Introduction to Tennis in Cebu Philipines

Introduction to Tennis

  • Brief history & popularity of the sport

  • Why tennis is a great sport for fitness & fun

  • Overview of professional tennis (Grand Slams, ATP/WTA tours)

The Tennis Court

Equipment Needed to Play

  • The tennis racquet (grip size, head size, weight, string pattern)

  • Tennis balls (types: pressurized, pressureless, and stage balls for beginners)

  • Tennis shoes (why running shoes aren't enough)

  • Proper tennis attire (and club dress codes)

  • Optional accessories (overgrips, dampeners, hats, bags)

Core Rules & Scoring System

  • The overall objective of the game

  • The Pyramid: How points build games, games build sets, and sets build matches

  • Scoring a Game: Love, 15, 30, 40, deuce, advantage

  • Scoring a Set: Winning by two games, tiebreaks

  • Scoring a Match: Best of three vs. best of five sets

  • Basic rules for serves (foot faults, let serves, service box)

  • In/out rules (calling balls on the line)

Fundamental Strokes & Shots

  • The Serve: Starting the point; underhand vs. overhand

  • Groundstrokes:

    • Forehand

    • Backhand (one-handed vs. two-handed)

  • Volley: Hitting the ball out of the air (forehand & backhand)

  • The Overhead Smash: Putting away a high ball

  • Specialty shots (lob, drop shot, slice)

Basic Techniques & Skills

  • The Tennis Grips: Continental, Eastern, Semi-Western, Western

  • The Ready Position: How to stand before every shot

  • Basic Footwork: Split step, recovery step, moving to the ball

Game Formats & Ways to Play

  • Singles (two players)

  • Doubles (four players)

  • Variations for beginners (mini-tennis, slow balls)

Key Tennis Terminology

  • A glossary of essential terms: Ace, Deuce, Advantage, Love, Break Point, Game Point, Set Point, Match Point, Let, Fault, Double Fault, Rally, and more.

Basic Strategy for Beginners

  • The #1 rule: consistency over power

  • Hitting to the open court

  • Playing it safe: aiming cross-court and down the middle

  • Understanding basic court positioning

Etiquette & Sportsmanship

  • Calling lines fairly and clearly

  • The etiquette around retrieving stray balls

  • Announcing the score before serving

  • Waiting for points to end before moving or talking

Health, Fitness & Injury Prevention

  • The importance of a proper warm-up and cool-down

  • Tennis-specific fitness (agility, endurance)

  • Common beginner injuries (e.g., tennis elbow) and how to avoid them

Next Steps & Resources

  • How to find a coach or a local court (perhaps a specific section for Cebu)

  • Recommended YouTube channels, books, or apps for beginners

  • Suggestions for drills to practice alone (against a wall) or with a partner