South France Immobilier Property & Luxury French Real Estate by RHF International

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 prolonged discussion of match play, which I trust will shed a new light on the sport of tennis.

I will address the novice in my opening article and write of certain matters which are second nature to the experienced tennis player. The best tennis equipment is not much use to the novice even if he really wants to succeed. Nevertheless, one has to purchase good quality; it is a saving eventually, as high quality goods far outlasts poor quality gear.

It is vital always to wear tennis apparel when playing tennis. The question of selecting a tennis racquet is a much more serious decision. I do not like to force a certain make of racquet upon any player, since all the famous makes are of excellent quality. However, the weight, balance, and size of the handle are the really important considerations when choosing a racquet frame, while good stringing is essential to obtain optimum results.

After having acquired your racquet, make a firm resolve to buy only quality tennis balls, as a consistent bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a “dead” ball is of no use at all. If you really desire to succeed at the game and progress rapidly, I strongly recommend you to watch all the good tennis you can. Observe the play of the top players and try to emulate their play. Read all the tennis instruction manuals you can find. They are a great help.

More tennis can be learned off the court, in the study of theory, and in watching the top players in action, than can ever be learned in actual play. I do not advise miss opportunities to play tennis. Far from it. Play whenever you can, but try when playing to put in practice the theories you have read or the strokes you have watched.

Never let yourself become discouraged by lack of progress. The method of playing some stroke you have worked at for weeks unsuccessfully, will suddenly come to you when you least expect it. Good tennis players are the product of very hard work. Very few players are born geniuses at the game. Tennis is a game that pays you interest all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any city.

The fellowship of tennis is universal, since none but a good sportsman can succeed in the game for any lengthy period of time. Tennis provides relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the person who is tied hard and fast to his job until late in the 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 primarily with the mind. The best racquet technique invented will not be enough if the directing mind is wandering. There are many reasons for a distracted 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 enough about the game to be willing to do the spadework necessary to learn the game properly.

Give it up at once unless you are willing to work hard. Conditions of play or the noises in the gallery often confuse and bewilder experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Complete concentration on the matter in hand is the only remedy for an erring mind, and the sooner the lesson is learned the more rapid the improvement of the player.

The surest way to keep a game in mind is to play for every set, every game in the set, every point in the game and, finally, 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.