Tennis is one of the most widely known sports that is played and loved by many around the world. If you are an amateur and learning how to play tennis, I am sure you are aware o the various forms of this beautiful game. Tennis singles is one such type. As compared to doubles, it is a much more competitive and intense type of game, both mentally and physically. If you are exposed to any of your weaknesses here, you will be outshone by any good opponent of yours. It can prove to be an advantage as well as a disadvantage. You would not have to worry about being assisted by a weak partner, and on the other hand, you alone will have to cover the entire court, which is extremely stressful. In this article, we will focus on the best strategies of tennis that you can adopt to improve your playing performance.
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About Tennis
Tennis, or more commonly known as lawn tennis, is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is basically a racquet sport which is played by between two players (singles) or two pairs of players (doubles). The game is played on a rectangular court where the players use the racquets to hit the ball of a specific size, weight and bounce over a net in between. It is a very ancient game, the origins of which can be traced back to the French handball game in the 12th-13th century. In such a game, the players are able to bag points whenever the opponent is unable to return the ball back to their court in a correct manner. The sport at the International level is played on the basis of rules sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
Things To Consider Before Playing Tennis
- Equip Yourself
Equipping yourself calls for ensuring you are well versed with all aspects of the game. You need to have everything that is required to play the game with proper standards. The most important things that you require to play the game are a good racquet and a fresh tennis ball. Fresh balls prove to be a better option for competitions, while softer balls can be used to practice the sport. You also need to know about all the regulations of the game.
- Choose the Best Tennis Racquets
If there is something that is the most important to consider before playing tennis, it is to choose the best tennis racquets. However, selecting the most perfect tennis racquet for yourself is not a very easy task. There are several types of tennis racquets that you need to learn about first. Apart from that, you need to understand the various components of a racquet, such as the weight, head size, sweet spot, and grip.
- Choose Tension
The tension of the string is another very important factor to consider, which describes how tightly the racquet is strung. The more the pressure, the tighter and stiffer the racquet will be. A stronger but looser racquet will be the result of lower tension. A recommended tension range is possessed by most racquets.
- Choose A Surface
Before you start playing tennis, the essential part calls for choosing a standard surface to play on. Hard courts are the general choice for playing this sport. These courts are usually created out of asphalt or concrete. These are known as fast surfaces and offer good ball bounce.
- Choose Proper Shoes
Not any type of shoes is fit to play the game of tennis. Hence, you need to make sure that you are wearing sneakers while playing the sport. Other types of shoes might prove to be harmful to you. They might hurt your feet, wear out very quickly, or might even damage the court. It is a general court rule that will not allow you to play unless you are wearing non-marking footwear.
5 Strategies Of Tennis
- Out-Rally The Opponent
Consistency and depth are essential aspects of tennis. This basically means that you continuously need to keep the ball in play. This will help you win a point by finding an opportunity to suddenly make the opponent miss the hit. You need to remain extremely focused so that you do not commit any errors and play safely. You need to stop the opponent from playing aggressively by hitting the shots deep enough and at the same time retrieving all the shots of your opponent. Some tips to follow:
- Choose large targets on the court.
- Hit the ball at a controllable pace.
- Always be prepared to run down the ball.
- Make sure to hit away from the lines and high over the net.
- Play Aggressively
This is a bit more advanced form of play and is exactly the opposite of the first strategy. This strategy requires the player to be quite aggressive from the very beginning of the game. They need to catch the ball early as well as hit it as hard as possible. The goal of the player must be to push the opponent backward and force him to play defensively from the beginning. The player needs to start with an attacking serve and continue being aggressive while catching the ball on the rise as well as driving it back with enough force.
- Bring The Opponent Towards The Net
If you want to win against extremely consistent players who generally don’t miss the ball from the baseline and do not hit it very hard, you can follow this strategy of tennis. This strategy will put your opponent in a very vulnerable position if you force them to approach the net since they are not very comfortable with it. For this, you will need to play very consistently. You need to be patient until you receive a short ball that you will be able to slice. You can counter it with a drop shot or even a short, low ball which will prove to be extremely effective.
- Attack The Net
In many situations, you can force the opponent to commit mistakes just by attacking the net. This puts huge pressure on your opponent. Charging the net proves to be a very useful strategy when your opponent has a weak side or if he is a very consistent player. By following this strategy of tennis, you can even take your opponent’s time away. Great variations involve you running through the middle or down the line.
- Open The Court
This is one of the most clever strategies of tennis that you can learn. According to its theorem, the player who has to move more in the court will end up losing the game. Thus, it can prove to be extremely beneficial for you. This strategy requires you to open the court at angles that will allow the opponent to create more chances for you to hit winners or commit mistakes. You need to consistently hit the ball deep. Once the opponent hits a wide and short ball, you can angle and pull him wide off the court. Next, rise to the open court, step forward, and hit the shot as quickly as possible.
Final Thoughts
Every professional layer makes use of these strategies to win this beautiful game. It might seem a little complicated for you at the beginning. Once you keep practicing the same and get your hands set, it will lead you to enhance your performance and score winners.
