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Winning tennis tips - from warm up to match point:
There are probably thousands of tennis tips, but here are 10 great ones that begin at the warm up and end at the match point.
Tennis tip #1
When you start your warm up before the match you first need to get used to the conditions and your feel and form for that day. It's not realistic to expect that you'll be feeling superbly well every day.
So check the conditions - windy, sunny, hot or something else and adapt your shots and tactics accordingly. Then check your feel for the ball and racquet, your general mood and look to improve on them.
Tennis tip #2
When you start the match you furthermore need to get used to your opponent's play. Most of the players don't play the same in the warm up as they do in the match. So you are very likely to see and feel new speeds and spins of the ball.
Don't panic if you can't adapt in the first minute. Your brain is getting the information, unless you're too emotional. Remember previous matches, how you found your timing on returns or volleys or whatever caused problems at first.
Just watch the ball well and notice what is happening - are you late, too far, is the ball too high and then gradually adapt. Don't force it - it will happen if you are relaxed.
Tennis tip #3
The most important shots which define how the point will be played are the serve and the return. If you have a weak serve and return, then you'll be on defense the whole point.
A good serving tip is to first find your serve. Don't blast your first serves in the match at your full power. Start at 75%, then increase the speed and see where is the best feeling and percentage of shots.
The same rule applies to returns - start with medium paced returns down the middle and then add speed and placement when the match progresses. The main goal of the return on the first serve is to get it back deep down the middle and on the second serve to make your opponent run - so preferably a cross court return.
Tennis tip #4
The game is obviously based on forehands and backhands - hence "groundstrokes". You need to find them also when you start the match. Start with long cross courts 2-5 feet over the net and aim 5 feet from both side and baseline.
When you find good length, start utilizing short cross court and down the lines shots to make your opponent run.
Tennis tip #5
The same principle applies to volleys and overheads. It may take you 10 or 20 minutes before you play your first volley or overhead, so don't expect a perfect shot. Or maybe you can expect it but don't get too upset if it doesn't happen.
Actually if you often play at the net you're maybe aware of this fact: you need to develop the feel and timing for your volleys too. You might play a couple of poor volleys or overheads first but don't let that discourage you.
You're showing your opponent that you are not afraid to come to the net and you are also adapting to his shots. Imagine how good it will feel when you hit excellent volleys and overheads towards the end of the set.
Tennis tip #6
This is actually a summary of the above mentioned tips: first deal with the tennis game and conditions on a given day. And when you get reasonably comfortable with the tennis game and conditions, start thinking and dealing with your opponent. This is my primary tennis playing tip whenever I start the match.
Tennis tip #7
Now you are trying to figure out how to outplay your opponent. Ask your self - where are his weaknesses and where are his strengths? Look to exploit his weaknesses with your strengths and try to avoid your weakness against his/her strength.
It sounds so logical but in my experience I don't see many players actually thinking logically on court. They are usually too emotional. You need to learn how to get out of emotional states quickly and start thinking smartly and positively for the next point.
Tennis tip #8
When you finally see what your opponent's weaknesses are you must first check with yourself whether your level of play realistically allows you to play certain shots. If you your opponent moves very slowly towards the net, is you drop shot reliable enough to use it?
Don't change your game too much or into areas that you don't master. Adapt your game so it is very difficult for your opponent, but stay in your limits.
Tennis tip #9
If you did a good job using the above mentioned tips, you are now probably ahead in the match. This is one of the biggest traps in the game. You might try to defend the lead. You'll start thinking: "I don't want to lose this lead now."
And since our brain does not understand the word NO, it hears: "I want to lose this lead now." and it will help you do it.
Does this sound familiar? You need to think what you want: "I want to finish the set." or "I want to extend the lead."
Tennis tip #10
You are now at match point having played masterfully through the whole match. There are many mind traps here. See if you fall into one of them:
- If I miss this opportunity, I won't get another one
- If I win this, it won't be fair. He/she is actually a better player.
- I don't want to make a double fault now.
- This is it. (and you make a historic event in your mind about one point in a tennis game)
If any of these thoughts enters your consciousness, smile at them, say: "Yeah, right." and then play your match point decisively and with courage. Then go shake the hand of your opponent. 
What is a Tennis Racket?
Having the perfect tennis racket is going to be the key in your game. You do not have to have the most expensive racket, but you do need to have one that fits your body and the way you play the best. You need to make sure that you figure out what it is that you need in your racket before you go and buy the first one that you see.
A tennis racket is usually made from aluminum or steel. You may also find ones that are made from other materials like plastic. It will depend on the kind and style that you want for yourself when you go shopping for the perfect racket for your game. You should shop around and test many of the rackets before you decide on a certain one.
There is usually netting at the top of the racket to hit the ball with. You will find that most Tennis Rackets are durable and can take a beating. They are lightweight so that you can move it around easily. If you are new to the game of tennis, you will soon learn to move the racket in all the directions that you need to in order to hit the ball and get the game won.
A tennis racket is used to hit the ball back and forth in the game of tennis. You will use this to hit the ball before the ball goes out of your designated space. You will find that the more you use your tennis racket, the better your game will be. It is not that hard to figure out the game of tennis, all you need to do is have little patience and some time to learn the game.
There are many tennis rackets that you can get for as little as ten dollars or so. You will find that if you want to get a really good one, you will only have to pay twenty or so dollars for the racket. These rackets will be made of aluminum. They will have the medium wide profile and a mid to medium oversized head. You can go to many department or sporting good stores to find the racket that would be perfect for your game.
There are many sporting goods stores that will be able to sell these tennis rackets for a really cheap price. You can get the racket that you need in most local stores. Once you learn how to play tennis, you will find that you can loose weight and have a great time at the same time. Once you get motivated, you will want to play tennis more and more as time goes on.
Where to Play Tennis?
There are numerous places that are all available to play tennis and most cities have several options that you can explore based upon your individual needs. Finding a suitable place to play is often based upon where you live, how long you have to devote to playing and what type of surface you are looking for in terms of the court. There are grass courts, clay, asphalt and even an indoor wooden court. You need to decide which type you are most interested in before you obviously make a final decision, but having several options available to you will make it much easier to find a good tennis court that you can use.
Local gym – this is a place where you can generally find at least one indoor tennis court. While not all gyms will have an outdoor tennis court you can generally schedule a game or two a week. In addition this is a great place to find a tennis instructor that is able to work with you to improve your technique if you are interested. One of the biggest benefits to using the court at the local gym is there is typically no additional charges to use the court, you just may need to reserve the court in advance for your use.
Country club – many country clubs offer several tennis courts for members. Golf and tennis sometimes go hand in hand and the majority of country clubs will offer several different tennis courts that you can use. One of the biggest advantages is this will allow you to play more often because you have a greater chance of finding an open court. However, the bad news is that you generally will need to pay a membership fee for the country club, which can run as much as several hundreds of dollars a month. Nevertheless, there is some good news, finding a very good and successful instructor at a country club is an almost guarantee.
City parks – many local cities are pushing residents to get into shape and as such they are opening more parks that offer sports facilities for the general public to use. The disadvantage here is that they tend to be very busy and sometimes have limited hours. Additionally, there usually is not a staff available so there is no way to actually reserve the court. You will have to hope when you arrive that it is empty. However, the biggest advantage is that they are almost always free, plus it gives you a great chance to get out and meet new people in the area around you. If you are looking for a tennis instructor it may be a bit difficult since most public tennis courts do not have a place where instructors can post a sign advertising their services.
Tennis clubs – if you are already fairly skilled at playing you may be able to look for a local Tennis Club in your area. This would allow you to play with other players who all have various skill levels. The benefits are that you can learn from the more advanced players, plus it is a great way to find out about local tournaments. The disadvantage is you may have to pay additional fees each month in order to use the court. You can however usually find a great instructor this way. As you go along you may notice that you need to reserve the court in advance, however most tennis clubs offer more than a single tennis court, which helps to reduce the congestion on the courts.
Finding a good tennis court is quite possible and of course larger cities will have even greater options to find the perfect court for your needs.
