Playing tennis can be intimidating to a beginner, specially when every other player around you seems to know what they are doing. As someone who started out missing just about every ball that was sent my way (bless my friend for her patience!), I can tell you that practice really does make perfect. Well almost. So here are a few basic tips to get you started on this great sport.

Gear

The most important part of your tennis ensemble are your sneakers. Whether you're playing on clay, grass, or hard court you want a shoe with good lateral support. I use cross trainers, they have pretty good traction. Make sure your clothes are breatheable and not too tight. If it's sunny outside I'd recommend wearing a cap, it's very annoying to try to hit a ball when you're squinting. The head and wristband are optional, I personally don't use them. As far as the racquet goes, you don't want to get anything too expensive in the beginning. There are some pretty good ones in the $30 and $40 range. Make sure you test out the different grip sizes at the store. Then you can decide what racquet head size you want. Also, don't forget to get a shock dampner for your racquet, your elbow and shoulder will thank you. You also need good tennis balls, depending on the surface. You can test out different brands and settle on one, or mix it up just so you don't get too complascent. Not all tennis balls are created equal you know.

Warm Up

Definitely do some stretching before beginning a game. Nothing strenous just something to wake up your muscles. Different people have very different warm up exercises. I have to go up a flight of stairs to get to the courts where I play, so my warm up begins as soon as I step off the car. After that I run up and back on my side of the court and sidestep from doubleline to doubleline for about 5 minutes. Again, it's up to you what exercises to do when warming up.

Playing

If you've never swung a racquet before, you might want to start from half court until you are able to hit balls consistently. Sounds easy but it might take a couple of practices. When you are finally able to hit balls, you can move to the baseline and start practicing your serve. Once you feel confident rallying you can begin to play competitively. Watching tennis matches on television definitely helps. Remember that tennis is very physical but it also requires quick mental strategies. It's a wonderful sport I hope you will grow to love.