Game, set and match! Who is tennis for?
In 1877, the rules for modern tennis were written down for the first time. To date, they have undergone only slight changes – so it can be said that tennis is the most traditional of racquet sports. However, in this case, tradition does not mean boredom!
Tennis is an extremely complex sport, in which proficiency requires perfect mastery of many elements – from the strength and endurance of one’s own body, through the technique of individual strokes, tactics and mental resilience, to the specifics of playing on particular types of courts. Sounds like a serious challenge – especially when you look at the matches of world-class players, capable of serving the ball at speeds of more than 200 km/h and superbly playing matches of 6 hours each! However, tennis is a sport that can also be practiced by amateurs. Anyone who is able to take a racquet in their hand can train it.
Main features of tennis:
- the longest game time – this applies to both individual exchanges and entire matches;
- the largest dimensions of the playing field – the court dimensions are 23.77 x 8.23 m (78 x 27 feet) in singles and 23.77 x 10.97 m (78 x 36 feet) in doubles;
- the greatest complexity – includes many techniques, tactics and styles of play that can be combined and developed individually;
- focus on the player’s strength and endurance;
- variety of playing conditions – you can play outdoors or indoors, on different court surfaces, individually or in doubles.
When training tennis, focus on learning proper technique. Even the first and basic element – service – is crucial to a player’s performance during a game. Properly carried out training also reduces the risk of injury, which the joints are especially vulnerable to, led by the famous “tennis elbow”. That’s why it’s a good idea to start your tennis journey with a few lessons with a coach, who will not only pay attention to the correctness of the elements performed, but will also help you choose a racquet with the right weight, shape and tension.
Read also: “Tennis: 4 Things You Need to Know Before Stepping on the Court for the First Time”.
Squash – more than a game against the wall?
Although the origins of squash date back to the 19th century, the sport gained widespread popularity in the following century, when soldiers of the British Army spread the sport in the countries where they were stationed. The first mention of squash in Poland dates back to 1976 – the game was brought to our country by Swedish workers who built the first court during the construction of a hotel in Brodnica. Today squash is extremely popular. It is practiced in more than 150 countries, and the number of courts goes into hundreds of thousands. Squash has become a fashionable way for employees of big-city corporations to relax – squash courts are increasingly common in modern office buildings.
The biggest difference between squash and the other sports is that you don’t play over a net, but bounce the ball off the walls, which also make up a playing field bounded by lines. The extra dimension combined with a smaller field area adds variety and dynamics to the game, which translates into high intensity of a typical training session. Squash is played with smaller racquets than in tennis, bouncing a ball of smaller diameter and weight.
Main features of squash:
- short game time – very fast exchanges, the match lasts about 40 minutes;
- smaller playing space – the court’s dimensions are 9.75 x 6.40 x 5.64 m;
- high pace and intensity of the game – players remain in constant motion and burn more calories than in a typical tennis match;
- focus on the player’s fitness and motor coordination;
- relative simplicity of the technique – it is a discipline that is easy to learn.
The increasing availability of squash courts translates into a lower rental price than for other sports. This, combined with the relative simplicity of the game, makes squash a good sport for people who have never played racquet sports before. The high intensity of squash will also be appreciated by those who primarily expect strong cardio and burning of excess calories from their workouts. Beginners, however, must be wary of injuries due to inexperience and contact with the opponent. Lack of focus can result in being hit with a racquet or a ball.
Read also: “A Fast Ball – Myths and Truths About Squash”.
Padel – a new and better sport?
Is it possible to combine the best features of tennis and squash to create a sport that captivates crowds? It seems that Enrique Corcuera had a good plan when he modified his squash court in Acapulco in 1969, giving rise to padel as a sport. Over the following years, padel spread throughout Spanish-speaking countries, and 2010 marked the beginning of a huge expansion in the sport’s popularity around the world.
Padel is a sport that does not require as much strength and endurance from players as tennis. It is also not as fast and intense as squash. Padel is based on specific elements of tactics and technique, and is incredibly social – as it is most often played in pairs. This makes padel extremely appealing to beginners.
Main features of padel:
- specific playing field – the court is a 20 x 10 m field surrounded by 4 m high walls;
- the combinational nature of the game – the ball can be hit directly over the net or bounced off the walls, and strokes from outside the court are also allowed;
- using characteristic tensionless racquets made of plastic or carbon fibre;
- using balls with lower internal pressure – and therefore slower than in tennis;
- service is played exclusively from below the waist level;
- focus on the player's precision and motor coordination.
Less advanced technique than in tennis, less effort than in squash – this makes padel an excellent activity for the physically weaker, those returning to sports or those who want to play recreationally. Padel is a sport that can be played with family or friends – social doubles with diverse gameplay will not get boring for a long time. It’s also a sport with a lower risk of injury – the most common injuries affect the joints of the lower limbs and are related to rapid movement on the hard court surface.
Read also: “Padel – A New Game Which Is Becoming Hugely Popular”.
Get your racquet ready!
Racquet sports are characterised by high accessibility. Anyone can rent a court and equipment for an hour or two and play a few games to find out that the combination of socialising and simple rules of the game allows you to get a lot of pleasure from playing together. Anyone can play tennis, squash or padel at a basic, amateur level. The real game, however, begins with more training sessions, where we learn more advanced strokes, develop the technique and learn to defeat more and more difficult opponents. The road to mastery is extremely challenging, but it is very easy to take the first step on it. So – get your racquet ready!
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References:
1. https://padel-magazine.co.uk/.
2. https://www.playyourcourt.com/.
3. https://simplepadel.com/.
4. https://www.worldsquash.org/.
5. https://racquetsocial.com/.
6. https://everythingpadel.co.uk/.
7. https://www.sportsver.com/.
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36416276/.
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25667400/.
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32823248/.
11. https://www.researchgate.net/.