As you learn to play tennis, you must already know the importance that strokes play in the game. You must be able to concentrate and play with confidence as you keep a good grip on your racket and be able to do some footwork to be able to return the ball properly. A good stroke, some nice footwork and a firm grip are essentials of a tennis game.

Grip is the way you hold your tennis racket. A bad grip will take away the accuracy of your serve and can even injure your wrist. The racket head should be held perpendicular to the ground, with its edge pointing downward and the handle facing towards you. Make sure that there is a good line from the head of the racket to the handle up to your arms. This is the forehand grip. The backhand grip in turn should be around ninety degrees from a forehand grip. The hand is on top of the handle, with the knuckles pointing up.

Strokes are the next essential things to know when you want learn to play tennis. You will not be able to return the balls properly if you do not know the basics of the strokes, which are the forehand and the backhand. The shoulders should be parallel to the ball or inline with the direction in which the ball is traveling. The body should be at a right angle to the net, while the weight should be shifting from the back to the front, as you anticipate the stroke to use in hitting the ball. The transfer of weight is important since the wrong execution of a stroke can be disastrous to your back.

Footwork is of equal importance when you learn to play tennis. Always be agile on your feet so that you can better place the ball anywhere in the court. Wrong footwork will affect the quality of your game and would be injurious to your back as well.

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