Tennis lessons for beginners

How to choose a racket

When choosing a racket, be sure to use the help of a sales assistant. He will select the one that suits you best – in size, material and price. But a few tips before buying will still come in handy.

Newbies should definitely buy not professional, but amateur rackets. You don’t need to think that the more expensive the racket, the faster you will learn to play tennis and set yourself a great technique. Amateur rackets are both cheaper (price range 2–8 thousand rubles) and easier to control. The main thing is that they are comfortable, with a good vibration damping system.

First, determine if the handle is right for you. Take the racket in one hand and grasp it with your palm. Place the index finger of your other hand in the gap between the fingers and palm. If the finger fits more or less tightly, the handle is right for you. It is believed that you need to choose the largest handle that you can play comfortably with.

There is a “European” system of sizes, expressed in the rooms. Rackets are suitable for children with numbers 1 and 2, women – with number 3, and for men – 4-7. In practice, however, the size of the handle should be determined individually.

How to choose sneakers

A white skirt, a pretty T-shirt, a cap so as not to bake your head – that’s all good. However, the most important thing in tennis equipment is the shoes. There are a great variety of models in sports stores, you choose one of them, come to the court, and professional players claim that you bought not tennis shoes at all. It’s also good if you are allowed to enter the court, but after all, some tennis bases (especially those that have clay courts) may not allow you to play, claiming that with such a sole you only have cripple their courts.

So that you do not be disappointed, we will try to explain what are the distinctive features of sneakers, which are called tennis shoes all over the world.

The middle of the boot.

The specially designed soft part of the boot is designed for to protect the ankle and knees from concussions associated with violent movements on the tennis court. This insert, located between the heel and the foot, can be made from various materials of different weights.

Sole

The outsole of tennis shoes is in most cases made from a special rubber compound that has unique characteristics of flexibility and durability. Different colors of rubber can mean different texture or density of rubber (often, for example, the outsole is significantly thicker in the heel and thinner at the toe).

By the way, the zigzag pattern of the sole (inserts with a herringbone pattern) was created specifically to make the sneakers slip less on the surface of the court and to soil particles did not stick to the sole and did not weigh down the sneakers.

Boot top

The top of the boot is the surface that “covers” your foot. It can be made from either leather or high quality synthetic material. Often decorated with special inserts, usually used only to reduce the weight of the model.

Insole

The insole cushions the impact of the foot on the surface of the court. It consists of a wide variety of materials. Situated directly under the foot, the insole may vary in thickness from heel to toe. In expensive tennis shoes, the insoles are usually removable and washable.

What you need to know about courts

The main types into which the courts are divided are – closed (indoors) and open (open air). It is important to know what kind of surfaces are used in the construction of courts and what is the advantage of this or that type of surface.

Natural herb

Practically not used in the construction of tennis courts, as it requires too much maintenance and does not allow for a large number of games. It is quite difficult to play on it for both novice athletes and professionals. The rebound of the ball on such a surface is low and unpredictable.

Artificial grass

It is an artificial grass carpet that is laid on an asphalt or concrete base and covered with sand. The pile height is on average from 9 to 20 mm. This coating is very durable, suitable for all weather conditions and provides an optimal pace of play and ball bounce.

Hard coatings (hard)

Ideal for both outdoor areas and halls. Today it is the most widely used tennis court covering for world competitions. The acrylic top layer lays on the rubber backing, and due to this, the resilience and elasticity of the entire coating is achieved. The thickness of this rubber can adjust the elasticity of the coating and make the game more or less fast, that is, change the speed of the game. It is comfortable to play with any style and has good bounce both from the back line and the net.

Ground Courts

These are open courts, for which a mixture of clay, sand, crushed brick or stone is used, often rubber or plastic chips are added to all this. They are a little harder to play than others because the bounce of the ball is very high and its direction can be unpredictable.

Where to play tennis in Moscow

There are many venues in Moscow where you can play tennis. The rental prices of most of them have dropped significantly over the past six months – it is quite possible that the reason for this was the economic crisis. If earlier one hour of training on Moscow courts cost 1500 rubles. on average, now it is 500–800 rubles. at one o’clock.

• Tennis courts “Chaika”. On the territory of the complex there are indoor and outdoor tennis courts of the hard type (hard and fast surface). There is free parking. The possibility of organizing individual trainings and classes with children is provided. For convenience, there is equipment rental, changing rooms, showers, massage, solarium and sauna, and there is a swimming pool nearby. Address: Metro “Park Kultury”, Korobeinikov lane, house 1/2.

• Sports complex “Druzhba” in “Luzhniki”. 4 indoor taroflex courts (fast on a hard surface). There are changing rooms, wardrobes and showers. Unfortunately there is no equipment rental. Address: metro station “Vorobyovy Gory”, Luzhnetskaya embankment, building 10a.

• Tennis courts in Dynamo. They are 6 indoor and 6 outdoor courts. There are several saunas, a gym, a beauty salon on the territory. For convenience, changing rooms, showers and a cafe are provided. There is paid and free parking. Address: metro station “Chekhovskaya”, Petrovka street, house 26, bldg. 9.

• Iskra Stadium. 3 indoor courts (synthetics) and 6 outdoor (4 – asphalt, 2 – dirt). There are changing rooms, showers, wardrobes. Inside the complex you will find massage, sauna and solarium. Address: metro station “Botanical Garden”, Selskokhozyaistvennaya street, ow. 26a.

• Sports complex “Star”. 4 indoor courts (hard). There are in-club tournaments, showers, lockers, changing rooms and hair dryers are provided for convenience. There are VIP changing rooms for a fee, a gym and an aerobics room. Address: metro “Bagrationovskaya”, st. Bolshaya Filevskaya, building 20.