Tennis a hard sport because it is skills based. There are perhaps 10 shots that have to be learned. Other sports can be enjoyed very quickly, and you can a workout very quickly. It takes 2-3 years of dedicated effort to become competent enough to play. The main reason that this never happens after this amount of committed effort is that 95% of the coaches can’t teach, any play, and have never produced a player. To learn effectively, use a ball machine in order to take out the variability of another person, shots. Forehand and backhand are best learned straight back, straight forward with no notion of spin. The trajectory should be 3-4’ over the net at a pace that will let the ball fall into the court through gravity. The control of the racket head is important. Go up to the net and put your racket square on the net, simulating impact. Turn your body back about 18” which creates a backswing. Then turn the body forward until you return to that square position in the net. This takes some time. Once you are returning the square racket, start to bow the net a bit as you return to square; this is the best simulation of when and how to apply power. The serve requires a continental grip; look it up. The stance is half open; not sideways, not facing the net, halfway between. Teach to an impact directly over your head. Notice that the continental grip causes the racket to be beveled to the intended target. Get a sense of how far left this racket angle will direct the ball so that you know how far right of this target you have to aim in order to hit the target. Next, from the overhead impact position, bend the elbow dropping the racket down the back. Next toss the ball over your head so it would drop into your forehand; you can actually practice this header. Once the toss becomes familiar, reach the racket up to the ball by straightening the elbow. The goal is to lob the ball over the net. The continental grip would impart some but that is not your concern; again gravity will drop the ball. That’s it. Good luck. That’s 2 months of weekly lessons for free. There is no more that you have to know. Forget the coach. Rent the ball machine. You can use your shots are your report card. All the matters is that you can consistently treat these arc’ed shots. If you can get to 20 in a row in the court, you are a 3.5 player provided you can walk quickly around the court.
Tennis a hard sport because it is skills based. There are perhaps 10 shots that have to be learned. Other sports can be enjoyed very quickly, and you can a workout very quickly. It takes 2-3 years of dedicated effort to become competent enough to play. The main reason that this never happens after this amount of committed effort is that 95% of the coaches can’t teach, any play, and have never produced a player. To learn effectively, use a ball machine in order to take out the variability of another person, shots. Forehand and backhand are best learned straight back, straight forward with no notion of spin. The trajectory should be 3-4’ over the net at a pace that will let the ball fall into the court through gravity. The control of the racket head is important. Go up to the net and put your racket square on the net, simulating impact. Turn your body back about 18” which creates a backswing. Then turn the body forward until you return to that square position in the net. This takes some time. Once you are returning the square racket, start to bow the net a bit as you return to square; this is the best simulation of when and how to apply power. The serve requires a continental grip; look it up. The stance is half open; not sideways, not facing the net, halfway between. Teach to an impact directly over your head. Notice that the continental grip causes the racket to be beveled to the intended target. Get a sense of how far left this racket angle will direct the ball so that you know how far right of this target you have to aim in order to hit the target. Next, from the overhead impact position, bend the elbow dropping the racket down the back. Next toss the ball over your head so it would drop into your forehand; you can actually practice this header. Once the toss becomes familiar, reach the racket up to the ball by straightening the elbow. The goal is to lob the ball over the net. The continental grip would impart some but that is not your concern; again gravity will drop the ball. That’s it. Good luck. That’s 2 months of weekly lessons for free. There is no more that you have to know. Forget the coach. Rent the ball machine. You can use your shots are your report card. All the matters is that you can consistently treat these arc’ed shots. If you can get to 20 in a row in the court, you are a 3.5 player provided you can walk quickly around the court.