Tips to finding a good sparring partner

"Okay so now that we know what is required to start playing tennis, how then do we begin actually playing the game?" one may ask.

In my previous blog i recommended a few things you needed to begin playing tennis one of them was a good sparring partner.Today I'm going to discuss how you can get a good sparring partner and a few of the techniques you will need in order to start sparring.

The Good Sparring Partner

If you want to begin playing tennis, it would be good to let a few of your friends and your colleagues know about a couple of weeks before you start taking your lessons with a coach. This could very well be a good way of getting a friend you feel comfortable with to be your sparring partner. This makes it easier for you to concentrate more on the game and still enjoy the company of your friend. You can also choose to announce your interest to play tennis on media like facebook.com if you have an account there. Another way of getting a sparring partner is by asking the coaches at your local tennis club to pair you up with people who are of the same ITN ranking as yourself. You are encouraged to visit http://www.itftennis.com/itn/ for more information about ITN rankings.
Also you may want to create an advert or a poster which you can place on the notice board at your local tennis club for a partner. When you finally do get a sparring partner, find some time to meet them personally so that you both can visit the court together. It is also recommended that you arrange a suitable day in the week to have your first training session.
The techniques for sparring

If this is your first time of stepping on the tennis court, you may almost be overwhelmed by your inability to play like a mentor you most likely see on TV. Your experience could very much consist of one or all of the following.You may be all over the place chasing balls, going round and round in circles during the return of a ball, hit some really high balls that may even go over the fence and may even feel embarrased. The good news is, that's how everybody begins! This is why you need a sparring partner who is of the same standing in the ITN rankings as you are.This way you can motivate and encourage each other as you go along.

The first technique you should try out could be playing the ball on one side of the court. This technique improves your control of the ball and aids you play in the direction you want to instead of just anywhere on the court.

Try and master this technique, go out and have some fun with your new partner and always remember to be true to yourself. For more helpful tips on how to become part of Ghana's growing tennis community, just follow this blog.