Tennis Draft
A racket sport played one-on-one or two-on-two across a net on a rectangular court. Great for fitness, and quick to start if you have a partner and a ball machine or wall.
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How to start
What you need
- Tennis racket (a lightweight adult or junior-sized racket to start)
- Tennis balls (a can of 3 or 4 balls)
- Court shoes designed for lateral movement
- Comfortable clothing and a hat or sunscreen
Typical cost
A beginner racket is roughly $40 to $100, a can of balls $4 to $8; public courts are often free or about $5 to $20 per hour; lessons $40 to $100 per hour (approximate, varies by city).
Where to play
Public park courts, school courts, tennis clubs, community recreation centers, and indoor facilities in cold climates.
Rules
- A point starts with a serve from behind the baseline into the diagonal service box.
- You get a second serve if the first misses; missing both is a double fault and loses the point.
- The ball may bounce once on your side before you return it.
- The ball must clear the net and land inside the lines; a ball touching the line is in.
- Points go 0 (love), 15, 30, 40, then game; at 40-40 (deuce) you must win by two points.
- Win six games, by two, to win a set; many matches are best of three sets.
- Players switch ends after odd-numbered games.
- In doubles, partners serve and receive in turn, and the court is wider.
Drills
Wall rally 10 min
Stand about 8 feet from a wall and hit the ball so it comes back after one bounce. Try to keep a rally of 20 hits.
Mini tennis 8 min
With a partner, stand just inside the service lines and hit gentle rallies, focusing on soft hands and control. Aim for 30 shots in a row.
Serve targets 10 min
Place a towel or cone in the service box and aim for it. Use a relaxed toss and continuous motion. Hit 20 serves.
Shadow strokes 5 min
Practice forehand and backhand swings without a ball, with turned shoulders and a finish across the body. Do 20 of each.
Cross-court rally 12 min
Hit forehand to forehand from baseline to baseline with a partner, aiming deep and with margin over the net.
Etiquette
- Wait until a point finishes before you walk behind other courts.
- Call lines honestly; when in doubt, the ball is good for your opponent.
- Announce the score before each serve and keep quiet during points.
Safety
- Warm up shoulders, wrists and legs to avoid overuse injuries.
- Replace worn shoes to protect your ankles.
- Hydrate and use sun protection, especially at midday.
Levels
- 1Learning to rally with a friend; roughly NTRP 1.0 to 2.0.
- 2Can keep a short rally and serve in; roughly NTRP 2.5.
- 3Consistent from the baseline with some direction control; roughly NTRP 3.0 to 3.5.
- 4Uses spin, placement and strategy; roughly NTRP 4.0.
- 5Tournament-level power, consistency and tactics; roughly NTRP 4.5 and above.
Questions
Is tennis hard to learn?
It takes a few sessions to hit rallies, but lessons and low-compression balls make it faster.
Do I need a partner?
A wall, a ball machine or a lesson group works if you do not have one yet.
What does NTRP mean?
It is a rating scale from 1.0 to 7.0 describing playing ability, with 3.0 as a casual club player.
Draft guide: written from general knowledge and not yet checked by someone who plays tennis. Costs are approximate and vary by city. Check with a coach or doctor before starting anything new.