How to Play Tennis Better as a Beginner (Without Overwhelming Yourself)
Why beginners feel stuck (even when they’re trying hard)
Once you decide you like tennis, the next question is always the same:
“How do I actually get better?”
That’s where many adult beginners get stuck.
You’re motivated. You’re practicing. You’re watching videos.
And yet… the ball still finds the net. Or the frame. Or flies long for no clear reason.
The problem isn’t effort.
The problem is too much information, in the wrong order.
Most “tennis tips for beginners” online aren’t actually for beginners at all. They’re demonstrations, highlights, or advanced ideas labeled as beginner-friendly. That leaves adults confused, overwhelmed, and second-guessing everything they do on court.
To play better tennis, beginners don’t need more tips.
They need structure.
The missing piece: structure beats random advice
My number one recommendation for adult beginners is simple:
Learn tennis inside a structure — not through scattered tips.
That structure might be tennis classes, private lessons, or a guided program. The format matters less than the fact that someone is watching you, correcting you, and helping you focus on the right things at the right time.
Why this matters:
You can’t see what you’re doing
You don’t know which mistakes matter most
You don’t know what to ignore (yet)
A good coach filters the noise.
They help you stop chasing everything and start improving something.
That’s when tennis becomes calmer, clearer, and more enjoyable.
What beginners should actually focus on first
If your goal is to play better tennis as a beginner, this is where your attention should go — and nowhere else.
Grips (foundation first)
Grips control the racket face. They decide whether the ball goes over the net, into the court, and with any sense of control.
Beginners don’t need multiple grips right away — but they do need the right ones, learned properly.
(You can go deeper into this in the Tennis Grips for Beginners post.)
The forehand (your gateway shot)
You’ll hit forehands more than any other stroke.
A beginner forehand isn’t about power or spin.
It’s about balance, contact out in front, and sending the ball deep enough to rally.
If your forehand becomes reliable, tennis immediately feels more playable.
(This is covered in detail in The Perfect Beginner Forehand post.)
The backhand (keep it stable)
The goal of the beginner backhand is not flash — it’s dependability.
Two hands. Simple mechanics. Clean contact.
Once your backhand can stay in a rally, pressure disappears.
The serve (consistency over power)
Your serve starts the point. It doesn’t need to win it.
Beginners should focus on:
Using the continental grip
Getting the ball in
Developing rhythm
Speed comes later. Control comes first.
What beginners don’t need to worry about yet
This is just as important.
You do not need to:
Master every line on the court immediately
Know every rule by heart
Hit winners
Play the net aggressively
Add topspin or power early
Those things come with time and confidence.
Right now, improvement looks like:
Rallying more balls (find a wall & hit it on repeat)
Missing less often
Feeling calmer on court
Understanding why something worked or didn’t
That’s real progress.
Why rallying is the real goal
Everything changes once you can rally.
Rallying turns tennis from chaos into a game.
It builds confidence, rhythm, and enjoyment.
Most adult beginners quit not because tennis is too hard — but because they never reach this stage.
That’s why foundations matter more than tricks.
Before you overthink this
If you want to see and understand what you should actually be learning as a beginner — without overwhelm — start with my free online beginner tennis course here.
If you’re a beginner trying to play tennis better, remember this:
You don’t need everything at once
You don’t need to copy advanced players
You don’t need to rush
You need:
The right fundamentals
In the right order
With feedback
That’s how adults actually improve.
If you want help choosing the right learning path — classes, private coaching, or a beginner-friendly academy environment — that’s exactly what I help adults figure out.
With love from Mallorca~