Six Tips Guaranteed To Improve Your Tennis Game

Few sports are more physically demanding than tennis or more difficult to master. Part of the reason why so few people are proficient at tennis is because there are not many places to practice and most cannot afford to lay out the money for private lessons. Learning how to play can be very frustrating because you can end up spending more time chasing balls than you do hitting them. But, before you decide that tennis is not your thing, here are six easy steps you can take to improve your game.

Buy a graphite racquet. If you don't want to spend any money on a new racquet and think that your parents' old wooden relics are just fine, think again. A wooden racquet simply cannot generate the power of the newer graphite models so you will be constantly underpowered when using one. Plus, the head on the newer racquets are much larger so it makes hitting the ball that much easier. Besides, there are graphite racquets out there starting around $20 that are fine for getting started.

Start practicing by hitting against a board or tennis wall. You can find these unyielding "opponents" at public tennis courts. You can construct a hitting board at your home if you desire by placing a wooden board against a fence. The definite height and weight of the hitting board will force you to focus on accuracy. Try to hit 8-10 balls against the wall without missing. Once you have improved your conistency you are ready to face an opponent.

Your feet should not grow roots into the ground when you play tennis. Your feet should always be moving whether you are running for a shot or about to split step in response to your opponent's shot. The entire court needs to be covered and you better be ready to sprint to any part of the court at the drop of a hat. Often times beginning tennis players are caught out of position and hit a weak shot in return. Don't let this fault become part of your tennis game. Shuffle back to the center of the baseline between each shot.

What about my tennis strokes? There is a constant debate over a one-handed versus two-handed backhand. Use the one-handed backhand because it takes less time to be in the proper position for this shot. Plus, you will have a wider variety of angles and less prone to having the ball fly into you while you are preparing for the shot.

Avoid emotion. When a player gets angry on the tennis court, they are in real trouble. Pretty soon, they are hitting shots wide and long because they are hitting too hard. Tennis is about control and precision. Never let emotions enter into your game because it robs you of control.

Spin is everything. Now this is a hard one for people to learn, but spin is what makes the difference between a novice just hitting balls around, and someone who is a serious threat on the court. The key to generated topspin or backspin is in the follow through. If you do not follow through on your shots, then you will be hitting the ball flat and it is more likely to sail long. Plus, with spin, you can disguise your shots more and catch your opponent off guard. It is a potent weapon in anyone's tennis game.

Tennis can be an enjoyable, blood pumping sport. You can improve your cardiovascular capabilities and coordiation. Follow these six tips and you will be off to a winning tennis season. Watch your opponent crumble against your winning tennis strategies.

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About the author: Graeme Notting is the your host at FAQ Tennis, the #1 source on the internet when you're looking for fresh up to date advice and reviews to do with Tennis.