Tennis for Beginners - Tips, Tricks and Advice

Tennis, for beginners, looks easy until you get on the court. Then it seems impossible. Controlling your shots and serves takes a lot of practice, but there are things you can do to crunch the learning curve and have fun as you improve your game.

Get the Proper Equipment
Don't think too much about getting the right tennis racquets for beginners. If you're an adult, make sure that the racquet is an adult size, 26" or 27", and that you have the correct size grip. You know the grip is the correct size when you wrap your hand around it and your thumb reaches the first knuckle of your middle finger. If it goes past the first knuckle, the grip is too small; if your finger doesn't reach, the grip is probably too big. Whatever you do, don't break out the racquet you found in your grandparents' attic. If it's made out of wood or aluminum, donate it to the nearest museum. Your wrists and elbows will thank you.

Nice Shoes
Proper tennis shoes are required. They give support and comfort out on the tennis court, with support being the main thing. Running shoes, soccer shoes, hiking boots, etc. are not going to cut it. Without proper court shoes, the risk for turning an ankle or suffering other serious foot injuries rises.

Look Good
Wear the proper tennis attire. A nice pair of tennis shorts and tennis shirt go a long way toward making you respectable to fellow players. Cutoff jeans and a Def Lepard t-shirt aren't the right attire. Many clubs have strict dress codes when it comes to tennis wear. Wearing all white and collared tennis shirts are the norm at many high-end clubs. You don't have to wear all white and look like a player from 1920s Wimbledon, but when playing on your local public courts, at least try and look like you know what you're doing.

Be Respectful
Most beginners aren't hip to the basics when playing next to other players. There's nothing more annoying than playing next to inexperienced tennis players with no grasp of etiquette. If you're walking out onto a court and you have to pass another court while people are playing, stop and wait until their point is over or until they stop hitting, then you may pass. Chances are they'll notice you there and tell you to go. Whatever you do, don't just walk on through; you can get hurt and it's disrespectful. Don't shout or scream while you're playing next to others, as this can be very distracting. If a ball wanders into your court from another game, it's considered polite to toss it back during a break in play. The same rule applies if one of your balls strays into another court; wait for play on that court to stop before you try to retreive it.

Learn from the Experienced
Take some lessons or play with someone more experienced than yourself. Learning the correct technique, either from a friend, a tennis pro or from a class at a local community college, pays immediate dividends. It also makes the misery of learning a new sport a little more tolerable. Taking a group lesson is highly recommended. You're in a group, at the same level, which  gives you an opportunity to learn from watching others. It also gives you an opportunity to meet other players you can practice with. Finding someone to hit with can be difficult at times, so take advantage of a group lesson if you can.