[mnhgj]

I'm in high school and I have tennis for P.E. but I normally just goof off because I play other sports, but last week this dude in my class who is supposedly the best player on the tennis team challenged me to a match out of the blue. I didn't even know the rules and I thought I would get creamed but I absolutely destroyed him. It just came natural to me and I beat him easily. I couldn't serve at all but I still killed him.

That got me somewhat interested in tennis so I decided to watch Nadal/Federer on Sunday. I watched every stroke and every second. I was hanging on every point and now I'm hooked on tennis. I want to play really really bad but I don't know how to start. I don't want to join the school's team, I want to play competitively like in tournaments against real opponents. Help???

[dRaGGin loW]

IMO I'd say tryout for your schools team. It'd be free (more than likely) Another option there is would be try to locate an organization in your town that is basically a tennis group in MD our big one is the Baltimore Tennis Patron's. I believe groups like this will have a monthly/yearly fee though.

[Bernard Black]

Take some coaching lessons first, so you learn the basic techniques and how to serve.

Just a warning but starting at such a late age might mean you find things like serving extremely difficult to learn, so you may get a lot worse at first before you get better. I would also point out that playing in tournaments will most likely be a massive jump up in level compared to school, so you'll probably suffer some heavy defeats so brace yourself for that!

Sorry if it sounds like I'm pissing on your parade, but I just remember myself having great ambitions when I was younger only to find out how insanely high the level was once you step up to county level, but maybe you really do have talent in spades and can do well.

Good luck either way

[HKz]

Welcome to the world of tennis, IMO the greatest sport ever.

As for your question, I'd say join the high school tennis team. Season is going on right now so I don't think your too late. I mean you get coached and you get to play against other schools all for free. Watching tennis players such as Federer, Djokovic and such is a really great way to learn how to play tennis. (I wouldn't recommend watching Nadal however, since he has an unorthodox style of playing, especially his footwork when he hits the ball and that forehand of his. Federer is probably the most classic style right now.) However so, it is still very tough to learn tennis without a coach. I remember one time I tried to teach myself the one-handed backhand by watching Roger Federer all the time. I thought it was pretty decent but my coach showed me the proper way and it quickly became my best shot. Private coaching is obviously the best way to go, but of course it is very expensive.