June 27th, 2009 by Gail Jones

I expect that this initial foray of mine into the world of writing will find a place with both novices and experts in the tennis world. I am striving to interest the student of the game by a somewhat prolonged discussion of match play, which I hope will shed a new light on the game of tennis.

I will address the beginner in my opening article and speak of certain matters which are second nature to the experienced tennis player. The best tennis equipment is not much use to the novice even if he really is trying to succeed. Nevertheless, one has to purchase good quality; it is a saving eventually, as good quality goods far outlasts poor quality gear.

It is important to always dress in tennis clothes when engaging in tennis. The question of selecting a tennis racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not advocate 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 acquired your racquet, make a firm decision to use only quality tennis balls, as a regular bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a “dead” ball is of no use at all. If you really want to succeed at the game and progress rapidly, I strongly urge you to watch all the good tennis you can. Observe the play of the leading players and strive to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a great help.

It is surprising to many people that more tennis can be picked up off the tennis court in the study of theory and in watching the best players in action, 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 possible, 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 slow progress. The method of playing some stroke you have worked at over weeks in vain, will suddenly come to you when you least expect it. 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 brotherhood 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 person who is tied hard and fast to his job until late in the afternoon.

The following order of development produces the quickest and most lasting results: 1. Concentration on the game. 2. Keep the eye on the ball. 3. Foot-work and weight-control. 4. Strokes. 5. Court position. 6. Court generalship or match play. 7. Tennis psychology.

Concentration. Tennis is played first with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique in the world will not suffice if the playing mind is wandering. There are many reasons for a wandering mind in a tennis match. The chief one is lack of interest in the game. No one should play tennis with any expectation of real success unless he cares sufficiently about the game to be willing to do the practice necessary to learn the game correctly.

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 an erring mind, and the sooner the lesson is learned the more rapid 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 conglomeration of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the ultimate victor.