Are you interested in getting in the best shape of your life and master a new sport? Tennis is undeniably one of the best sports to stay fit. It is also great for improving balance, hand-eye coordination, stamina, and overall strength. However, it is better to know about the game before buying your own kit.
Take a look at the crucial points to excel in tennis.
Learn to grip
Although it might seem simple, yet holding the racket needs some good technical know-how. The right grip will give you more control and power to hit the ball at your contender’s court.
Here are the different grips used by professionals.
Continental
The grip is generally used for overhead swings, volleys, and serves. While holding the racket like a hammer, your racket’s face will get slightly open and defensive shots will become easier.
Hold the bottom of your racket, Bevel 1, and move forward while clinching all the subsequent levels. Your forefinger and thumb will create a v-shape on top of the handle whereas your heel and the knuckle of the index finger will rest on Bevel 2.
Eastern
Being fairly similar to Continental, the grip is mostly used for forehand strokes. It feels like you are shaking someone’s hand, and at the same time, shots become faster and flatter. The grip is perfect for intimidating the opponent for a return shot. To excel this grip, rest your heel and index knuckle of your hand on the Bevel 3.
Semi-western
The Semi-Western grip is used to get more control on the Eastern grip and to hit higher balls. Due to its closed racket and topspin, the grip is suited for an aggressive play. To hold the racket in Semi-Western grip put it down flat on the ground and pick it up naturally. Your hand’s heel and index knuckle will automatically land on Bevel 4.
The types of strokes
Forehand
This is the most organic stroke you will come up with. You just have to swing the racket across your whole body with your dominant hand. You must master this stroke before going forward with other ones.
Backhand
The stroke is meant for balls raveling towards your non-dominant hand. You will have to hold the racket with two hands and swing it across the opposite side of the body. Your dominant hand’s back will be against the opponent all the time.
Volley
The shot requires great wisdom as you just have to swing the racket slightly. The stroke will be as effective as your proximity to the nets. It is one of the final moves a player makes in an intense bout.
Serve
The stroke commences the start of each point. Your goal is to make the ball land on the opponent’s court without hitting the net.
Master the court
The surface of the court varies as per the occasion. The French Open is played on clay, Wimbledon is played on grass, National Bank and Rogers Cup are played on hard courts.
The court is in shape of a rectangle with two baselines, two sidelines down both side and four service courts. All your strokes must end up in one of the service courts for a successful serve. To compliment two players, the inner sidelines will be used as the boundary line, whereas, in the case of four players, the outer sidelines will word as the boundary line. Any ball that bounces out of these channels gets nullified.
The net is 3 feet high in the middle and 3.5 feet high at both the ends on top of the poles. You will your racket touches the nets. You will have to learn ball placement as hitting a ball diagonally is known as crosscourt shot, and if the ball goes down the sidelines, then it’s called “down the line.”
Points
Every game starts with love, and the first point is called 15, then 30 and 40, respectively. After the final point, the play comes to game point, and players have to win two consecutive points to wins the game. After the game point, the first point is called deuce, and the second one is called Advantage. Players keep on playing till one of them scores these two points serially. A player who wins six games captures the set.
Isn’t tennis an interesting game? Start learning today.