Helpful Hints from a Teaching Pro

As a player and coach for over 50 years there is one thing I wouldn’t recommend: Don’t come out trying to crush the ball on day one! Start in mid-court, on the service line and gently hit the ball to your partner. Their goal should be to do the same back. Many pros and advanced players start short, warming up muscles slowly and easily and looking to establish consistency before moving back to the baseline. You should too! Once you and your partner begin to find a rhythm, you can move farther back. Gradually shift from first to second gear, maybe to third as you gain confidence. See how many shots you can make in a row, then break your record. Skip fourth and fifth gear; hitting the ball with pace should be the last thing on your mind at the beginning. By doing this over your first few months you will avoid injury, get better exercise, experience more success and have way more FUN!

As a beginning player, it is way easier to learn good fundamentals from the start. Trying later to change well-memorized poor habits can be difficult. The USPTA (United States Professional Tennis Association) can be one good place to start to find a qualified coach in your area. Their pros are certified based on playing and teaching skills, and it is a quality organization. When you go to their website, you can click on Find a Pro and get a list for teaching professionals nearby. I would also talk with other people you meet who are taking lessons in your area for their recommendations. Then try one to two lessons with a pro and see how your communication styles, on-court chemistry and teaching styles match up. If you are having fun and progressing, you have found a match!

One-on-one private lessons allow the pro to focus only on your game and specific strengths and weaknesses. Semi-private lessons shared with a friend and practice partner are also personalized, productive and you can learn drills and games to do together to develop your new skills. Group lessons can run from three people on up (cost is even more affordable), and while less individualized, a group is a great way to meet more playing partners and the enthusiasm makes for great fun. Now you are outdoors, making new friends, getting fitter and seeing advancement!

Having a basic practice plan will greatly help you get the most out of your time on court. As mentioned earlier it's always good to start with some mid-court rallying, then move on to hitting at a moderate pace down the middle from the baseline, and once your body is warmed up you can work on placing your shots. Try rallying diagonally cross court forehand to forehand (if you are both right handed), getting 3 to 4 feet of net clearance and aiming 5 to 6 feet inside the lines. Practice this until your consistency starts to build. Now repeat on the backhand side, again hitting at a moderate pace and gradually gaining control and having longer rallies. Next, move to the net and practice volleys (hitting each shot before the bounce) softly back and forth while standing half way from the net to service line. Keep your hands in front of your body and hit the ball with a short punch, and you will have a much easier time controlling the pace and direction of your shots. If you have worked on overheads with your pro, have your partner move back and give you some easy lobs to practice that skill. Now comes decision time!

Are you and your partner happy rallying and getting a great workout, or do you want to compete? To start, you can play baseline games where you start each point by hitting a forehand up the middle of the court (no serves needed in this game). Baseline games will give you the challenge of competition without having to serve, which can be one of the tougher shots to master for new players.

You can save serving for when you are taking lessons or doing serving specific practice. You can learn how to score here. You will gradually learn tons of new drills, exciting point games and begin match play. One thing I can assure you is that tennis will always challenge you, be a great source of enjoyment and exercise and you will make new like minded friends!

Don't be the new player who is ill equiped to succeed. I have seen new players trying to learn and play with racquetball racquets, 45-year-old wood racquets and all types of shoes. When getting started you will want equipment that's easy on the body while simplifying learning the sport. Quality tennis-specific shoes are essential! We are usually playing on cement and making many changes in direction. Well-cushioned shoes that provide traction and stability help us move with confidence, absorb shock and avoid injury. Next, a quality racquet suited for beginner/intermediate levels will make learning easier, safer, faster and more fun! In general, your racquet will be a bit lighter, more forgiving and have a slightly larger head size than the models being used by the experts who might be on the next court over. Finally, quality string that suits your body and skill set is important. I highly recommend a synthetic nylon string strung on the looser side of your new racquet's recommended tension. This will make it easier on your wrist, elbow and shoulder as you begin to play more and fall in love with your new sport.

I hope you enjoy your time on court, get some quality exercise, make new friends and enjoy the challenge of learning this amazing sport as much as I do!