5 Keys for Tennis Beginners

Want to play tennis but have never even held a racket before? Knowing the basics is crucial before stepping on to the court. In our post today, read all you need to know.

As long as you’re not planning to go professional, you can take up tennis at any age. Tennis is a fun sport that helps you tone your arms and legs in addition to offering a cardio workout. In our post today, let’s look into the keys to starting tennis.

Taking up tennis: the keys

Have you ever felt too clumsy to play tennis but wanted to try anyway? The good news is that you can always start whenever you want.

Tennis is fun: you can hit the ball, run across your side of the court and even make friends with your opponents or team member. If you want to give it a try, check out our following recommendations:

1. Gather all the equipment you need

Unlike other sports, tennis requires a list of basic materials: a racket and tennis balls. But you don’t have to spend a mini-fortune. If you’re just starting out, you can rent a racket instead or buy a lower-quality one.

But just make sure that your racket has sturdy strings (professional tennis players even adjust their strings to be firmer to ensure stronger hits). In addition, make sure it uses lightweight material such as aluminum or carbon fiber.

As for tennis balls, some clubs or courts rent them. Or, if you want your own set, they aren’t that expensive. Buy a can of four or five balls to practice with.

2. Next, sportswear

While you won’t need specific types of clothing to play tennis, certain articles will be more comfortable than others. For example, shorts are great for tennis. But you can just wear normal shorts or leggings to start with.

Make sure your tennis shoes will protect your feet on the courts— which might be red clay, synthetic or grass– in addition to being comfortable to exercise in. You can also add on a sweatband for your head or wrists to keep you dry.

3. Choosing a spot to play tennis

You can try local parks or a gym. Or, you can even practice by hitting a ball against a wall. But gyms that have good tennis courts are your best option. These gyms often have a monthly fee or membership.

Signing up can offer great additional benefits as well. For example, it gives you access to coaches, clean courts, dressing rooms and more.

4. Learn the basic concepts

You don’t have to be a tennis expert to start playing but you’ll need to know the basics. For example, the court is divided into two equal sections. The net in the middle separates them and the ball can’t touch it (except when it passes over to the other side of the court).

A player has to win four points (“15”, “30”, “40” and “match”) without the opponent winning two (“30”) in order to win a game. The first player to win six games wins the set as long as the opponent hasn’t won four or more games.

5. Practice basic hits

You have to get used to using the racket as an extension of your body (or arm) as it’s the only way you can hit the ball. Serves are one of the first lessons for beginners, and they’re not easy. To serve, players have to toss the ball in the air and hit it with their racket towards the other side of the court.

Lastly, you have to learn forehands, backhands, and volleying. Once you’ve mastered those strokes, you just need to work up your speed and reflexes to improve your game and move higher in competitions. Tennis is a demanding sport that requires serious passion!