Skip to content
Tennis Learning Guide

Preface

Hello everyone, I’m Lantt, and I currently work as a tennis coach.

Tennis is a sport with a high entry barrier; it’s not easy to pick up and play right away. After coaching numerous adult beginners, I’d like to summarize some tips to help everyone get into tennis more easily, which is why I’ve created this document. Although my job is coaching, I still encourage you to try hitting some balls on your own before your first lesson, attempting some self-learning.

It’s important to emphasize that this guide is aimed at adult beginners.

Compared to badminton, tennis courts are larger, and for beginners, the ball might fly erratically, making it unlikely to rally for several shots in your first attempt. Therefore, self-learning tennis can be quite challenging.

Besides extensive practice of forehands and backhands, here are some suggestions to help flatten the learning curve:

  1. Get plenty of ball contact, even if your technique isn’t perfect yet. Feeling the tennis ball is the first step in playing tennis.
  2. No matter what, keep making contact with the ball.
  3. A smooth hitting sensation is more important than textbook technique.
  4. Self-learning doesn’t mean never seeking a coach; seek help when necessary, such as when you’ve plateaued for a long time.
  5. Tennis is a sport rich in individuality. Due to differences in fitness and physique, everyone will have strokes that suit them. Don’t obsess over standard techniques; details can vary from person to person. For example, forehand and backhand grips differ, as do hitting details. Be cautious when referencing tennis videos; experiment and think for yourself.
  6. Having suitable hitting partners is very helpful. You can exchange ideas and motivate each other, leading to faster improvement.
  7. Don’t be too concerned about your rate of progress; just do your best. If your friend has an athletic background and you’ve never been sporty, it’s normal for them to improve much faster than you. This is the process of making up for your previous lack of exercise, and it takes time to build fitness. Don’t compare yourself to others; focus on yourself.
  8. Regularly record videos to analyze your strokes. This helps identify areas for improvement, especially when you think your strokes look ugly, which can strengthen your desire to improve.

To implement this guide, one or more of the following will be helpful:

  • Reliable hitting partners for long-term practice
  • A suitable wall for practice
  • A ball machine
  • Plenty of tennis balls (colloquially known as “multi-ball practice”)

It’s important to note that the goal of this guide is not to produce professional athletes. I hope you’ll find joy in tennis and make more like-minded tennis friends. If you aspire to defeat all opponents, please seek a professional coach.