Tennis might seem confusing to those who do not understand how it is played. In order to understand tennis, you must also get to know the tennis rules, scoring system and how to score points.
This article will serve as a guide to help you understand everything you need to know about learning how to play tennis. From the equipments needed to play the game to how to score points, everything is covered.
Equipments
If you are a beginner who is considering taking lessons or is simply interested to learn how to play the highly athletic sport, tennis, you must first get the necessary equipments. The game which is played on a court, have identical measurements throughout the world.
The history of how tennis came about is quite interesting where initially the monks in French monastery used to play a game where they used the open palms of their hands to hit the ball. It was referred to as “je de paume” in French which means game of the hand.
The game has developed and evolved since then into what we recognise as tennis today. Let’s have a look at the essential equipments required for a tennis player.
Racquet
The main equipment you need is the tennis racquet which is used to hit the ball. It is important to choose a racquet that works best for you.
There are many aspects to consider when choosing a racquet such as the frame material, head size, string and grip. The frame these days are mostly made out of aluminium or graphite. Professionals usually use graphite.
Racquets with a bigger head size is commonly used by beginners as it offers a larger hitting area and more of a sweet spot. The right grip size depends on the size of your hand, and what you’re comfortable holding. Usually men use racquets with bigger grip size compared to women.
The tension of the string depends on the player. Lower tension strings allows the racquet to generate more power while tighter tension will give you more control.
Ball
Tennis balls are sold in three categories: recreational, championship and professional. If you are a beginner or playing tennis as hobby, you can use recreational or championship balls. For a championship, the organisers will inform what type of ball is use.
Tennis balls are divided by "type" depending on the surface you're playing on. Type 1 balls are fastest, type 2 balls are standard, and type 3 balls are slowest.
Shoes
Tennis shoes provide balance and strength to the player. Running shoes are not suitable to be used in a tennis court.
When choosing shoes, take the following into consideration: your current level, style of play, court surface and personal comfort. For example, if you are playing on hard courts, you will look for shoes that have cushioning in the heel.
How to Play?
Tennis is either played individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams consisting of two people on each team (doubles).
The tennis court used in tournaments measures 23.77 metres long. It should be 8.23 meters wide for singles matches and 10.97 meters doubles matches.
A tennis match usually begins with a coin toss. The player who wins may choose:
- To be server or receiver in the first game of the match, in which case the opponent(s) shall choose the end of the court for the first game of the match; or
- The end of the court for the first game of the match, in which case the opponent(s) shall choose to be server or receiver for the first game of the match; or
- To require the opponent(s) to make one of the above choices.
Each player is allowed two serves per point. The ball must cross the net and land within the serving area located diagonally opposite side of the court for it to be counted as a legal serve.
The goal of tennis is to hit the ball over to the opponent’s side in a way that the opponent is unable to play a valid return. So, the players use many different techniques and angles to hit the ball to trick their opponents. Some of the commonly used tennis strokes are forehand, backhand, drop shot, smash and slice.
One good tip to remember is to always focus on hitting the ball over the net and be patient and wait for your opponent to make a mistake.
General Rules of Tennis
These are the general rules and regulations that apply for all tennis tournaments:
- Player cannot hit the ball outside the area of play
- Players cannot hit the ball twice in succession
- Players/teams cannot touch the net or posts or cross onto the opponent’s side.
- Players must return the ball using the racquet and no other part of the body.
- If the racquet leaves the hand or verbal abuse occurs, a penalty is given.
- Players must wait until the ball passes the net before they can return it.
- A player who does not return a live ball before it bounces twice loses a point.
- If the ball hits or touches the players, that counts as a penalty.
- A serve must bounce first before the receiving player can return it.
Scoring System
The scoring system in tennis might be a bit confusing at first as the points are calculated in the usual way of 1, 2, 3 but 15, 30, 40. Let’s look at the scoring system below:
0 point - love
First point - 15
Second point - 30
Third point - 40
Fourth point - Game
The game starts with both players or teams with 0-0 point. Zero point is referred to as love in Tennis. If both players end up winning 3 points each in a game, which makes the score 40-40, its called a deuce which is another word for tie.
After deuce, the player who wins the next point has advantage. If the player with the advantage scores another point, he or she wins the game.
However, if the opponent scores a point after the advantage, the scores move back to deuce. The first player who manages to score 2 points in a row wins the game.
How to Score Points?
A key point to remember is that any point is initiated by the player who serves the ball. If the opponent manages to return successfully, these two players have engaged in a rally (a ball going from one side of the court to the other).
So how do you score a point? These are the ways that you can score points:
- You hit a winner - You hit a shot that your opponent is unable to return
- The opponent makes two consecutive faults which is called double fault- misses two serves in a row, either at the net or outside of the box
- You force an error - you serve or return the ball to your opponent in a way that forces them to hit it out or into the net
- You hit a shot that bounces twice which is called double bounce on your opponent’s court before he or she can hit it
You will start accumulating points using any of the above methods. The first player to win 4 points wins a game. The first player to win 6 games wins a set. In order to win a match, the player must win 2 or 3 sets. So, the points add up to a game. Games add up to a set. Winning sets will lead to winning the match.
Why Play Tennis?
Why should you play tennis? It does not matter if you play tennis as a recreational activity or you aim to become one of the all-time best tennis players around the world, there are many benefits that you can gain by playing this sport. Here are some of the benefits:
Aids Weight Loss
You get a full body workout by playing tennis. It is a good cardio workout that will lead to weight loss if it is done regularly and combined with a healthy diet to maintain a healthy weight.
Strengthens Your Bones
Playing tennis has been shown to help maximize the bone mass before the age of 30 and afterwards help to slow down bone loss.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
A 2017 study found that participation in racquet sports was related to a 56% reduction in death from cardiovascular disease
Builds Agility
Playing tennis require players to move quickly in random directions to hit the ball. This leads to them builds up agility where the players are light on their feet and is able to move over a distance in a short time
Develops Better Decision Making Skills
The ability to make decisions like when to let a smash bounce before hitting it or choose the right shot to return the ball is crucial when you play tennis.
Provides Social Interaction
Learning to play tennis can provide the social interaction that you have been missing and gives you a chance to form friendships outside your normal circle.
Improves Self-esteem
Since tennis serves as a good overall workout, you body will get healthier and will eventually lead to weight loss. Once you start to feel healthier and see you body get fitter, it will boost your perception of yourself and improve your self-esteem.
Head to the Superprof Malaysia homepage and start browsing the tutors' profiles to book your first tennis lesson!
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