Without any doubt, tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world. With millions of fans worldwide and this number continuously growing, more and more people are picking up tennis for the first time. There are several reasons for this, and we will explore some of the main ones in this post. First of all, tennis is a very active game. Its physical activity promotes health in general, and helps to develop your motor skills. You will improve speed of movement, agility, endurance and, after learning the basics of tennis, you will have a good sense of balance and coordination. Secondly, tennis is a great game for mental health. It allows you to relax after a long working day, bringing fun and excitement. In addition to this, it brings social benefits, as you meet people who share the same interests. It will be easy to make friends on the court.
You may wonder, however, is tennis hard to learn? Well, after reading this article you will likely have found your answer to this question.
Tennis is a demanding sport and it requires continuous efforts to master the game and play at a competitive level. The fundamental tennis skills include good footwork, movement speed and agility, proper technique of the strokes, hand-eye coordination, high focus on the game and mental strength. The player should work on improving of all these aspects of the game; so, as you can see it is reasonable to say that tennis is a challenging sport. You should definitely have a high motivation and desire to succeed, so be aware that not everything will be perfect on your first try. Succeeding requires being patient and dedicated. And mostly, it is rewarding and fun to witness the process of your own growth in learning the ropes of tennis!
It is never too late to start playing tennis. It is a game that can be played from a young age and is relatively friendly to play as a senior as well. Once you get started with the basics of tennis, there are also some aspects that you could practice on your own. Tennis is all about movement, so it is no surprise that footwork is very important. This should be a focus for players at any level. You should be able to react and sprint to the ball quickly, change direction as well as control your body after hitting and get into the right position before every shot. Proper footwork can become your weapon, so it deserves your attention! Endurance, agility, and a good sense of balance are significant as well. There are plenty of useful exercises and effective drills such as shuttle sprints, spider drills- exercises with the use of tennis ladder and cones which will help you improve these skills. You can practice these on your own by searching the web, or even better, you can contact us at Tennis School International to get help from a qualified instructor.
What is not recommended to learn by yourself, is tennis technique. Proper technique is definitely the most significant component of playing tennis well. It’s very important to master this aspect from the first moment you are starting to play, so before you get the chance of picking up any bad habits. Correct technique of the tennis strokes will allow you to control the ball and be able to send it in any direction. It increases the amount of tools you have in playing the game, and allows you to adapt to every opponent. In addition, it can help to prevent injuries. These are rather common when the player doesn’t have proper technique. Therefore, if you want to learn how to play tennis and make progress in the game, you will definitely need the help of a professional tennis coach. A skilled tennis trainer will explain and show you how to perform various types of strokes, and prepare special exercises and drills to improve every component of the game and fix mistakes at an earlier stage.
Nowadays, there are plenty of options and different types of training styles available. Moreover, you can either take private tennis lessons (which is the most beneficial variant as you will work with the coach individually) or you can attend group tennis lessons, which will be less expensive. Make sure to hire a certified coach with good experience. There are a lot of misconceptions and myths about tennis technique and as mentioned before it can be quite detrimental to your body. A good coach will help you to try to minimize the risks of getting an injury.
Another benefit of joining tennis classes is the social aspect. Make sure to join your local tennis club – here you will be able to find people who share the same interests as you, making it a great way to socialize and make new friends. As soon as you have learnt basic tennis strokes, you can rent a court and practice with your (new) friends, helping each other to improve your skills and have fun at the same time. Every club has different policies, but for the most part becoming a member gives you access to renting tennis courts to play free, and to register in the lessons*.
At the point when you have a solid technical base and an understanding of the game, it’s time to implement certain strategies and tactics in a game . Tennis, in many ways, is a mental sport. A player may have amazing strokes and physical skills, but without proper tactical decisions (s)he could be defeated by technically weaker opponents. You can discuss strategies with your coach or watch matches of your favourite players online. Paying attention to what tactics professionals use and how they cope with difficult situations can benefit you, when you implement your learnings in your own game.
As you can see, there is a big number of significant aspects to tennis– from physical abilities and proper technique, to mental stability and strategy implementation. All these areas need constant attention and development. Tennis is a challenging sport, but if you have high motivation, love for the game and a professional coach beside you, it is fun to learn and exciting to witness your own improvements. Tennis is worth all continuous efforts, as you will get so many benefits as a reward!
- Currently TSI is hosting its lessons at Luck Raeck tennis club. More info about this can be seen in
our website.
Tennis School International
Sportparkweg, 3604 AW Maarssen, Netherlands
+31 6 289 68 880