Tennis Basics
I trust that this, my initial dissertation on the fundamentals of tennis, will be found useful by both novices and experts alike in the tennis world. I am trying 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 game of tennis.
I will address the beginner in my opening article and speak of certain things which are second nature to the experienced tennis player. The best tennis equipment is not a lot of use to the novice even if he really is trying to improve. Nevertheless, one has to purchase good quality; it is a saving eventually, as high quality goods far outlasts poor quality gear.
It is important to always dress in tennis attire when playing tennis. The question of choosing a tennis racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not advocate forcing a certain make of racquet upon any player, since all the standard brands are excellent. However, 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 get the best results.
After you have selected your racquet, make a firm resolve to use only good tennis balls, as a consistent bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a “dead” ball is no use at all. If you really desire to succeed at the game and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to see all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the leading players and try to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a great assistance.
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 top players in play, than can ever be learned in one’s own actual play. I do not mean that you should miss opportunities to play tennis, far from it. Play tennis whenever you can, but try when playing to put into practice the theories you have read about or the strokes you have watched.
Never let yourself become discouraged by slow progress. The trick of playing some stroke you have worked at for weeks unsuccessfully, will suddenly come to you when least expected. Good tennis players are the product of very 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 town.
The brotherhood of the game is universal, since none but an athletic sportsman can succeed in the game for any lengthy period of time. Tennis offers relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the person who is tied fast to his business until late 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 first with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique in the world will not suffice if the playing mind is erring. There are many causes of a wandering mind in a tennis match. The chief one is lack of interest in the game. No one should play tennis with any hope of real success unless he cares sufficiently about the game to be willing to do the drudgery necessary to learn the game correctly.
Pack it in immediately unless you are willing to work very hard. The weather, conditions of play or the noises in the gallery often confuse even experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Total concentration on the game is the only remedy for an erring mind, and the quicker that lesson is learned the more rapid the advancement 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 collection of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the ultimate victor.