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 striving to arouse interest in the student of the game of tennis by a somewhat prolonged discussion of match play, which I trust will cast a new light on the sport of tennis.
I will turn to the novice in my opening article and write of certain matters which are second nature to the experienced tennis player. The best tennis equipment is not a lot of 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 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 the best results.
After you have selected your racquet, make a firm resolve to use only quality tennis balls, as a regular bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a "dead" ball is no use at all. If you really want to succeed at tennis and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to watch all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the leading players and strive to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a great help.
More tennis can be learned 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 advise 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.
Never let yourself become discouraged by lack of progress. The method of playing some stroke you have worked on over 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 fellowship of the game 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 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 primarily with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique in the world will not suffice if the playing mind is erring. There are many reasons for a wandering mind in a tennis match. The main one is loss 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 properly.
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 cure for an erring mind, and the sooner the lesson is learned the quicker the improvement of the player.
The best 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. - 29959
I will turn to the novice in my opening article and write of certain matters which are second nature to the experienced tennis player. The best tennis equipment is not a lot of 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 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 the best results.
After you have selected your racquet, make a firm resolve to use only quality tennis balls, as a regular bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a "dead" ball is no use at all. If you really want to succeed at tennis and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to watch all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the leading players and strive to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a great help.
More tennis can be learned 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 advise 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.
Never let yourself become discouraged by lack of progress. The method of playing some stroke you have worked on over 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 fellowship of the game 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 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 primarily with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique in the world will not suffice if the playing mind is erring. There are many reasons for a wandering mind in a tennis match. The main one is loss 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 properly.
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 cure for an erring mind, and the sooner the lesson is learned the quicker the improvement of the player.
The best 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. - 29959
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