Tennis Basics
I trust that this, my initial article 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 lengthy discussion of match play, which I trust will shed a new light on the sport of tennis.
I will turn to the beginner in my opening article and write of certain matters which are second nature to the skilled player. The best tennis equipment is not a lot of good to the novice even if he really is trying to improve. However, one has to buy good quality; it is a saving in the end, as good 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 advise forcing a certain make of racquet upon any player, since all the standard makes 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 obtain optimum results.
After you have acquired 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 want 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 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 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 possible, 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 way 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 city.
The fellowship of the game is universal, for none but an athletic 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 to his job until late afternoon.
The order of development that produces the quickest and most lasting results is: a. Concentration on the game. b. Keep the eye on the ball. c. Foot-work and weight-control. d. Strokes. e. Court position. f. Court generalship or match play. g. 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 wandering mind in a tennis match. The chief one is loss 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.
Jack it in right now if you are not willing to work very hard. The weather, conditions of play or the noises in the gallery usually bewilder even very experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Complete and utter concentration on the game is the only remedy for a wandering mind, and the quicker that lesson is learned the quicker 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 conglomeration of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the ultimate winner.