Tennis is a unique sport, because although physicality is important, mentality is equally important, if not more so. How well you do in a match boils down to what’s inside of you. Even if you’re not the most physically fit, you can do well if you have these useful qualities.

Honesty

What’s great, but also difficult about playing tennis, is that you usually don’t have a judging official to call the shots. Most high school, collegiate, and adult leagues rely on the honor system. You and your opponent are forced to use your best judgment when it comes to calling balls in or out. It may be tempting to call an opponent’s ball out if it’s match point and they’re about to win, even if you know that it made it in by a millimeter. However, it’s important to stay honest and play fair. You’ll feel so much better when you finally win the match while knowing you used good sportsmanship.

Authority

Just as you must be honest in calling balls in or out, and calling out the right score, you also must make sure that your opponent does the same. If you think they made a bad call, you mustn’t hesitate to question them on it. If they call out the wrong score, you have to correct them immediately. It’s important to take control of the game and command respect so that your opponent doesn’t walk all over you. If something isn’t right, you have to learn how to stand up for your position.

Confidence

Similar to authority, you must play with confidence. If you don’t play with confidence in a tennis match, chances are, you’ll get eaten alive. As noted before, tennis is a mental game. If an opponent sees that you are slouching around the court, with low self-esteem and no faith in your own abilities, they will feed on that negative energy and use it to their advantage. However, if you walk on to that court with your head held high, giving your opponent a strong handshake and not letting your doubts show on the outside, chances are, your opponent will be intimidated. Even if you aren’t confident in your abilities, at least fake it. As my high school tennis coach says, “Fake it ‘till you make it!”

Stoicism

In tennis, it pays off not to have too many emotions showing on your face. If you’re having a hard match and feeling down on yourself, and it’s hot and you’re tired and just want to curl up in a ball and cry, you mustn’t let it show. When I played tennis in high school, my nickname was “The Rock” because I never showed any emotions on my face while I played. It’s not that I didn’t have emotions; I just refused to display them to my opponents. They couldn’t read how I was feeling and were therefore unable to attack my insecurities. If you look upset while you’re playing, your opponent is going to gain more confidence and attack you harder. Stoicism is a difficult skill to learn, but I believe that it can be learned. All you need to do is calm yourself down, take a few deep breaths, and relax your face. Enjoy the game, and don’t put so much pressure on yourself.

Intellect

Once you become a skilled player, you have to start worrying less about getting the ball over the net and more about strategy. If you and your opponent are just thinking about passing the ball, the game will last forever because you’ll be stuck in long rallies. Instead of letting this happen, analyze the situation. Notice your opponent’s strengths and weakness and use it against them. If they have a weak backhand, hit to their backhand. If they can’t hit drop shots, throw in some drop shots every now and then. You’ll win points quickly this way. This is one of the most fun parts of playing tennis. It’s almost like playing chess, but with a lot more running.

Respect

Tennis is odd in that it’s a highly personable game. Especially if you’re playing singles; it’s just you and one other person on the court for an entire match. I’ve met tons of nice people who I got along with really well during our matches. However, I’ve also run into opponents who just rub me the wrong way; sometimes, they’re purposefully rude. It’s important to be respectful towards anybody you play. It will make the match much more pleasant if you do. When it’s their serve and they need a ball, gently hit or hand the ball over to them. Don’t slam it or make them run to get it. If they’re being rude, they're probably trying to get in your head and make you upset. Ignore them, and don’t stoop to their level.

If you play with these qualities, you'll be a much stronger player. Not only that, but these qualities can be applied to life in general. I look back fondly on my years of playing high school tennis, and I would strongly encourage anyone who’s interested to give it a try. It’s a game that you can start at any time in your life and continue to play forever. Tennis is truly a life-changing game.