Mastering the basics, training scientifically, and progressing step by step are key for beginners. In the initial stage, ball sense is the threshold, technical skills are the foundation, and body movement is essential.
1. Develop Ball Sense by “Playing More”
Exercises similar to juggling, such as tossing and catching the ball, bouncing it, or hitting it with the racket, are excellent for developing ball sense. When practicing bouncing the ball, beginners can adopt the “continental grip”—imagine holding a kitchen knife to chop vegetables, or holding a hammer. This grip is suitable for serves, two-handed backhands, slices, volleys, and other techniques.
2. Maintain Proper Technique
Your ready position should be stable and flexible, ready to move at any time. Beginners often “stand too straight” or keep their feet rigid. The correct ready stance is: feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, knees slightly bent, upper body leaning slightly forward, with weight on the balls of the feet. This stance resembles a forward-leaning squat; from here, you can lunge forward, move backward, or shift sideways with a solid base for power.
For a right-handed player using an eastern grip, the left hand naturally holds the throat of the racket or rests near the right hand, with the racket head higher than the handle. Both hands are positioned in front of the navel, elbows relaxed.
Beginners can first learn the basic forehand and backhand. The action can be broken down into three steps: preparation (backswing), hitting, and follow-through.
Forehand Backswing:
Using a right-hand eastern grip as an example: when a ball approaches your right side, turn your body to the right. Depending on the depth of the ball, step forward with your left foot or move back with your right. Simultaneously, open your racket: the butt points toward the ball, the head toward the back fence, and the left arm stretches forward toward the ball. Move to the correct hitting position, adopting a closed stance with the left foot forward and the right foot back, perpendicular to the baseline, to prepare for power generation.
Hitting the Ball:
For a standard topspin forehand, lower the racket head below the ball before swinging upward and forward, using your legs and torso for power. At the moment of contact, the racket face should be vertical or slightly angled forward, with the contact point in front of the body. The power chain flows from ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, to the racket.
Follow-through:
After hitting, your weight should rest on the left foot, with the right foot landing on the ball of the foot or next to the left side. Return to a neutral stance, with the racket finishing above or beside the left shoulder. A complete follow-through can be judged by whether your navel, right elbow, and racket butt face forward.
For backhand strokes, beginners are advised to use a two-handed backhand. A simple way to think about it is: imagine your left hand hitting a forehand, with the right hand assisting to stabilize the swing.
“Beginners often rely only on their arms to hit the ball. In fact, power comes from coordinated whole-body movement, especially the core and lower limbs,” emphasizes Jin Lu.
3. Move Efficiently
A saying in tennis goes: “Tennis is played with your feet,” highlighting the importance of movement. Being fast doesn’t automatically mean moving well—tennis requires sudden stops and turns. Proper use of sliding steps, crossover steps, and small steps allows you to move efficiently on the court.
How to Quickly Join a Rally
Beginners need not only to “hit the ball” but also to “hit it consistently.” How can you quickly join a rally? Jin Lu shares a “three-stage training method for beginners”:
Stage 1: Build Ball Sense and Practice Fixed Points
Develop ball sense through tossing, bouncing on the racket face, and wall rebound exercises. On the court, practice hitting balls to fixed points provided by a coach or partner. Focus on repeating forehand or backhand movements to build muscle memory, without worrying about speed or accuracy.
Stage 2: Footwork Coordination and Simple Rallying
Learn key steps such as split step, crossover, and slide step. You can practice moving in an “X” pattern, responding to balls of different heights and speeds, developing the awareness to “judge first, move feet, then hit.” Introduce simple rallies: hit within the near-net half-court with controlled speed and rhythm to steadily improve technique.
Stage 3: Baseline Rallies and Simple Matches
Once comfortable with half-court rallies, gradually increase distance to play baseline rallies. Use underhand serves to enjoy the fun of actual matches.
Common Mistakes
“Don’t blindly imitate professional players’ serves or topspin shots,” says Zhang Jianwei, former head coach at Liaoning Jinzhou Locomotive Tennis Center. For beginners, the most important thing is reasonable movements; effective, improvable, and injury-free strokes are good strokes. He highlights three common mistakes for beginners:
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Prioritizing power over stability: Some beginners favor “power over precision,” often causing errors and risking wrist or elbow injuries.
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Hitting before proper footwork: Swinging as soon as the ball arrives is instinctive but reduces angle control and stability.
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Lack of long-term planning: Blindly following online tips without considering their suitability or a systematic learning path.
Beginners can film their strokes regularly, compare them with standard techniques, and identify issues. From casual play to structured training, there’s no shortcut in tennis, but there is a path. Beginners can follow the “3-3-3 rule”: practice 3 times a week, at least 30 minutes each time, for 3 months. This builds a habit while avoiding fatigue or burnout. Finding a partner of similar skill can also accelerate improvement.
Off-Court Preparation
Scientific warm-ups are essential to prevent injuries. Before training, perform 5–10 minutes of dynamic stretching, movement drills, and ball sense exercises. Recovery is equally important: cool down, perform static stretching, and hydrate adequately.
Preventing Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a common elbow condition causing pain on the outer side, especially when making a fist, extending the wrist, or rotating the forearm. Tennis elbow is not necessarily caused by tennis, but improper strokes can trigger it.
Prevention: spend 5–10 minutes warming up the shoulders, elbows, and wrists with arm circles, wrist swings, and stretches. During play, consider wearing a compression elbow sleeve or kinesiology tape to stabilize tendons and reduce shock. Use torso rotation to power swings rather than relying solely on the wrist.
If tennis elbow occurs acutely, stop activity, ice the area, immobilize, and take medication if necessary. For chronic cases, gradually recover through stretching, physical therapy, and adjusting technique. Infrared therapy at a rehab center may help. In daily life, avoid repetitive wrist extension, keep elbows slightly bent during exercise, and if severe, surgery may be considered.