Tennis Basics
What are the basics of Tennis? What are the most important things to understand about Tennis? Get ready to learn the basic rules of Tennis.
Tennis Basics
Tennis is a two- or four-person sport in which opposed players or partners hit a ball back and forth across a net using rackets. Each point starts with a serve from one side. A point is scored when an opposing player fails to return the ball, either by hitting the ball into the net, out of bounds, or not at all. Points add into to games, which add into sets, which determine the winner(s) of the match.
Tennis matches do not have a traditional timing method to determine the end of the match. Instead, the match ends once a player or team reaches a certain number of sets won.
Tennis can be played indoors or outdoors on a variety of surfaces. Tennis rackets and balls are both lightweight objects. This allows the ball to be launched off the racket faster.
The Most Important Things To Know About Tennis
Tennis players must have very sound technique to consistently serve and return the ball. This includes having exceptional quickness, strength, and vision skills.
Tennis is also unique in its scoring. Four points (won by two) wins a game. Games cumulate into sets, and a certain number of won sets wins the overall match. These numbers will fluctuate based on level of play and specific competition. Understanding this complicated process of scoring is critical to succeeding in tennis.
- Technique
- Scoring
List of Tennis Basic Rules
One basic rule of tennis is how to serve. All serves must start from behind the baseline and land in the service area on the diagonal and opposite side of the court. The ball must travel straight over the net off the racket.
Another critical rule of tennis is the return restrictions. One bounce is allowed on a side before the ball must be returned over the net. Returns must land over the net and within the boundaries of the court. These boundaries are narrower for singles and wider for doubles competitions.
- Serving the ball
- Returning the ball
Tennis Basics Summary
Tennis is played by two or four players on either side of a court. The court is separated by a net. Players take turns hitting a ball over the net and onto the opposing player’s side of the court with a racket.
Players must run across their half of the court to continue returning the ball. Players earn points when their opponent is unable to return the ball properly.
Understanding how to score a tennis game can be one of the most complicated yet important aspects of the sport.
Points add to points, which add to games, which add to sets, which eventually determine the match winner. Tennis matches can last very long if the two players are evenly matched.
Tennis can be played indoors or outdoors as individuals or pairs.
Knowing how and where to serve and return the ball are other critical aspects of playing tennis.