Why is tennis a famous sport?

Tennis

Tennis is an ancient sport known for its health benefits, elegance, style, and civility. It combines athleticism and aesthetics, and is often referred to as the "ballet of sports." Tennis is a sport with controllable intensity, played across a net, and suitable for people of different backgrounds. It has become a popular recreational and fitness activity among the general population. The basic techniques in tennis include forehand shots, backhand shots, serving, receiving serves, slicing, volleying, topspin shots, and lob shots.

I. Fitness Value

Tennis is a growing fitness activity that offers intense competition, controlled movement rhythms, and elegant movements. It provides participants with a wonderful experience and helps develop an active and resilient attitude, perseverance, and unwavering spirit. Therefore, it has significant fitness and mental health value.

Firstly, tennis improves and enhances overall health. Tennis is a technically demanding sport, and the duration and intensity of the game are closely related to the level of competition. High-level matches involve intense back-and-forth rallies that require high intensity. On the other hand, regular practice or recreational matches have lower intensity. During tennis play, the amount of exercise can be adjusted according to the age and physical condition of the players. Tennis can be played by people of all ages, from children to the elderly. Engaging in tennis on a regular basis can improve the circulatory system, burn excess calories, enhance cardiovascular function, and improve physical fitness.

Secondly, tennis highlights the development of agility and quick reaction capabilities. In a tennis match, the ball enters the opponent's court within a short period of time, and the opponent must quickly return the ball to the other side. During this short period, players need to accurately judge the landing point, speed, and spin of the opponent's shot and make prompt decisions to respond with appropriate techniques. This places higher demands on the player's starting speed, footwork, accuracy of judgment, and quick reaction. Regular participation in tennis enhances immune function, improves disease resistance, speeds up post-illness recovery, and promotes health and physical fitness.

Thirdly, tennis helps develop psychological qualities and strong willpower. Tennis cultivates self-confidence. In intense matches, players not only need strong tactical awareness, a clear mind, quick thinking, and strong analytical abilities, but also need to maintain a positive and confident mental state. In matches between players of similar skill levels, mental state becomes even more important. Tennis matches can be long and physically demanding, and strong willpower and perseverance are crucial to endure and reach the finish line. Long-term participation in tennis exercise is beneficial for the cultivation of willpower, making participants mentally resilient individuals.

Fourthly, tennis provides a platform for communication and friendship. Through tennis matches, one can meet many friends who share a love for tennis, expand their social circle, and experience the care and support of teammates in collective activities. This is especially important for middle-aged and elderly individuals who may feel a sense of loss or loneliness due to retirement or lack of activities. Participating in tennis not only helps alleviate psychological depression but also facilitates communication with others, contributing to social value.

II. Suitable Population

Tennis is suitable for people of different age groups, including children, youth, middle-aged adults, and the elderly. However, individuals with lower back pain or knee arthritis may not be suitable for tennis due to the rotational movements and squatting positions involved in the sport.

III. Venue and Equipment Requirements

Internationally recognized tennis courts include grass courts, clay courts (red clay), hard courts (multi-layered plastic or rubber), and synthetic carpets (indoor courts). The length of a tennis court is 23.77 meters, and the width is 10.97 meters for doubles and 8.23 meters for singles. The court is divided into two halves by a net supported by a rope or wire. Tennis equipment includes tennis rackets, tennis balls, and relatively professional attire, shoes, and socks.

IV. Key Considerations

Firstly, warm-up and stretching exercises should be performed before playing to prepare the lower body, waist, and arms for the specific movements involved in tennis. The duration of warm-up should be around 10 minutes in summer and around 20 minutes in winter.

Secondly, individuals with lower back pain or knee problems should refrain from playing tennis for fitness purposes. It is important to wait for the pain to subside and the body to recover before engaging in this activity.

Thirdly, it is advisable to find a friend with similar interests to play with, learn from each other, and provide mutual supervision and encouragement to stay motivated.

Fourthly, using a racket that is too heavy can lead to excessive strain on the deep muscles of the arms, increasing the risk of injury, such as tennis elbow. Female participants should choose lighter rackets, as heavier rackets can lead to excessive arm strength.

Fifthly, it is important to maintain the right mindset when playing tennis. The primary goal is fitness and exercise, so there is no need to master all the techniques. There is no need for excessive topspin or quick movements. You can wait for the ball to bounce twice before hitting it, and take breaks after playing for 10 minutes. The key is to control the intensity of the exercise to achieve sweating without feeling excessive lower back or muscle soreness the next day.

Lastly, it is important to avoid getting hit by the ball or accidentally hitting oneself with the racket. It is essential to ensure that there are no balls within your activity area and to pay attention to the correct swing motion to prevent accidents such as hitting the head or injuring the knees with the racket.