| If you are seriously interested in taking up tennis as a | | | | learned. There's nothing better than executing all those |
| way to keep yourself fit and healthy, as a weekend | | | | moves you have seen and read about inside the |
| sport or for whatever reason at all, here are some | | | | tennis court against another player. Only then can you |
| fundamental tips that can serve as a guideline for your | | | | determine what really suits your playing style! |
| enjoyment and success at your chosen sport. | | | | 4. If your progress in the game is quite slow, do not |
| 1. Equip yourself with the best tennis gear that suits | | | | lose hope. After all, you're still a beginner and it takes |
| your playing style. Before going off to buy what takes | | | | months and months of regular play until your game |
| your fancy, ask for advice from local tennis club pro | | | | gets polished to such an extent that strokes and |
| as to what type of racquet is suited for you, the grip | | | | counter strokes become second nature to you due to |
| size, the weight and balance. Only then should you | | | | muscle memory. The best tennis players in the world |
| invest in the proper equipment, and when you do, get | | | | started playing when they were only seven or eight |
| the best of the type that's right for you! Doing so | | | | years of age - that is why they can boast of 150mph |
| ensures your enjoyment of the game and save you | | | | serves, vicious backhands and volleys. You can count |
| from changing your racquet once too often. Don't | | | | on the fingers of one hand those who are born |
| forget to buy the proper tennis attire - socks, tennis | | | | geniuses at the game. |
| shoes, shirts, shorts and a tennis bag to hold your gear | | | | 5. The physical side of tennis is only half of what |
| before and after a game. | | | | makes a complete tennis player. The other equally |
| Make sure that the tennis balls you buy are good | | | | important half is the mental preparation necessary to |
| quality tennis balls. Cheap balls are more expensive | | | | win games. No matter how good your ground strokes |
| because they are useless - they have no bounce in | | | | are and regardless of the devastating speed of your |
| them making them no good even for practice. Get the | | | | serve, these would not be enough to win a match! The |
| regular balls even if they cost more, at least you are | | | | psychological preparation is an absolute necessity if |
| sure that you can use them in as a game ball or in | | | | you want to win in tennis. |
| practicing your service. | | | | 6. The following physical and psychological qualities |
| 2. If you want to advance rapidly in the game, it is best | | | | should be properly developed by tennis buffs who |
| to take in all that you can of tennis. Watch all the good | | | | want to excel in the game in the quickest time |
| tennis you can and as you do, carefully observe and | | | | possible:maintaining focus on the gamealways keeping |
| study the various styles of play of the best players | | | | the ball in sightproper footwork and weight |
| and as much as possible copy their strokes. Also, it is | | | | controlvariety and unpredictable repertory of |
| best to read up on the game - tennis instruction books | | | | strokesstrategic positioning in the courtgame |
| are a great aid especially to beginners. Rules and | | | | controlpsychological preparedness and motivation |
| common mistakes are very clearly explained including | | | | Tennis is a game that anybody can play regardless of |
| how to avoid them in your game. | | | | age. It is one of the few games that provides respite |
| 3. When it is your turn to play (after all the watching | | | | from emotional and mental burdens of work, exercise |
| and reading of the theories involved) strive to put into | | | | and enjoyment. |
| your game as much as possible of all that you have | | | | |