How to Learn to Play Tennis Fast: Tips for Beginners to Play Tennis

Tennis develops agility, strength, endurance, reaction speed, strengthens all the muscles of the body. The sports discipline has no age restrictions. From our article you will learn how to quickly learn to play tennis, where to start, what equipment to buy.

What You Need to Know to Play Tennis

Tennis is equally useful for children, teenagers, adults and people of respectable age. If there are problems with the cardiovascular system, joints, musculoskeletal system, lungs or vision, you should first consult a doctor.

If you have long wanted to take up tennis, then it is time to act:

Find a place to play. Decide for yourself whether you want to sign up for group or individual lessons. Of course, you can train on your own. In any case, it is better for a beginner to take a few lessons to develop his stroke and serve. You should practice exclusively on a specialized court. If there are none in the parks, then you will have to visit a tennis club or fitness center.
Buy equipment. You don’t have to buy expensive professional rackets, balls, and clothes right away. Some clubs and centers provide equipment for their members. For one or two lessons, club equipment is fine. It will help you understand some of the basics of how to play tennis. For further training and play, you will need to have your own racket and equipment.
Buy tennis clothes. It is necessary to clarify in advance whether there are requirements for the form for admission to the court. If there are no restrictions, any loose-fitting sportswear will do. When you decide to play tennis for a long time and seriously, it is better to immediately buy tennis clothes and shoes.
Find a partner/opponent. You can practice serving alone, but you won’t be able to practice volleys and rebounds. For independent training, use a special gun, which is available in every tennis club. In individual and group lessons, serving and returning are practiced with a coach or in pairs.
Learn the basics. Before you begin, you should have at least a basic understanding of the court layout and scoring rules. The basics are covered in beginner classes, but it’s best to have some idea of how tennis is played.

Understanding the basic rules of the game and the score is quite simple. It is enough to learn a few basic points:

The court is divided into two parts by a net – one is yours, the other is your opponent/opponents. They play 1 on 1 or 2 on 2, that is, in pairs. The surface can be grass, clay, hard, synthetic.
The game begins with a diagonal serve to the opposite side of the court. The opponent must return the flying ball back over the net, and the server must again reflect the attack. This continues until someone makes a mistake and does not have time to reflect the flying ball. As a result, the right to serve passes to the other player.
The match consists of three sets, each consisting of six games. The winner is the first to score 6 points with a difference of 2 points. If the score is tied, a tie-break is set to 7 points. The point is awarded to the last player to make the most accurate pass.

The ball is thrown with one hand and returned exclusively with a racket. At the first miss, incorrect position on the court, double touch, the ball hitting the net, or missing the opponent’s square, the serve is made again. If the mistake is repeated, the opponent is awarded a point.

What equipment do you need to start playing tennis?

To start playing, you will need a racket and a ball. Reputable tennis clubs provide them for lessons. This is an ideal option for beginners who want to try their hand.

A tennis racket consists of a head, a fork, and a handle. When choosing, pay attention to the following parameters:

The size of the head affects the convenience of the game. The larger it is, the more difficult it is to miss the ball, but it is also more difficult to control the force of the blow. The standard size has great maneuverability, and the medium combines maneuverability and speed, the large one is difficult to hit and requires a lot of effort. The optimal option is a width of up to 32 cm.
The material of manufacture affects the weight, convenience, price. Wood is considered an outdated option, but can be found in stores and is used quite often. Graphite is the lightest, but also highly durable. Bori and Kevlar are much heavier and harder, but even more durable. The most affordable rackets are made of titanium and aluminum, but they are inferior to other options in terms of availability and maneuverability.
The weight depends entirely on the playing style. The optimal weight for women ranges from 240 to 280 g, and for men – from 280 to 370 g. Before buying, you should definitely try on how the racket behaves during “imaginary” serves and returns.
The length should be as comfortable as possible for swinging in absolutely any position, but not more than 73.7 cm.
The handle should lie completely in the palm of the hand. There should be a gap of about half a finger between the fingertips and the protruding part of the palm.

A trainer or consultant will help you choose the best option. Beginners are advised to first buy an inexpensive option, and then, having understood which strikes (powerful, twisted, etc.) are best, choose the best option for themselves individually.

A tennis ball is made of rubber with compressed air inside, nylon and wool top. The most important indicators are:

Type. There are training and game ones. The former are quite durable and can easily withstand several sessions, but are inferior in quality characteristics to game ones.
Color. The rules require the use of white and yellow balls. These are the ones recommended to play with initially.
Compressed air concentration. Directly affects the impact speed. Too cheap products quickly lose air.

One game ball is enough for several hours of play. Then its characteristics decrease. At least three balls are purchased to begin with. Clubs and centers most often provide training balls.

Clothes and shoes are selected taking into account the requirements of the classes that are planned to be attended. The top of the sports uniform is a T-shirt with sleeves for men, without sleeves for women, and the bottom is shorts. You can immediately buy tennis equipment. Sneakers should have good lateral support with a relief sole.

How to practice playing tennis?

It is recommended to start practicing even for yourself with an experienced trainer. No videos or books will allow you to master the technique fully. After mastering the basics, you can simply train on a free public court or pay for visiting a tennis club or fitness center. If you want, of course, you can start practicing on your own.

Useful tennis tips: tips on serving, moving around the court

You can’t start playing tennis right away. You need to warm up well beforehand. A regular warm-up, which can be done right on the court, will do. This reduces the likelihood of injury, strain, or muscle cramp.

When on the court, you should follow these tips from professionals:

Maintaining balance. The better a tennis player controls his body, the faster, more spinning and more accurate the hit is. The ball should be hit only from a stable position. The support should be on the side where the racket is. The step and the hit are made simultaneously.
Impact force. Increases gradually so that the muscles can adapt to the load. If you try to hit the ball with much greater force without preparation, this will lead to the body not being ready for such a load, the risk of injury or strain will increase. Each hit should have the same force. You can gradually increase the force, but only to the extent that they are all equal.
Less head movement. You don’t need to turn your head in different directions to see the ball. Your body, legs, and arms should move. It is the movement around the court that allows you to follow the ball. Your head should be as static as possible.
Hitting zone. You should not move into the hitting zone too abruptly. Your movements should be smooth. It is highly recommended not to try to reach with your racket while standing still. It is correct to take small steps and enter the hitting zone quickly, but not abruptly.
Legs. Proper leg placement after a punch involves stepping toward the center, not to the side. To hone your technique, it is highly recommended to record your workouts and watch videos.
Power of the blow. When striking, it is very important to control the arm, from the wrist to the shoulder, which should be fully and evenly tense. In the inter-stroke state, they relax a little.

When learning the basics of how to play tennis big, you need to clearly understand that it will take time and patience. You will need to practice serving, hitting, and moving around the court. An important point is a clear understanding of the scoring system and rules. Another important nuance is having a partner to play with. Tennis is not a game for one person, with the exception of hitting a ball off a cannon.