Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world, so is it any surprise that there are myths abound about it? It’s important to be mindful of myths about tennis because they could easily end up ruining your game, or keep you from even trying to play. Some of the most common myths about tennis are cultivated by what people see in the media rather than through real world experience while other myths about tennis end up getting passed down from a coach who either doesn’t know better or doesn’t believe otherwise to their students.
Here are some of the most common myths about tennis, debunked.
#1. You Must Be Rich To Play
Any sport has the potential to get extremely expensive, given all the equipment and special clothes and coaching sessions and club memberships that you can get. However, just because some sports have more potential to be more expensive than others – such as equestrian sports – that does not mean that they have to be. This is one of the most prevalent myths about tennis, due to the fact that people associate tennis with country clubs and it’s usually only shown in media as a “rich people sport”.
However, this myth is just that: a myth. You don’t need to be rich to be able to play tennis. All those fancy add-ons are just that: add-ons. While if you want to pursue tennis professionally, it can get very expensive, as all pro sports do, you really don’t need much to just play. Many recreation centers have tennis courts, as can public parks, and all you really need to play is a racquet and a ball, which can easily be purchased from a discount store. Many people are able to play tennis at home and make do with what they have.
#2. It’s A Natural Born Talent
Ah, yes, talent. The natural inclination towards being good at something by being able to pick it up quicker that makes people think means they either can or cannot do something. This is one of those myths about tennis that remains prevalent, even as people learn more and more about how hard work and putting in the time and effort to train and learn matter more in the long run for learning anything than a natural inclination towards it.
The truth is that like anything else, talent can help you learn tennis faster, it’s true. However, you still need to learn and train in order to get good at it. Anyone can become a skilled tennis player if they have the determination and time to dedicate themselves to the sport, regardless of whether or not they’re initially talented at it. Both people who are naturally talented and those who are not need a lot of instruction and practice in order to become good tennis players.
It doesn’t matter if you’re bad when you first start playing. What matters is whether or not you care to learn how to improve.
#3. If I Missed The Ball, I Did Something Technically Wrong
This is one of the myths about tennis that you often see going hand-in-hand with the previous one. If you miss the ball, you may have made a mistake, but correcting that mistake does not automatically mean you won’t miss the ball again. Everyone misses the ball sometimes, even Olympians! If you miss the ball, the best you can do is to try again and take stock of what’s causing you to miss.
In general, you can make 4 mistakes in tennis when trying to hit the ball:
- You go too high.
- You go too low.
- You go too far to the right.
- You go too far to the left.
If you’re really frustrated with yourself, you can ask your companion to give you some pointers or to go to some coaching sessions, where a tennis coach can point out common mistakes you make and what you can do in order to improve your game.
#4. You Shouldn’t Have To Think About Technique
You guessed it: this is yet another of the common myths about tennis that links with the previous ones. Tennis is a very complex game; there’s so much to think about when you play! Some people who are naturally inclined towards tennis may have an easier time picking up techniques, but technique is something that is taught. It takes a lot of practice in order for techniques to become second nature, and even then, you’re still calculating what move would be best when you play.
If you’re looking into playing tennis, Utah Court Surfacing provides court construction and court resurfacing services that will give you a space of your own to practice. Contact us today to get an estimate!
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