Getting Started in Tennis

Our lives have considerably slowed down since the pandemic happened. Because of this, we gained a higher appreciation and now give more value to our time with ourselves and the people that we love. We understood the need for hobbies and saw them as not a waste of time but rather what could help complete our lives when we are not trying to be productive workers. You might have heard this a million times but we do mean it literally: there is no better time than now to pick up a sport. One sport that is easy to start on now is tennis. There are many courts in neighborhoods, public parks, or local recreation centers where you can play one match and rent equipment. It was in Ancient Greece that tennis first saw its roots. They say that tennis came from a 12th-century French game known as ‘paume,’ or ‘jeu de paume.’ This French game can be likened to handball where the ball would be passed from one side of the court to another with the players using their bare hands. They eventually wore gloves until racquets were invented. The racquet was first seen in 1583. It was in 1873 when Major Walter Wingfield gave birth to ‘lawn tennis,’ playing the sport outdoors and thus, introducing the tennis that we know of today. People love to play tennis because it’s fun. It can boost your mood by releasing endorphins and reducing feelings of anxiety and depression. You get energized during and after playing tennis. Plus, it’s good for your physical health too. It is a good exercise to increase your heart rate and bring it to healthy levels. One of your goals, perhaps, is to lose weight. You can shed some pounds by playing tennis because it burns calories and speeds up your metabolism. Of course, you have to maintain a healthy diet. And like other sports, you will have a better quality of sleep when you exercise moderately for at least 2.5 hours every week. For fun, you may include tennis in your weekly workout routine! Many of course would ask if they could still learn tennis. They probably are insecure that they are too old to pick up a racquet and start learning tennis at an old age. The good news is that you can learn tennis no matter how old or young you are. You won’t find it hard to look for opponents that have the same level of skills as you have. They say that tennis is a very inclusive sport so it’s easy for anyone to look for a tennis club and find friends among its members. There is even wheelchair tennis for the disabled. Another concern for beginners is the cost. It’s a misconception that tennis is expensive. You can start playing the sport even if you have less than $100 in your wallet. Yes, you can buy expensive tennis gear or join highly exclusive tennis clubs but that doesn’t mean there is no option for average Joes. A tennis racquet can go as low as $20 to $30 while tennis balls are priced at around $2 to $4. So where do you begin? You need to pick a racquet. There are three types of racquets used in tennis. We will discuss each of them below.

Power Racquets

Most beginners begin with this type of racquet. It’s lightweight, easy to maneuver, and has large head sizes that help beginners with their swings or attempts to hit the ball. Since it’s light, it’s easier to exert power using this type of racquet which makes it also great for training techniques.

Control Racquets

When you’ve already gone pro like Roger Federer, you may consider picking up a control racquet. They are heavier compared to the first type and have smaller head sizes which reduce the margin of error as well. Your performance will greatly depend on your accuracy and skill to control your shots.

Tweener Racquets

If you want something in between the first two types, then the tweener racquet is for you. This is popular for beginners and professionals who want to train as many skills as possible and try their hand at different tennis styles and levels. Tip: Get an inexpensive racquet at first, especially if it is your very first time playing on the court. But if you think you want to be serious with tennis, then it will do you good as well if you buy a recommended tennis racquet for beginners already. Another Tip: Prolong the life of your tennis racquet by storing it safely in your garage. Organize your items kept in the garage through smart storage solutions. Use overhead storage racks, wall shelves, and hooks from FlexiMounts to free up floor space and maximize the storage capacity of your garage. After the racquet, your next concern is your strings. Of course, as a beginner, you would buy a racquet that is already pre-strung. But just in case, you accidentally break a string or you need a separate set, there are four types of strings you could choose from: natural gut (excellent quality but expensive strings that are made of cow gut), synthetic gut, polyester, and multifilament. There are many factors in picking tennis strings but it still depends on what you like. Affordable gut tennis strings are recommended for beginners. You may change into a higher level of string when you already get a feel of the strings you are using now. Note that there are various thicknesses and gauges, starting at 16 gauge as the recommended point.

There are other accessories that while not required, would help if you know them.

Overgrips - a thin wrap that you apply to your racquet’s current grip, extending its life, absorbing sweat, and making sure that your grasp is strong and secured. Players frequently change their overgrips. Replacement grips- When you buy a racquet, you will notice it has a thick grip that is fixed onto the handle. The grips will lose the cushion and wear down. That is why you need replacement grips. Unlike overgrips, these are used less often. Vibration dampeners - You might not want to hear a ping sound every time the ball hits your racquet strings; this is what you need vibration dampeners for. It is a plastic device that you can install within your strings, solving your noise problem.