Ah, tennis… few other sports require the special mix of superlative hand-eye coordination, sprinting ability, tremendous aerobic capacity, and the gift to anticipate where the ball is going and be able to turn on a dime to get to it.
If you have watched any competent players at a tournament, they often make it look so easy… just swing the racquet and the ball goes over the net, right? WRONG! In addition to all of the qualities I’ve mentioned above, you also need to be able to be able to place the ball exactly where you want it to go, and also determine whether or not you want to add some topspin or backspin to it so that it either skips high after the bounce, or drops dead (for all practical purposes).
It isn’t until you actually try to play the game for yourself, that you realize how difficult and precise it really is. Tennis is somewhat like combining the precision of golf and billiards, but doing it all while running around like a soccer player.
Once you’ve played the sport, you gain a greater appreciation of the professional players, and there’s no better way to see them up close and in action than to go to a tournament. If ever get the chance to make it to one of the big tournaments where seeded players compete, then I highly recommend you take it.
Right now, the next major tournament coming up is Wimbledon. This is more than just a tournament… it is steeped in history and legacy. Tennis stars are made on the grassy lawns of Wimbledon. If you can do it, go! Good seats will sell out quickly, so be sure to Wimbledon tennis tickets in advance.
More information about Wimbledon can be found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Championships,_Wimbledon
http://www.wimbledon.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment