Want To Be A Good Tennis Player? Here’s All What You Need To Do
Picking up a racket is just the beginning.
Know Where You Stand
Picking up a racket is just the beginning. Before you can improve, you need an honest picture of your current level. The National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) gives every player a score on a scale from 1.0 to 7.0 — absolute beginner to touring professional. That single number tells you which strokes to prioritize, what fitness gaps to address, and which opponents will push you hardest.
Set a realistic target rating, then work backwards. Which strokes hold you back? Is it your backhand under pressure, your second serve, your movement? Write it down. Vague ambition rarely produces results; a specific gap to close always does.
Practice With Purpose
Deliberate repetition beats casual hitting every time. Join a local club, find a hitting partner at your level, or book time with a coach. If your backhand is the weak link, drill it from every angle — including balls that technically invite a forehand. Forcing uncomfortable practice situations is exactly how weaknesses become strengths.
Target your weakest stroke in every session, not just your favourite one.
Build the Body — and the Mind
A best-of-five-set match is a serious athletic event. Strength, speed, flexibility, and endurance all matter. A structured gym programme — ideally guided by a personal trainer — pays dividends on court in ways extra ball-bashing simply cannot.
The mental side is just as demanding. Players like Novak Djokovic have built reputations not only on physical brilliance but on staying composed when matches turn against them. Calm, focused competitors earn the respect of opponents and referees alike — and they tend to win the close ones.
Novak Djokovic
Serbian tennis player (born 1987)
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player.
Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Andymiah (Wikimedia Commons)
"Tennis is a gentleman's — and a lady's — game. Let the elegance become part of you."
Whether you're chasing a higher NTRP rating or simply want to enjoy the game more, the formula is straightforward: know your level, practise with intention, train your body, and keep your head. The rest follows.