Game, Set and Match (PB)

I'm sure almost everyone has seen a game of tennis, whether on television or in person. Most people are familiar with the steady bouncing of a tennis ball from court to court, the scuffing of feet to get to the ball and the noise of the ball as it is being hit by a racquet. Considering I have been playing for almost eight years this is my weekly, sometimes daily routine. Tennis has came to be not only a major part of my life, but a sport that I have grown to love.

 

 

As the years have passed, of course I hear more criticism about tennis. Among the criticism, I mostly hear claims that tennis is "easy" and that it's "nothing more than hitting a ball back and forth over a net." Well, I can't argue that's not the main part of tennis. However, from my eight years of lessons and my three years of playing on the high school team, I can honestly say it's much more than that.

For one thing, tennis requires you to always be thinking. What shot do I hit? Where do I hit the ball? How hard do I hit it? By asking yourself a series of questions, you can plan out your next shot. You may be thinking to yourself, "that's not so hard," but imagine asking yourself these questions before every shot you make. I have been in many long rallies myself, which means several shots are exchanged between opponents until the point is over. That requires a lot of thinking and strategizing in just one point! You have to think quickly in between shots, usually in a matter of seconds. It comes naturally after you've been playing for a while, but as a beginner it takes practice.

 Something I've learned from my eight years of play is that tennis is all strategy after you've figured out the shots, which can take years. Once I started playing on the high school team, I picked up a lot of different strategies to use on the court. For example, I bet most people don't know that the best place to hit the ball is in the four corners of the court. This extensive thinking and strategizing is why I like tennis so much. It requires you to always be thinking. You can't just walk onto the court not knowing any strategy or having any clue what your game plan is. Trust me, I've been there. Learning and practicing new techniques to use on the court has always been so much fun for me. A strategy I learned from my coach that I use quite often is to pay attention to your opponent and figure out their weaker shot. Then, hit it to that side so that you have an advantage. The little things like that are what make tennis so interesting for me. There's always something new to learn.

Another part of tennis that is not easy is that you are always running on the court to get to the ball. That requires a lot of running. Believe me, I've experienced it. Those scorching hot conditioning days where all my teammates and I are struggling to run another lap are essential in being able to play a tennis match. Matches can last at least an hour and within that hour, there is a lot of running to get from side to side of the court. Suffering through the long two weeks of conditioning is worth it in the long run. Without it, I couldn't survive later in the season. Not that I necessarily like this part of tennis, but it is very beneficial for me. It increases my stamina, speed and quickness. As much as I hate running those grueling laps and sprinting through ladders numerous times, I feel accomplished. I love the fact that tennis forces me to get into better shape.

As the years go by and my skills with tennis develop, I find more reasons why tennis is not as easy as everyone thinks. Tennis is not just hitting a ball back and forth for what seems like hours. With my personal experiences, I know it's as difficult as the more common sports, such as football or soccer. It requires strategy, dedication and perseverance.  Tennis has been a passion of mine for quite some time now for that reason and I plan to continue playing  for as long as I live.