched.
Do not allow yourself to become discouraged by lack of progress. The trick of playing some stroke you have worked at over weeks in vain, will suddenly come to you when least expected. Good tennis players are the product of hard work. Very few players are born geniuses at the game. Tennis is a game that pays you dividends all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any city.
The brotherhood of the game is universal, since none but a fit sportsman can succeed in the game for any long period of time. Tennis offers relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the person who is tied hard to his job until late afternoon.
The following is the order of development that produces the quickest and most lasting results: i. Concentration on the game. ii. Keep the eye on the ball. iii. Foot-work and weight-control. iv. Strokes. v. Court position. vi. Court generalship or match play. vii. Tennis psychology.
Concentration. Tennis is played primarily with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique invented will not suffice if the directing mind is wandering. There are many causes of a wandering mind in a tennis match. The chief one is lack of interest in the game. No one should play tennis with any hope of real success unless he cares enough about the game to be willing to do the drudgery necessary to learn the game properly.
Give it up at once unless you are willing to work hard. Conditions of play or the noises in the gallery often confuse and bewilder experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Complete concentration on the matter in hand is the only remedy for a wandering mind, and the sooner the lesson is learned the quicker the improvement of the player.
The surest way to keep a game in focus is to go for every set, every game in the set, every point in the game and, eventually, every shot in the point. A set is just a collection of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the final victor.
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If you are a beginner tennis player or are interested in tennis apparel, please go to our site entitled Tennis Tips for Beginners. This article, The Fundamentals of Tennis. is available for free reprint.
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