I trust that this, my initial 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 prolonged discussion of match play, which I hope will cast a new light on the game of tennis.
I will turn to the novice in my opening article and speak of certain matters which are second nature to the skilled player. The best tennis equipment is not a lot of good to the beginner even if he really wants to succeed. However, one has to buy good quality; it is a saving in the end, as good quality material far outlasts poor quality gear.
It is vital always to wear tennis apparel when playing tennis. The question of selecting a tennis racquet is a much more serious decision. I do not like to force a certain brand of racquet upon any player, since all the standard brands are of excellent quality. However, the weight, balance, and size of the handle are the really important considerations when choosing a racquet frame, while good stringing is essential to obtain optimum results.
After you have acquired your racquet, make a firm resolve to use only quality tennis balls, as a consistent bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a “dead” ball is no use at all. If you really desire to succeed at the game and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to watch 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 get your hands on. They are a great assistance.
Much more tennis can be learned off the tennis court in the study of theory and in watching the best players in action, than can ever be learned in one’s own actual play. I do not mean 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 seen.
Do not allow yourself to become discouraged by lack of progress. The manner of playing some stroke you have worked at for weeks in vain, will suddenly come to you when you least expect it. Good tennis players are the product 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 town.
The brotherhood of the game is universal, for none but a good sportsman can succeed in the game for any long period of time. Tennis provides relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the person who is tied hard and fast to his job until late in the afternoon.
The following order of development produces the quickest and most lasting results: 1. Concentration on the game. 2. Keep the eye on the ball. 3. Foot-work and weight-control. 4. Strokes. 5. Court position. 6. Court generalship or match play. 7. 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 distracted mind in a tennis match. The main one is lack of interest in the game. No one should play tennis with any hope of real success unless he cares enough about the game to be willing to do the drudgery necessary to learn the game correctly.
Pack it in immediately unless you are willing to work very hard. The weather, conditions of play or the noises in the gallery often confuse even experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Total concentration on the game is the only remedy for a wandering mind, and the sooner that lesson is learned the more rapid 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 victor.
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