You know Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. You love watching the Grand Slams -- Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open. If you are from the Philippines, you watched your tennis idols play live at the IPTL event held last November 2014. You bought the huge tennis ball (like the one I was holding) and was so hyped. You even considered learning to play tennis.
I'm a tennis player newbie. Sort of. I had tennis lessons five years ago but I was on and off. I am once again taking my tennis seriously.
Here are the five tennis tips of a newbie for the newbies:
1. Choose the right tennis racket
Buying the same racket that Roger Federer use doesn't guarantee you to hit a glorious backhand. There are tennis rackets for beginners. Wilson, Head and Prince have reasonably priced tennis rackets for beginners. Make sure that the grip size comfortably matches your hand. Although the cheapest tennis rackets are somewhat heavy, there are inexpensive tennis rackets that are light weight especially those older models. Also, buy the oversize tennis racket. It is more suitable for beginners because it has a larger "sweet spot".
The sweet spot is the area that, when hit by a ball,
imparts the greatest amount of forward momentum to the ball. -wikipedia
Check out some Wilson tennis rackets HERE
2. Wear an appropriate tennis apparel.
Expect to sweat a lot while playing tennis. Buy sports apparel that are designed for tennis. I was able to buy this Nike dri-fit tennis polo shirt at a discounted price from Nike Outlet store. This Nike Dri-Fit Tennis Shirt pulls away sweat to help keep you dry and comfortable. It also stays cool when it heats up. Your shirt won't feel heavy because of sweat.
3. Invest in a good pair of tennis shoes.
It is important to wear the proper pair of shoes to avoid getting injured. There are different kinds of tennis shoes made to complement the court surface you intend to play -- hard court, clay court, shell court and grass court. These surfaces have their own special characteristics and the tennis shoes are designed to give you the most comfortable experience.
For a tennis beginner, you can choose the regular tennis shoes made for hard court. Compared to a running shoes which is designed for forward motion, tennis shoes have flexible soles that is designed to provide stability for side to side movements.
4. Hire a tennis coach.
You need to learn the basic. Even though thousands of tennis tutorial videos are available on youtube, there's a great advantage if you have a one-on-one tennis instructor. Instructional videos are good supplements especially for tips on improving your tennis skills. But if it's your first time to play tennis, hiring a tennis coach is advisable.
5. Practice. Practice. Practice.
Practicing consistently brings you a step closer to your goal. You always get better with practice. Make sure that you pen in your calendar a regular practice schedule.