The Fundamentals of Tennis.
June 30th, 2009 by Gail Jones
I expect that this, my first literary work 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 trust will shed a new light on the sport of tennis.
I will address the novice in my opening article and speak of certain things which are second nature to the skilled player. The best tennis equipment is not much good for the novice even if he really wants to succeed. However, one has to buy good quality; it is a saving in the end, as high quality goods far outlasts poor quality gear.
It is important to always dress in tennis clothing when engaging in tennis. The question of choosing a tennis racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not advise forcing a certain racquet upon any player. All the standard makes are excellent. 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 the best results.
After having bought your racquet, make a firm resolve to use only quality tennis balls, as a consistent bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a “dead” ball is of no use at all. If you really want to advance at tennis and progress rapidly, I strongly advise you to see all the good tennis you can. Observe the play of the top players and try to emulate their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction manuals 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 top 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 on 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 interest all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any city.
The fellowship of the game is universal, for none but a good sportsman can succeed in the game for any long period of time. Tennis provides relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the player who is tied hard and fast to his job until late in the 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 distracted mind in a tennis match. The main one is loss 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 cure for an erring mind, and the sooner the lesson is learned the quicker the improvement of the player.
The surest way to keep a match in mind is to play for every set, every game in the set, every point in the game and, finally, every shot in the point. A set is merely a conglomeration of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the final victor.
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