Whenever I tell people I play tennis, I normally get responses like, “Tennis is so easy” or, “Why do you play tennis when there’s so many other sports that are more challenging?” Then there’s personally my favorite: “Oh, tennis? What a joke!” Well the truth is, I think tennis is overall the most difficult sport I’ve ever played and I've played a lot of different sports. I’m not talking about just physically difficult, I’m talking about something much more important. The mindset and strategy that goes along with playing tennis is something that I always have to work on because it’s so tough and not one match is the same.

Tennis has singles and doubles. If you’re playing singles, you are on the court alone. Yes, your teammates are cheering you on from beyond the fence, but on the court it’s you versus your opponent. In doubles, you have one other person with you and you two have to have good chemistry and work together to come out of the match with the victory. If everyone just hit the ball back and forth without making the other person move, some rallies could last forever. That’s why the goal is to hit the ball where the opponent is not and try not to hit the ball out of bounds in the process. It doesn’t sound hard, but it takes a lot of practice. Technique is the foundation of any sport, but it is a big key for tennis. If you do not have good timing when you hit the ball, good footwork or know the correct way to hit the different types of shots, it would be very difficult to pick up a racquet and expect to do well. The main way to get better at these techniques is to practice. They always say practice makes perfect.

The mental part of the game is most challenging. Often with tennis, one mistake leads to two and two to three and so on. This is when people have to become mentally tough and calm themselves down instead of breaking down. It is so easy to give up in tennis, especially when you’re down a few games or even a set. Anyone can become physically fit to play tennis, but what happens mentally in a match is something nobody can be prepared for. Different situations arise and you have to mentally overcome them each and every time. For example one time, I was playing a singles match and I lost the first set zero-six. I could have easily given up right then and there, but instead I told myself I was tired of losing. I ended up winning the second set six-two. Usually if you split sets you play another set, but for time's sake this time we played a super tiebreaker. To win the super tiebreaker, you have to be the first player to 10, but you have to win by two. I won the super tiebreaker 10-six. I overcame the mental part of the game and I was so proud. Overcoming the mental block is a difficult part of tennis, which is why tennis isn’t as easy as people think.

Maybe tennis isn’t the most physically demanding sport, but you do have to be in shape to play and have good technique and footwork mixed with some hand-eye coordination. Overall, I would like for people to realize that tennis is not as easy as it seems. Next time someone is talking about tennis or says that they play tennis, instead of knocking it down, maybe try and go play the game for yourself. Tennis is a wonderful sport, whether you are watching it, playing it competitively or just for fun, and I can guarantee you it isn't as easy as it seems.