Introduction 1

Part1: Getting Started with Tennis 5

Chapter 1: What Is Tennis? 7

Chapter 2: Meet Me on the Court 11

Chapter 3: Getting Geared Up 27

Chapter 4: Scoring in Tennis: Love Means Nothing 53

Chapter 5: Rules and Regulations 65

Chapter 6: Tennis Etiquette 79


Part2: Playing the Game 93

Chapter 7: Mastering the Fundamentals 95

Chapter 8: The Forehand: Your Money Shot 115

Chapter 9: The Backhand: A Perfect Complement 125

Chapter 10: The Volley: An Exclamation Point 143

Chapter 11: The Serve: The Most Important Shot in the Game 159

Chapter 12: Completing the Arsenal: Lobs, Overheads, and Drop Shots 177

Chapter 13: Winning Strategies and Tactics 193


Part3: Taking Your Game to the Next Level 213

Chapter 14: Enjoying Your Amateur Status 215

Chapter 15: Practice: The “P” Word 231

Chapter 16: Physical Conditioning for Tennis 243

Chapter 17: Handling the Physical and Mental Challenges of Tennis 265

Chapter 18: Improving Your Game with Lessons 281


Part4: Tennis Aficionados Only 291

Chapter 19: The Pro Game 293

Chapter 20: The Four Grand Slam Events and Cup Competitions 309

Chapter 21: Tennis from the Stands and On-Screen 329


Part5: The Part of Tens 341

Chapter 22: Ten Tennis Tips 343

Chapter 23: The Ten Best Men Players of the Open Era 347

Chapter 24: The Ten Best Women Players of the Open Era 359

Chapter 25: The Ten Greatest Matches of the Open Era 369

Index 379