Tennis Basics
I expect that this, my first literary work 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 hope will shed a new light on the sport of tennis.
I will address the novice 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 beginner 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 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 having selected your racquet, make a firm resolve to buy only quality tennis balls, as a consistent bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a “dead” ball is of no use at all. If you really want to succeed at tennis and progress rapidly, I strongly urge you to see all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the leading players and strive to emulate their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a great assistance.
More tennis can be picked up off the court, in the study of theory, and in watching the best players in action, than can ever be learned in actual play. I do not mean miss opportunities to play tennis. Far from it. Play whenever possible, but strive when playing to put in practice the theories you have read or the strokes you have seen.
Do not allow yourself to become discouraged by lack of progress. The method of playing some stroke you have worked on over weeks in vain, will suddenly come to you when you least expect it. Good tennis players are the result 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 fellowship of tennis is universal, since none but an athletic sportsman can succeed in the game for any long period of time. Tennis offers 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 first with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique in the world will not suffice if the directing mind is wandering. There are many reasons for a distracted 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 properly.
Pack it in immediately unless you are willing to work very hard. The weather, conditions of play or the noises in the gallery usually confuse even experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Utter concentration on the game is the only cure for an erring mind, and the sooner that lesson is learned the quicker the improvement 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 victor.
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