Getting into a new sport can be intimidating. When it comes to playing tennis for the first time, many questions may come to mind. For instance, how difficult is tennis: can anyone play it?
In general, tennis can be a tricky sport to get into as a beginner. Learning the rules of the sport, hand-eye coordination, flexibility, agility, strength, and speed can make this a daunting undertaking for a newbie. However, because you can play tennis at a leisurely pace and level, many younger and older players find getting into it more accessible than other sports.
Do you want to start playing tennis but need some guidance? Keep reading because we’re here to decode the sport and give some helpful pointers!
What Makes Tennis Such A Hard Sport?
One of the most challenging aspects of playing tennis is the need for near-perfect hand-eye coordination. Imagine this: an 85 MPH tennis ball is flying your way. For a new player, there is no way to understand how to hit the ball in a way that will score a point, nonetheless, avoid getting hit.
Playing tennis as a beginner doesn’t always need to be so nerve-wracking. First, training your agility, flexibility, and stamina before grabbing a tennis racket is always good. Try doing a warm-up before practice, even if that is only a quick job or push-ups.
Tennis, although less aggressive than, let’s say, football, requires a lot of mental training. That makes it one of the more challenging sports to dive into as a newbie.
Even former professional tennis players have mentioned this sport being incredibly tricky to master, with coordination, flexibility, strength, and speed at the forefront.
Is Tennis Harder Than Other Sports?
Yes, tennis can be harder than other sports depending on the comparison. First, comparing most sports to tennis, they will require less precision than it. As we said, your coordination and agility make or break your matches, with even a slight mental fog causing a loss.
According to a study conducted by ESPN, tennis ranked as the seventh most challenging sport to play and master. Sports, including boxing, ice hockey, football, basketball, wrestling, and martial arts, were listed as harder than tennis overall.
However, regarding the overall risk associated with playing tennis, the chances of severe injury are low. Unlike a contact sport, where you could easily have a traumatic injury or experience, tennis falls into a gentler category. It’s possible: but less likely.
Tip: Fast-track your progress in tennis by mastering these essential beginner tips, prioritizing speed, stamina, and perfecting techniques.
Can I Learn Tennis By Myself?
Yes! If you can access a court and have a YouTube tutorial you like, we don’t see why you couldn’t self-teach tennis. Since tennis is often practiced alone, players can learn the ins and outs simply by watching a video, listening to a podcast, or reading a guidebook.
We recommend finding a professional tennis channel online and starting with a ‘beginner’ video. Learn the rules of the game first, and move on to racket grip, swing, and what each stroke means. These are our hand-picked youtube channels for skills and techniques.
What Is The Best Age To Learn Tennis?
Although you can take on tennis at any age, many experts recommend starting as early as five or six. During that period, a child is more inclined to learn life-lasting habits they will use moving forward.
For example, Street Tennis Club recommends having children 5-6 begin their tennis lessons, with the most meaningful training happening around eight years old. As time passes, that same player will be at an advanced level in elementary and middle school, potentially good enough to play in tournaments through high school.
Is Hiring A Coach Worth It For Beginner Tennis Players?
Yes, hiring a coach to train you at the beginning of your tennis career can speed up the learning curve. First, you can receive one-on-one treatment with a coach that is more hands-on than group lessons.
You might also take a few private monthly lessons at a local tennis center, which we recommend. Scheduling a few of these and seeing where your skill is can help the coach to understand what you need to work on most.
How Long Does It Take To Reach Intermediate Play In Tennis?
For those anxious to reach an intermediate playing level in tennis, this usually takes six to 12 months of regular training. Many coaches explain how it can take players about one year to be good enough to start playing against others in low-stake matches and fully understand the rules of the game.
As we covered, tennis is a mind game. Not only must you master the physical aspects, but you also have to train your mind to work seamlessly with your body. That in itself could be six months or more.
Remember to take it easy and not stress so much about immediate success. Tennis is a life-long sport you’ll play, so 6-12 months is nothing in the bigger scheme of things.
In Conclusion
In this article, we covered whether tennis was hard, concluding that it is a mind and body-dominant sport. You have to understand the basic rules of tennis and develop your hand-eye coordination, flexibility, agility, strength, and speed.
Give yourself 6-12 months to reach intermediate playing, and remember to have fun. You got this!
