As easy as hitting a tennis ball looks it requires much practice and patience. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or professional, there is always room for improvement. There always is something that you must not be aware of that can significantly level up your game.
Considering how you can always improve your performance from forehands to backhands and serves to volley, here are some of the most important tips you can practice.
10 tips to level up your tennis game to the pro
It may seem a little trivial to you, but everything from the gear you are using to the shoes, clothes, and warming up your body before and after the game significantly affects your game.
Let’s have a look at these beginner tips that everyone who is really into playing tennis like a pro benefits from.
1. Get the right racquets
Starting off from the very important factor, racquets, beginners need to get hold of the racquets that not only fit their playing style but are also comfortable in the hands. Having the right feel of the racquets helps in more convenient and comfortable handling during the game.
For beginners, here are some of the things they need to see when it comes to getting the right racquet, especially if it is their first time.
- A lightweight racquet allows players with free movement and enhances focus more on the game than the handling of the racquets.
- A racquet with a big head size enhances accuracy.
- A racquet with a higher stiffness rating. Stiffness rating is the amount a racquet deflects during the ball contact. It is directly proportional to the energy loss. A racquet with a higher stiffness rating results in less energy loss as compared to racquets with a lower stiffness rating as it bends more with contact to the ball.
What a beginner needs when it comes to racquets is a good swing-weight, a sweet-spot, and not being too heavy, and a lightweight stiff racquet is a way to go.
2. The right fit; shoes.
You cannot take a step further if you are not in a perfect pair of best tennis shoes. Beginners must know that once they can freely move on their feet without any pain or discomfort, they can focus solely on the game and not their aching foot.
Here are some parameters that every beginner must consider before getting on the ground.
● Foot type
To avoid any long-term discomfort, the right fitting matters the most. There are various foot types, such as pronated foot, supinated foot, and neutral foot. Having a little assistance in getting to know your foot type and finding the shoes as per the requirement must be an important step for beginners. Here is a quick guide to what type of shoes perfectly complement what type of feet.
- Pronated foot: Shoes with lateral support
- Supinated foot: Shoes with adequate cushioning to avoid ankle injury or potential rollover.
- Neutral foot: Shoes with better stability.
● Game style
Coming to the game style, baseline tennis players require shoes that come with built-in lateral support. It helps in moving from side to side without sliding off the backfoot. A suitable level of toe reinforcement can benefit players in a better game.
● Type of court
The type of court, the ground you will be playing the game on significantly affects the type of shoes you are wearing. Speaking of the court, durability, shock-attenuating, and cushioning are key considerations for the court and the type of shoes.
3. Footwork on the court
Unlike most of the players, footwork must not be overlooked. Have you ever saw a pro using the right amount of their feet and the court. That’s the catch. Go for various drills that cater to the excellent footwork. You can either go for training or watch matches of your favorite pro players to understand how they do what they do and why.
4. Always keep eyes on the ball
When it is said, eye contact is sexy. Every pro player is always in eye contact with the ball. There is nothing as important as a ball in the court or in the surrounding. It helps in keeping the concentration where necessary, thus enhancing the accuracy, and also helps in predicting the next shots, once you get the drill.
5. Warming up and cooling down
Warming up before the match means you need to get your body in the form. Doing some stretches will help you in enhancing your agility. You will better be able to stretch and hit the ball at various angles on the court once you have a warmed-up body.
6. Have a game plan
It may sound more winning and convenient to go with the flow, but it is not when it comes to playing tennis. If you want to play like a pro and give something to the opponent to worry about, always have a game plan, and do not forget to stick to it. For instance, if you are the opposite of a weak backhand, give more of it to them till the time they get annoyed by the consistency. Hence, the game is in your favor.
7. Do not break the patterns
There is no need to add versatility to the game. If you have set gameplay or a pattern there is no need for something to add to the play that you have never done before. It does nothing but adds mental stress understanding what to imply to make your game better, which in turn ruins the game.
8. Enhance your speed
Speed is crucial when it comes to playing tennis. To keep up with the opponent make sure you have the right grip on the ground while you are on the go. Doing some exercises like skipping rope is proved to be best in increasing speed, footwork, and coordination.
9. Stay hydrated
E everything revolves around keeping your focus intact. If you are not focused on the game there are chances that you will lose. Do not let those game breaks go to waste. Keep your water with you all the time and even a little snack would not hurt.
10. Practice makes the man perfect
Do you think the best players in the game have been there without any effort? It takes years of practice that even starts from an early age. As soon as you know that this is what you like to do or will be doing, get on the court. Making the best out of your free time, utilize it in a way that benefits your game.
Whether it is a hobby or a professional start to a career knowing what matters the most helps in achieving your targets sooner and better. From the tennis gear to the techniques, game patterns, or pro-game styles everything plays its part in enhancing the game. You know your game the best and how to play like a pro you need to understand that it is not just the skills but the right gear, types of courts, and the observation that aids in leveling up your game.
