Tennis
Brief introduction of Tennis
Tennis is a unique game that is played across the globe by people as a type of recreation and exercise. The sport is professionally played in many levels in sports tournaments around the world. It can be played by people of any age group, and is loved by everyone from children to senior citizens at all levels. It is now also an official Olympics sport.
Tennis tournaments are of 4 types – referred to as the Grand Slam Tournaments – and include the French Open, the Australian Open, the US Open and Wimbledon.
Things Required To Play Tennis Game
The basic things needed for playing this game are:
- Tennis racket
The tennis racket is used to hit the ball into the court of the other player. The tension in the racket string can depend on the style of playing that you are accustomed to. While choosing a racket frame, ensure that is of proper thickness and weight for your strength and size.
- Tennis ball
The kinds of tennis balls that are used for playing this game are covered with felt material, which offers maximum bounce on the court. A player has to stand behind the baseline and serve the ball into the service court of the opposite player.
- Tennis court
The sport is played on a rectangular court, which may comprise of a net in the court’s middle area. The tennis court is 78 X 27 feet in dimensions, and a net divides the court in half. This is the basic area for playing the game, and can include surfaces of different types – such as clay, grass or concrete.
Tennis can be played in outdoor courts when the climate is good, and there is fresh air and sunshine. It may be played inside in indoor courts for round the year playing when it is bad weather.
You have to be dressed in a tennis tee and short pants, possibly with pockets – to keep a spare ball or two while serving.
Required Skills for Tennis
You have to attain mastery on these important techniques to succeed in this sport.
- Forehand
For most tennis players, it is the power shot and most natural stroke. When a tennis ball is returned directly by a left-handed player, the right-handed player has to step naturally to the left and hit back from the body’s right side.
- Backhand
It is played from the side that is opposite to that of the forehand. A player who is right-handed plays this shot from the body’s left side. The shot is executed by a left-handed player from his right side. It is a complex shot that needs to be practiced a lot.
- Serve
This starts the game. It involves tossing up the ball straight over the head and rotating the racket with a complete swing. The ball is struck to the diagonal service area on the court’s opposite side.
- Lob
This high arching shot is used primarily for defensive playing, and may be used to alter a point’s course and throw an opponent player off his balance. It may be used like an offensive tactic. Beginner and inexperienced players might find it risky.
- Volley
This refers to a short hitting technique without any back swing, or only a little, from the backhand or forehand side of the player where there is no bouncing of the ball on the court. This move is often used to catch opponent players off their guard.
How To Play Tennis Game?
Tennis tournaments are watched by millions of individuals across the globe, which makes it a fantastic spectator sport. These are a few techniques to use while playing this game.
- Before you get ready to serve, you should have an exact idea of where you would like to hit the serve. In case you have a better aim, you may hit better placements as you serve. If you wish to make a fantastic serve, be assured of where you would like to hit your ball. It can let you get back focus and ease some stress for you.• Align the position of your body properly, to make the best tennis serve. In case you aim to the right, you would like to serve the ball at an 11 o'clock position.
- Also ensure that your opponent is unable to know where you plan to hit the ball. In other words, conceal your serve. Practice the 1-2-3 drill and while doing do, divide the service area into 3 sections. By practicing the drill enough, you can take a better aim and disguise the serves that you make.
- Put all the energy of your body into each shot, so that you can add maximum amount of power to your service movements. It is essential to practice your serve minus a ball at times, a technique known as "shadowing".
- Practice your serves by throwing. A good serve happens to be a precise shot, although there should be plenty of pace in the serves as well.
- Try to add various paces and spins to your serves, as that your opponent may be thrown off on serve. Serve flat, slice and kick serves into the service games. At times, serve a ball without any pace on it. It can be great when you are throwing one after another hard serve to your opponent.
Some Important Rules of Tennis
- The game begins with a successful serve. Once that is done, the ball may be hit by players into any area of the court of the opponent until he / she scores a point. Any of the players can score points for rallies.
- Any tennis match is divided into various sets. In a tennis tournament, women need to win 2 out of 3 sets while men are supposed to win 3 out of 5 sets.
- For a player to be regarded as a winner of a tennis match, he / she needs to win 6 whole games to be able to stay ahead of the opponent player.
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