Tennis Fundamentals
I trust that this, my first 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 lengthy discussion of match play, which I hope will cast a new light on the sport 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 for the novice even if he really wants to improve. Nevertheless, one has to purchase good quality; it is a saving eventually, as high quality material 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 get optimum results.
After having acquired your racquet, make a firm decision to use only good 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 advance at tennis and progress rapidly, I strongly advise you to see all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the top players and strive to emulate their play. Read all the tennis instruction manuals you can get your hands on. 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 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 seen.
Never let yourself become discouraged by slow progress. The trick of playing some stroke you have worked on over weeks unsuccessfully, will suddenly come to you when you least expect it. 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 dividends all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any town.
The fellowship of tennis is universal, since none but a good sportsman can succeed in the game for any lengthy 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 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 first with the mind. The best racquet technique in the world will not suffice if the playing mind is erring. There are many causes of a distracted 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 enough 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 quicker the lesson is learned the quicker the improvement of the player.
The surest way to keep a match 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 collection of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the ultimate winner.
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