Alright, let me tell you how I actually started getting somewhere with tennis. Because believe me, for the longest time, I was just plain bad. Like, really bad. Embarrassing, even. Couldn’t keep a rally going for more than two hits, serves usually ended up in the net or somewhere in the next county. It was frustrating.
The Wall Was My First Real Opponent
So, first thing I did? I stopped trying to play actual games for a bit. Sounds counter-intuitive, right? But trying to play points when you can’t even hit the ball consistently is just pointless. I found a decent practice wall near my place. Just hitting against the wall, over and over.
Here’s what I focused on, real simple stuff:
- Just making contact cleanly. Not power, just… thwack.
- Trying to get the ball back to roughly the same spot on the wall.
- Moving my feet a little, not standing flat-footed like a statue.
Did this for weeks. Felt stupid sometimes, just me and the wall. But honestly? It built some basic muscle memory. I started to feel the ball on the strings a bit better.
Baby Steps: Lessons and Watching
Okay, the wall helped, but I was still pretty clueless. My technique was all over the place. I didn’t wanna shell out big bucks, so I found this older guy at the local courts who gave super cheap lessons. Wasn’t fancy, but he pointed out some glaring stuff.
Biggest takeaways from him were:
- Watch the ball. Like, really watch it, all the way until it hits your strings. Sounds obvious, but I wasn’t doing it. My head was popping up, looking where I wanted the ball to go. Big mistake.
- Keep it simple. Forget the wild topspin serves or crazy drop shots. Just focus on getting a basic, consistent forehand, backhand, and serve in.
- Footwork, footwork, footwork. Even just basic split-steps and getting in position before swinging. Man, that was a game-changer. I used to just swing my arm. Realized tennis is played with your legs too. Who knew?
I also started watching tennis differently. Not just the highlights, but watching how club players moved, how they set up for shots. Less about the pros, more about achievable stuff.
Finding Someone to Hit With (Who Was Patient)
Hitting against the wall is one thing, but you need a real person. I lucked out and found a hitting partner who was a bit better than me but also super patient. We weren’t playing serious matches at first. Just rallying. Trying to keep the ball in play.
This was crucial. It forced me to react to different spins, speeds, and placements. It made me move more. We’d do drills sometimes, like cross-court forehands only, or one person at the net. It slowly built consistency and confidence.
The Never-Ending Serve Problem
Let’s be honest, my serve is still not great. But it used to be horrendous. Double faults galore. What helped? Breaking it down.
Seriously, I spent ages just practicing the ball toss. Getting it consistent. Then practicing the swing motion without even hitting a ball. Then putting it together slowly. Aiming for a big, safe target area in the service box. Forget power, just get it in. It’s still a work in progress, but at least now I can start a point most of the time.
Where I Am Now
So, am I ready for Wimbledon? Haha, not even close. But can I go out and have a decent hit now? Absolutely. I can hold rallies, my serve goes in (mostly), and I actually win points sometimes, even games against similar-level players. It feels way better than flailing around like I used to.
The biggest thing? Consistency and patience. Showing up, even if it’s just hitting against the wall. Focusing on the boring fundamentals. Not trying to run before I could walk. It wasn’t quick, and it wasn’t always fun, especially when I felt stuck. But slowly, bit by bit, it added up. It’s about putting in the time, focusing on the basics, and just keeping at it. That’s really all there was to it for me.
