STEP-BY-STEP LEARNING IN TENNIS

Articles In This Section:

· STEP-BY-STEP LEARNING IN TENNIS

· Learning Steps - Part 1

· Learning Steps - Part 2

· A Good Climate for Tennis Growth

· CONCLUSION

Tennis is easy to learn if you have a baseball background. The forehand and backhand drives are similar to batting; the serve involves the same muscular action as an over-arm throw. Of course the tennis drives do not aim to be homeruns, but neither do all baseball hits. Ability to control the base-hit, grounder, and bunt should carryover into controlled tennis drives. Effective overarm throws should carryover into forceful, accurate serves. Wrist flexibility and strength developed in baseball practise should help tennis grips and wrist action. Examples of .carryover from baseball to tennis are found in the former tennis champions, Frankie Parker and Alice Marble. Both were outstanding baseball players and both learned to be outstanding tennis players in a few years because of the direct carryover of skill from one sport to the other.

Skill in any sport with coordinations similar to tennis is excellent background for rapid learning. Thus Fred Perry became a famous tennis champion in five years by transferring his skills from table tennis, in which he was an International Champion. One American tennis star held the California State championships in tennis, badminton and table tennis at the same time. Likewise, golf players tend to become good tennis players and vice versa.