Tennis is one of the world’s most popular sports, but it can be unforgiving to new players. The steep learning curve makes the learning process more difficult, especially if you don’t have a dedicated coach to guide you along the way. But once you’ve mastered the basics of the sport, you can start appreciating the finer points of the game.
Tennis is known as a high-maintenance sport. It has many complicated techniques and maneuvers, there are many different types of racquets, and you need to get tennis court resurfacing every few years or so. But one thing’s for sure: It is never boring.
Here are a few professional tips any beginner can apply to their game. These will help any novice player to play better and make their matches more enjoyable and exciting.
1. Choose the right gear
You need to get the right tennis gear for your playing style. As any tennis coach will tell you, the equipment you use and train with can improve or hamper your performance. There are three items you need to think about: the shoes, the racquet, and the eyewear. You can choose your shoes and eyewear, but the racquet requires more consideration.
The tennis racquet is the most crucial part of your gear. Racquets come in all shapes and sizes to accommodate players of all types. Racquets can be categorized into four categories: power, tweener, modern, and traditional.
Power racquets are for players who need explosive power at the expense of speed. Tweeners give players power without the loss of control. They’re also often used for junior players transitioning to a more mature racquet. Modern racquets have a lighter construction, which favors faster gameplay. Lastly, traditional racquets are commonly used in competitive tennis.
Other factors, such as grip length and head size, also play a role in your performance. Experiment with different racquets and find the best one for your style.
2. Practice your movement
How you move around the court can mean the difference between winning and losing. Tennis matches can be notoriously long, but endurance isn’t enough. You also need speed and accuracy to react to the ball and your opponent as well. But most importantly, you need to know how to maneuver.
Professional players practice how to side skip and how to run backward. It seems innocuous, but these movements are crucial to basic tennis techniques. For instance, a good side step allows you to get into a better position for a groundstroke.
3. Know where to stand
Apart from the technical aspects of the game, you can improve your chances on the court by working on your soft skills. One of the soft skills you should work on is knowing where to stand on the court. It sounds trivial but your location on the court can improve your power and consistency.
These pointers will help you improve your skills and get more fun and excitement out of the game. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a novice or a seasoned player, self-improvement is a neverending process and there’s always room for improvement.
