Tennis is something you can do for fun on the weekends, but advanced matches require a high level of dedication. If you want to join the sport for more than just a fun hobby, take some time to discover why tennis is the hardest sport to learn. Don’t worry; this guide isn’t here to discourage players. This guide is to prepare players for the dedication they need to become a pro.

Fitness

Tennis is a very fast-moving sport, which is something we’ll dive deeper into when discussing coordination. To prepare your body to quickly reach the ball and send it to the other side of the court, personal fitness is crucial. Not only do you need physical strength for tennis, but you also need to focus on endurance, as matches can last hours.

That said, the fitness requirements alone aren’t what make tennis the hardest sport to learn because others, like football, soccer, and hockey, certainly call for strength and endurance as well. As you’ll learn below, the mental game and the physical requirements make tennis so tough for some players.

Mental Strength

Aside from physical fitness, tennis requires immense mental strength. When you’re on a team of one in professional tennis, you don’t have other players to help you reach success or back you up when you’re feeling overwhelmed with stress.

You don’t get benched in tennis—you’re out on the court from the first minute of the game until the last. When you’re the only team member, dealing with losses after hours of playing on the court can be particularly tough. Great players can overcome this mental battle on the court, but it requires a lot of practice, passion, and effort.

Coordination

Amid the mental stress, professional tennis players have to play with precision and coordination, using a bevy of different swinging and serving techniques to topple opponents. When the tennis ball is flying toward players, they have to be ready at an instant to hit that ball with purpose and accuracy. In that instant, players have to think of the best strategy to use against their opponent.

This game isn’t like chess, where you have time during your turn to analyze the board before committing to a move. I don’t say that to diminish the hard work that goes into playing chess, but to illustrate the uniquely quick strategizing that tennis matches require.

By taking the time to discover why tennis is the hardest sport to learn, players can understand what they’re getting into if they’re aiming for professional status. If you’re willing to put in the work to become an exceptional player, consider investing in a home tennis court to provide you with the perfect practice space.

With the help of a home court, tennis players can hone their skills in their very own backyard. Luckily, finding court essentials like tennis nets and posts for home courts is easy and beneficial if you want to become a pro.