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 lengthy discussion of match play, which I hope will shed a new light on the game 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 a lot of 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 good quality material far outlasts poor quality equipment.
It is important to always dress in tennis clothes when engaging in tennis. The question of choosing a tennis racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not advocate forcing a certain racquet upon any player. All the standard makes are excellent. 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 good tennis balls, as a consistent bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a "dead" ball is no use at all. If you really want to succeed at the game and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to see 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 help.
Much more tennis can be learned off the tennis court in the study of theory and in watching the top players in play, than can ever be learned in one's own actual play. I do not advise that you should miss opportunities to play tennis, far from it. Play tennis whenever you can, but strive when playing to put into practice the theories you have read about or the strokes you have seen.
Never become discouraged by slow progress. The trick of playing some stroke you have worked on for weeks unsuccessfully, will suddenly come to you when least expected. 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 dividends all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any town.
The fellowship of tennis is universal, for none but a fit 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 to his business 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 in the world will not be enough if the directing mind is erring. There are many reasons for a wandering 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 spadework necessary to learn the game properly.
Jack it in right now if you are not willing to work very hard. The weather, conditions of play or the murmurs in the gallery usually confuse even very experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Complete and utter concentration on the game is the only remedy for a wandering mind, and the sooner that lesson is learned the more rapid the improvement of the player.
The surest way to keep a match in focus is to try for every set, every game in the set, every point in the game and, eventually, 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 final victor.
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 a lot of 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 good quality material far outlasts poor quality equipment.
It is important to always dress in tennis clothes when engaging in tennis. The question of choosing a tennis racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not advocate forcing a certain racquet upon any player. All the standard makes are excellent. 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 good tennis balls, as a consistent bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a "dead" ball is no use at all. If you really want to succeed at the game and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to see 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 help.
Much more tennis can be learned off the tennis court in the study of theory and in watching the top players in play, than can ever be learned in one's own actual play. I do not advise that you should miss opportunities to play tennis, far from it. Play tennis whenever you can, but strive when playing to put into practice the theories you have read about or the strokes you have seen.
Never become discouraged by slow progress. The trick of playing some stroke you have worked on for weeks unsuccessfully, will suddenly come to you when least expected. 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 dividends all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any town.
The fellowship of tennis is universal, for none but a fit 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 to his business 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 in the world will not be enough if the directing mind is erring. There are many reasons for a wandering 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 spadework necessary to learn the game properly.
Jack it in right now if you are not willing to work very hard. The weather, conditions of play or the murmurs in the gallery usually confuse even very experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Complete and utter concentration on the game is the only remedy for a wandering mind, and the sooner that lesson is learned the more rapid the improvement of the player.
The surest way to keep a match in focus is to try for every set, every game in the set, every point in the game and, eventually, 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 final victor.
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