How to Play Tennis

Playing tennis is a great way to get some exercise while having fun and enjoying a competitive sport with a friend. Even if you have never played tennis before, you can pick up the game quickly. Head to a public court, rent a racket and ball, get out there and try it.

1. First: Position yourself on the court.

   Stand at the white baseline on one side of the court, to the right of the center hash mark line, and have your friend stand at the other end of the court at the baseline in the same position. The white perimeter lines represent your service boxes. Do not cross these lines before you serve, as this is considered a foot fault.

2. Second: Serve the ball

   Lift your racket in the air with your dominant hand, and throw the ball straight up with your other hand so as to hit it with the center of your racket. The goal is to hit the ball hard enough to get it over the net to your opponent's side of the court.

3. Third: Keep the ball in play

   The ball must bounce once inside your opponent’s box for it to remain in play. Your opponent must then hit the ball back to you, and it must bounce within your service box to remain in play. Continue to hit the ball back and forth in this manner.

4. Fourth: Score a point

   The goal is to hit the ball in a way that your opponent messes up and either misses the ball, hits it outside of your service box, or hits it so that it bounces twice or hits the net. If your opponent does any of those things, you get the point and vice versa.

5. Fifth: Understand the score

   The person serving the ball must call out the score during each serve. If you are serving, call out your score first. Love is when the game is at 0-0. 15-Love, means you scored a point and your opponent still has 0 points. After 15, the points go as follows: 30, 40 and then game point. The game is over if you win game point. If there is a tie at the end of the game, 40 – 40, that is called a Deuce. You must score two points in a row after a Deuce to win the game.