How to Play Tennis

Nearly anyone can easily learn to play tennis so long as they use quality equipment and practice often. While professionals tend to play the game much faster and hit the ball at high speed, an amateur player can achieve a reasonably high level of skill with some practice.

1. First: The serve

   Delivering the ball to the opponent, or the serve, requires some practice to perfect. One tosses the ball into the air above one's head using the hand not holding the racket and subsequently hits the ball as it is on its way down. The ball must go over the net and into the front portion of the opponent's court within the lines in order stay in play as a "good," or playable, serve. Balls falling outside the front court area are "faults" and the server must re-serve. If a player faults twice, his or her opponent scores a point.

2. Second: The volley

   Once the ball is served within the proper service area, the volley begins. Each player must hit the ball with either a forehand or backhand stroke, hitting the ball over the net and into the opponent's court. Volleying continues until one player fails to perform a viable volley, either because he hit the ball outside the court lines or into the net.

3. Third: Scoring

   One player serves a complete set, which consists of a total of four points, counted from zero, or love, to 15, to 30, to 40, to set. Either player is able to score a point during a serve. If the server prevails, he gets a point. If the server fails, the opponent scores. If the score is tied at 40, the next serve determines who has the advantage and one additional point is necessary after that. Players take turns serving. The match is won by the player who wins at least six sets.