Introduction to TennisTennis was once an exclusive pursuit of the idle rich, but now almost anyone can enjoy this fast and challenging sport, which is played all over the globe. And although it may take a lot of hard work and practice to become truly great at the game, getting started is far easier than you might think.
Christopher Louis has been playing sports all his life. After touring the country as a youth soccer player, Louis accepted a football scholarship to Midwestern State University, where he also played on the volleyball and tennis teams. After graduation, Louis pursued modeling and acting careers, and is currently working as a tennis pro in Los Angeles. Here he offers some basic tips for starting out in tennis:
- Use a proper grip.
The first step in learning to play tennis is holding your racquet properly. According to Louis, the two most popular grips are the semi-western forehand and the continental forehand. Louis commonly teaches the semi-western grip, which is what today's pros use.
- Swing in front of your body.
Once you have your grip down, start working on your swinging motion, which should proceed from a low to a high swing. Always make sure you're swinging out in front of your body.
- Work on building skills.
Learning basic game strategies and skills such as forehand and backhand swings is going to take some time, so keep at it and remember to have fun while you're learning.
- Wear tennis shoes.
Cross trainers, running shoes and basketball sneakers are not made for the tennis court. Wear real tennis shoes that are built to handle the game's constant side-to-side motion.
- Take it slow.
When you come out onto the court, start out slow. Ease into the game and make sure all your muscles are warm, especially when the weather is a little colder.
- Find a good instructor.
One of the keys to building a great game is finding a great instructor. A good tennis instructor will be patient with you, but will also push you to do your best and never, ever let you quit.
- Get some great exercise.
Tennis is not only good fun, it's also a great total body workout, developing the upper and lower body the cardiovascular system, motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
For more information about tennis, check out the following organizations or websites:
United States Tennis Association
www.usta.com/home
Tennis Magazine Online
www.tennis.com/homenew
Tennis Online
www.tennisonline.com
The Tennis Server
www.tennisserver.com
Tennis4U
www.tennis4you.com | 
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