About Tennis
Tennis is a very in-depth sport. There are many things you need to know and
what to wear to play the game. People from all around the world are now playing the
sport. There are different types and ways to play it. The average tennis player is in good
shape and is ready to be moving around on the court in all directions, if put up to the
challenge. Tennis is also a fun and entertaining game to watch, if the two players make a
good match.
"Lawn tennis, or tennis as we know it today, became popular during Queen
'tennis' derives from the French word tenez, which means 'take it' - a warning from
the server to the receiver"( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_tennis). Tennis was not
played as a serious sport until the early 1870's. "One theory is that this game was played
by monks in monastery cloisters, and the shape of the court is certainly to this day
reminiscent of a courtyard. Another theory is that the court features relate to medieval
city streets and squares"( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_tennis) The first tennis
championships were at the Lawn Tennis Club and All England Croquet at
Now, more than 15,000 attend the center court stands at
For their tennis ball they used a leather covered affair, stuffed with wool. The
tennis rackets were called battoirs. The heads of the battoirs were of various shapes, but
were later carved out and shielded with parchment. Stringing the rackets eventually took
place of parchment and because of this, the tennis racket evolved (USLTA 1-5).
Lawn tennis was believed to be invented by Walter Clapton Wingfield.
He took the basic principles of court tennis and adapted them to outdoor play where there
were no walls." Wingfield received a patent for his game, in 1874. "In the specification
for requesting this patent, Wingfield claimed the invention to be 'a new and improved'
court for playing the ancient game of tennis"(USLTA 5-9). Lawn tennis traveled over to
the
Over years, tennis clothes have changed significantly in fabric, style, and color.
"The first lawn tennis players in
usually wore ordinary long dresses when playing tennis. Men wore reserved, long sleeved
shirts and pants. "The evolution of tennis clothes has mirrored the changes in everyday
fashion." For example, in the 1970's and 1980's men liked little, tight shorts and polo
shirts. The female tennis players liked to wear short tennis skirts and dress. Later in
time, male tennis players started wearing larger, looser shirts and more informal shirts.
Today's woman wear a mixture of tennis clothes, varying from tennis skirts and dresses
to t-shirts and shorts.(http://ezinearticles.com/?Tennis-Clothes---A-Revolution-in-Style&id=456344)
Comfort is the main worry of tennis players. "They must be able to run, cut, jump,
and twist all while executing precise tennis strokes to hit a ball often moving at high
speeds." Tennis players favor clothes that are light, a good fit, prevent moisture, and are
comfortable. "In conclusion, tennis clothes have seen many changes over the years.
While tennis clothes maintain some of their formality and traditional style, modern tennis
players value comfort and individual style over tradition."
(http://ezinearticles.com/?Tennis-Clothes---A-Revolution-in-Style&id=456344)
"When you step out on the court to play a match, you will need to understand
some basic rules of tennis"(Vicario 12) There are many markings on the court- these are
the borders that restrict your drives, volleys, and serves. Before you start the game, you
flip a coin or spin the racket to see who serves first. You want to know when and where
to return the ball to score so you can make a lot of points. (Vicario 12) There are four
main style of courts: clay courts, hard courts, grass courts, and indoor courts. They all
mainly have the same lines and boundaries, but the surface of the floor is different
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_court).
In a tennis match, the serve, or service, is the most vital hit. It is the primary shot
of every point and if done well, can give you an instant advantage over your opponent. It
is critical to follow a serve that you can hit repeatedly over and over again. You want to
challenge your opponent and make it hard for them to return the ball. (Vicario 22)
When you make a mistake, a fault, you are permitted a second serve. You want to
stand behind the baseline with your body twisted on the court. If you count to three and
do these steps it will help your serve very much. One, prepare your racket. Two, you
arms pass down your legs. Three, as you lift your racket and toss the ball. The final step
is to hit the ball, sending it far across the court. If you hit the ball at a perfect approach
and speed, you might have just gotten yourself a point! (Vicario 23)
After you hit a serve, the next step is a serve return. The serve return is the most
important shot. This is when you want to make it difficult for your opponent on their
next shot. (Vicario 24) The receiving location is in the center of the court, about an arm
and a racket span in front of the back wall. Grip the racket about waist high across your
body. You should be in the bending position with your knees bent and your weight on the
balls of your feet, ready to shift rapidly. Hold the racket freely with a backhand grip and
swing at the ball with your best shot.
(http://cemood.people.wm.edu/racquetball/serve_return_strategy.htm)
A volley is a hit played when the ball is in its first departure, before it bounces.
About six feet far from the net, stand in an attack position. Your volley movement short
to be a little, stern punch that has a little take-back or follow through. The backhand
volley is said to be easier to play then the forehand (Vicario 26,28). "Backhand volleys
can actually have more "swing" in them than is the case for forehand volleys"
( http://www.tennisserver.com/turbo/turbo_01_06.html). The principles are the same for
both drives. The backhand volley can also be used as a defensive shot if the ball is
coming directly at you (Vicario 28).
"There are two types of ground strokes: the forehand drive and the back hand
drive." After the ball has bounced once, ground strokes are played. For a lot of the
players, the forehand drive is the strongest stroke (Vicario 18). From the ready position,
with knees somewhat bent, turn the body about a sector turn to the right. "Extend the
right arm straight, take the racket back and down towards the fence." Stretch out your
other hand onward in the way of the net. Stride ahead with your left leg and swing
frontward making contact with the ball ongoing the follow through across the body and
over the contrary shoulder. After this is done, return to ready position
(http://hometown.aol.com/dhmtennis/myhomepage/index.html).
The backhand drive is similar to the forehand drive. From the ready position,
with knees somewhat bent, turn your body a little to the left. The racket top needs to be
turned frontward a little towards the net. After this, the rest of the stroke is the same as
the forehand drive (http://hometown.aol.com/dhmtennis/myhomepage/index.html).
There are many famous tennis players out in the world. Billie Jean king was one
of them. As a kid Billie Jean King first played softball. She grew old of softball and
began looking for a more ladylike sport. She practiced hitting tennis balls on public
courts of
charging the net. In 1958 she began playing in tournaments. By the time she was 16, she
was good enough to meet a
finals of the national 18-and-under tourney. She lost to Karen Hontze but ended up
becoming double partners with her. After a long time, Billie won her first
singles title and followed up in 1967 with major triumphs in all fields (http://www.trivia-
library.com/a/biography-of-famous-tennis-player-and-athlete-billie-jean-king.htm).
Another famous tennis player is Roger Federer. He is a famous Swiss tennis
player and was born on August 8, 1981 in
for tennis when he was 8 years old. He dedicated himself to tennis and when he was 14
Roger became the Swiss Junior champion. He won the Wimbledon Juniors title and
Orange Bowl, in 1998 (http://www.popmonk.com/athletes/roger-federer/biography.htm).
Tennis has its faults and flaws but overall is one of
sports. Playing tennis is a good way to stay in shape and have fun at the same time.
Tennis is now once again an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society, by all
ages, and in many countries around the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis).
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