Tennis is a lifetime sport that rewards clear thinking, sound technique, and steady training. Whether you’re picking up a racket for the first time or returning after a break, understanding the rules, equipment, and movement patterns shortens the learning curve. This article blends fundamentals with actionable tips, helping you play more rallies, protect your body, and enjoy the game more often.

Outline

– Rules and scoring: what counts, how games and sets progress, and common variations.
– Equipment and surfaces: racket specs, strings, balls, and how courts change bounce and speed.
– Technique and biomechanics: efficient movement and stroke building blocks.
– Strategy and mental routines: patterns that raise your percentage play.
– Training plan and injury-smart habits: a practical path from drills to match play.

Rules and Scoring, Demystified

The court is a rectangle 23.77 m (78 ft) long. Singles width is 8.23 m (27 ft); doubles extends to 10.97 m (36 ft) with side alleys in play. The net sits 0.914 m (3 ft) high at center and 1.07 m (3.5 ft) at the posts. Lines are part of the court—if the ball touches a line, it is in. Play begins with a serve struck behind the baseline and diagonally into the service box. The ball may bounce once; a second bounce ends the point unless a player hits it on the rise before it touches down (a volley is struck in the air). A point is replayed if a served ball grazes the net and still lands in (a let); otherwise, a serve that misses the box is a fault.

Scoring follows a traditional ladder: 0 (often called “love”), 15, 30, 40, then game. At 40–40, the score is deuce; a player must win two consecutive points to take the game, moving to “advantage” on the first. A typical set ends when a player reaches six games with a two-game lead; at 6–6, most formats use a tiebreak to 7 (win by 2). Matches are commonly best of three sets. Doubles follows the same logic, with partners alternating service games and switching receiving sides after each point.

Several practical examples help solidify the flow:

– If the server’s first serve misses, they have a second attempt; two faults concede the point.
– Players switch ends of the court after the first game and every two games thereafter to balance sun and wind.
– In doubles, the alley is in play after the serve, which expands court width and changes angles.
– No-ad scoring (used in some leagues) gives the receiver choice of side on deuce; the next point decides the game.

Foot faults occur when the server steps on or over the baseline before contact. Hindrance (an unintentional distraction that affects play) typically results in a replay; deliberate interference loses the point. Code violations can escalate from warnings to point penalties. While the written rules look formal, the essence is simple: keep the ball inside the lines one more time than your opponent, respect the rotation, and play with fair intent.

Equipment, Court Surfaces, and Ball Behavior

Choosing a racket and understanding the court under your feet change how the ball behaves long before you swing. Racket head sizes usually range from about 97 to 110 square inches. Larger heads offer a bigger effective sweet spot and a bit more power; smaller heads can reward precise timing with added control. Typical unstrung weights span roughly 270–330 g, with balance points either head-light (quicker maneuvering for volleys and rapid changes) or head-heavy (more plow-through for deeper groundstrokes). Grip size matters for comfort and injury prevention; a handle that feels too small can overwork the forearm, while one too large may limit wrist mobility.

Strings are the engine room of feel. Polyester monofilaments are durable and help produce spin thanks to low string-to-string friction, while multifilaments and natural-gut-like constructions are arm-friendly and lively at lower swing speeds. Tension is a lever: higher tensions (for example, in the 50–60 lb range) can reduce launch angle and add control, while lower tensions (around 40–50 lb) can add pocketing and comfort. Hybrids (mixing two string types) blend traits. A small adjustment—2–3 lb—often makes a noticeable difference in trajectory and depth.

Balls are another variable. Pressurized balls feel livelier out of the can, then slowly lose bounce as internal pressure bleeds out. High-altitude versions use different internal pressure to manage flight in thinner air. Fresh balls tend to jump higher and skid a bit more on contact; older balls fluff up, gripping the court and slowing the pace.

Surface type changes everything through friction and energy return:

– Hard courts: medium to fast, with moderate friction and consistent bounce; pace and spin translate predictably.
– Clay courts: higher friction increases spin effects and slows ball speed, producing higher, longer bounces; sliding becomes part of movement.
– Grass courts: lower friction and slightly lower energy return create quicker points, lower bounce heights, and frequent skidding.

Practical takeaways: on clay, shape the ball with more spin and height to push opponents back; on grass, stay lower and contact in front to handle low skids; on hard, trust your targets and rally depth. Shoes with surface-specific tread and support add stability—herringbone patterns help on clay for controlled slides, while more structured outsoles resist wear on gritty hard courts. Finally, track your setup. A simple gear log—racket specs, string type, tension, and ball age—makes your feel repeatable and your improvements measurable.

Technique and Biomechanics: Serve, Groundstrokes, Volleys, and Footwork

High-quality technique stems from the kinetic chain: legs load, hips and trunk rotate, the shoulder and arm accelerate, and the wrist-layback and forearm complete the whip through contact. Efficient motion converts ground force into racquet-head speed while protecting joints. A functional grip system helps: a continental grip suits serves, slices, and volleys; semi-open and neutral forehand grips support topspin with a comfortable wrist position; backhands vary between one-hand (emphasis on shoulder turn and extension) and two-hand (added stability and easier high-ball handling).

Serve fundamentals start from the ground up. A calm setup with a consistent toss arc (slightly in front and to the hitting side) allows leg drive to initiate upward momentum. Think “up, not at” the ball to produce a climbing racquet path and net clearance. Pronation—natural forearm rotation after contact—aligns the strings to the target and disperses stress. Common checkpoints include keeping the tossing arm extended longer for balance, maintaining side-on alignment through trophy position, and landing inside the court to finish momentum. Small cues help timing: begin the split-step as the opponent starts their toss; start your serve motion with a gentle rhythm you can repeat under pressure.

Groundstrokes follow similar rules: prepare early with shoulders; set a stable base; swing low to high for topspin; keep contact slightly in front of the hip. Open and semi-open stances are common in modern play because they let you load the outside leg and recover faster. On the backhand, think “unit turn first,” then drive with legs and core before the arms guide the racquet through. High balls demand a higher contact and more vertical finish; low balls call for more knee flexion and a compact arc.

Volleys reward simplicity. Short backswings, firm but relaxed wrists, and a step through the ball stabilize contact. Aim for a punching motion, not a swing, with strings traveling toward the target. Overheads mimic serving mechanics with shorter preparation and earlier contact.

Footwork is the quiet engine of all strokes:

– Split-step as the opponent begins their forward swing; land as the ball leaves their strings for quicker reaction.
– Use crossover or gravity steps to close distance; recover with shuffle steps to re-center.
– Keep a low center of gravity and quiet head to stabilize vision at impact.

Two compact habits lift consistency fast: build net clearance of 0.9–1.8 m (3–6 ft) on rally balls and aim 0.9–1.2 m (3–4 ft) inside the sidelines. These margins, along with a brisk but breathable tempo, raise your percentage play without sacrificing intent.

Strategy, Tactics, and Match Psychology

Strategy starts with geometry and probability. High-percentage tennis targets big zones, not hairline corners. Deep crosscourt rally balls travel over a lower part of the net and give you more court to work with; down-the-line changes should be deliberate and usually follow a short ball or a balanced stance. A simple north-star: shape most neutral balls crosscourt, attack short sitters to the open court, and finish forward when the reply floats.

Serve-plus-one patterns matter. If you serve wide, anticipate the short crosscourt and step around to play to the open space. If you body-serve, expect a blocked return and be ready to pounce with depth. Returning is about neutralizing: chip or roll the ball deep up the middle to buy time and break the server’s angles. From there, build with heaviness (spin and depth) rather than raw pace. Typical performance anchors include 60–70% first serves in, second-serve returns back in play above 80%, and rally tolerance of 6–8 balls on neutral exchanges.

Scoreboard awareness guides risk. At 30–30 and deuce, choose your highest-confidence patterns. On break points against you, favor first-serve location you hit most reliably in practice; on break points for you, aim big margin targets and force extra balls. In tiebreaks, play your proven plays on your service points and counter safely on theirs. Wind or sun? Shift locations and trajectories: higher net clearance into the wind, more drive with added spin when it’s at your back, and extra patience on high lobs into bright glare.

Psychology turns tactics into outcomes. A between-point routine builds composure:

– Turn away, slow your exhale, and release the last point.
– Rehearse one clear cue (“heavy crosscourt,” “early contact,” or “legs first”).
– Visualize the ball path, bounce twice, and commit to the target.

Body language feeds performance; stand tall, keep the racket in your hand, and walk with purpose. Time management helps too: use the allowed seconds wisely for breath and strategy, then step in on your terms. Finally, acceptance is powerful—good shots against you are not errors; reset and play the next ball with the same simple plan.

From Practice to Play: A 6‑Week Plan and Injury‑Smart Habits

To turn knowledge into results, move through a progressive plan. Week 1 focuses on foundations: warm up with 5 minutes of light jogging and dynamic mobility, then 15 minutes of controlled mini-tennis to groove contact. Add 20 minutes of groundstroke consistency, aiming most balls crosscourt with high net clearance. Finish with 10 minutes of serves at 60–70% effort, locating to big targets. Weeks 2–3 build volume: extend rally drills to 30–40 minutes, add approach-and-volley sequences, and practice returns with depth up the middle. Weeks 4–5 introduce point play, starting with serve-plus-one and crosscourt-to-down-the-line transitions. Week 6 blends it all in sets, tracking first-serve percentage, unforced errors, and winners-to-errors ratio.

Sample weekly microcycle:

– Two on-court sessions for technique and drills (60–90 minutes).
– One match-play session (60–90 minutes) emphasizing patterns, not just outcomes.
– Two strength sessions (30–45 minutes) focusing on legs, core, and shoulders (squats or split squats, hip hinges, rotational med-ball throws, band external rotations).
– One mobility and recovery block (20–30 minutes) with calves, hips, thoracic spine, and forearms.

Injury-smart habits sustain momentum. Tendons respond to gradual load; follow the 10% rule for volume increases and respect early warning signs (stiffness that lingers into the next day). Warm up wrists, elbows, and shoulders with light isometrics and band work. Land softly on serves and overheads, allowing the back foot to come through to dissipate forces. Hydrate before and during play, especially in heat; aim for steady sips rather than big gulps, and consider a simple electrolyte mix when sweating heavily. Rotate balls and restring before comfort drops to avoid over-swinging a dead setup.

Measure what matters and let numbers guide decisions: first-serve in, double faults, return depth, rally length, and net clearance. If your first serve dips below 55% for a session, practice location at 70% effort the next day. If you tally more than two errors per rally on neutral balls, raise net clearance and target middle thirds. Celebrate small wins—cleaner contact, quieter feet, and better recovery steps—because they compound quickly. With this plan, you’ll step onto the court with a practical framework, clearer choices, and training that respects both performance and longevity.