Tennis Fundamentals
I trust 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 lengthy discussion of match play, which I trust will shed a new light on the sport of tennis.
I will address the novice in my opening and speak of certain matters which are second nature to the skilled player. The best tennis equipment is not a lot of good for the beginner even if he really is trying 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 choosing a tennis racquet is a much more serious decision. I do not like to force a certain make of racquet upon any player, since all the famous brands are of excellent quality. However, the weight, balance, and size of the handle are the really important considerations when selecting a racquet frame, while good stringing is essential to obtain the best results.
After having 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 of no use at all. If you really desire to advance at the game and progress rapidly, I strongly recommend you to watch all the good tennis you can. Observe the play of the top players and try to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction manuals you can get your hands on. They are a great help.
More tennis can be picked up off the court, in the study of theory, and in watching the top 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 you can, but try when playing to put in practice the theories you have read or the strokes you have watched.
Never let yourself become discouraged by slow progress. The way 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 the game is universal, since none but an athletic sportsman can succeed in the game for any lengthy period of time. Tennis provides relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the person who is tied hard to his job until late 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 first with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique invented will not be enough if the directing mind is erring. There are many reasons for a distracted 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 sufficiently about the game to be willing to do the practice 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 often bewilder even very experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Complete and utter concentration on the game is the only cure for a wandering mind, and the quicker that lesson is learned the more rapid the advancement 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 conglomeration of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the final winner.
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