May is Tennis Month so start raisin' a racket and smashin' some balls. It's an easy sport to learn and a great way to stay in shape.
USA Tennis Month - Getting Started
To mark Tennis Month, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is holding several events and has opened up hundreds of Tennis Welcome Centers across the country, where kids of all ages can learn to play tennis. For more info on a Tennis Welcome Center near you, head to www.tenniswelcomecenter.com. Get started now and who knows, you could be the next Andy Roddick or Maria Sharapova.
USA Tennis Month - Gear
Tennis is a pretty basic sport to get started. All you need is a racket and a can of balls. It doesn't have to cost much either. You can usually get a decent racket for around $40 and a can of balls for $3 or less. Most places that offer lessons usually have loaner rackets you can borrow while you're starting out. If you don't want to buy new gear, ask your parents - they might even have some old tennis gear lying around.
USA Tennis Month - Stars and Events
In professional tennis, there are plenty of exciting players to watch and learn from. Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal are a few of the tennis stars worth watching. There are also four big tennis events each year - The Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Each of these tournaments are considered Grand Slam tournaments.
USA Tennis Month - Did U Know?
- According to most historians, the game of tennis was invented by French monks in the 11th or 12th century. They hit a ball with their hands over a rope strung across a courtyard or against the walls of the monasteries.
- As the game became more popular, players began using a glove with webbing between the fingers or a solid paddle. Eventually players began using a piece of webbing attached to a handle, which became the modern day racket.
- The first tennis balls were made of wool or hair wrapped up in leather.
