Tennis 101: Here's All The Main Things You Need To Know About The Sport

After soaking up all the thrills and spills from the Australian Open, it could be pretty tempting to finally get into the sport. But don't worry if you have no clue where to start.

Even though the sport has been around for more than 100 years, everyone gets introduced to it in a different way.

If you've always wanted to give it a crack but didn't know your aces from your faults then let us paint a picture for you and you'll be yelling 'c'mon!' like Leyton Hewitt in no time.

The racquet sport can be played on grass, cement and clay, and can be played one-on-one or you can mix it up by playing doubles (which is two players on each side).

It originated in Birmingham, England, in the late 19th century and the rules haven't changed much since its inception.

Essentially, what you do is hit the ball across the net in the hope your opponent doesn't hit it back over. You lose a point if you hit it outside the lines, if it hits the net without going over, or if the ball bounces twice on your side.

Your aim is to get five points before your opponent, which means you win the game. You have to win six games to win a set and you have to win two to three sets in a proper competition depending on whether you're male or female to win a match.

That's why they call it game, set, match when you win the whole thing.

The points go up from love (which is zero), then to 15, then 30 and then 40. If both players manage to get to 40 then it's called deuce. Don't bother asking why the numbers go up like that, it's just the way it is. To win the game at deuce, you have to win two points consecutively.

One player will serve for the whole game and when that game ends, the serving will transfer to the other player. During the serve, the players have to be standing diagonally and the server has to stand behind the back line.

The ball must land in the front square where the opponent is standing for it to be an eligible ball.

You get two chances at a serve and if you don't get it the first time, hey, it's no worries at all...we've all been there. If your opponent doesn't hit your serve then that's called an ace and honestly there's no greater feeling than seeing your mate's face when the ball flies past them.

You will most likely play with a forehand grip, however you might have to switch to your backhand to respond to those trickier shots. Sure, you can try and hit it between your legs like Nick Kyrgios but let's probably stick to the first two if you're a beginner.

It's a super fun sport to play because the rules are fairly simple and it certainly gets the heart pumping as you race all across your side of the court.

Just make sure you hold your temper if and when you lose a point. No one wants to see you bashing the racquet on the court.

Head over to the Play Tennis website to hire a tennis court near you and test out your skills. You might even surprise yourself.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

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