Anyone for Tennis?

My Top Five Reasons Why You Should Take up Tennis Now

1. ​You can begin playing tennis at any age.
2. It's really good for your health.
3. It's a great way to make new friends.
4. It's a sport that can be played at any level of skill or fitness.
5. Tennis outfits are super cute.​

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The following photos were taken at Scottsdale Ranch Park and Tennis Center - a City of Scottsdale Facility

Skirt and Sweater - Lululemon I Top - H&M I Shoes and Visor - Nike I Ray-Ban Sunnies I Babolat Racquet

My Tennis Story

My husband Brian is an amazing tennis player, and so he should be, he's been playing since he was a child and had professional coaching.  After we married, it was a good excuse to take up tennis myself, so I signed up for the beginners class at a local city facility near where we live.  I had learnt to play in school, but I honestly couldn't remember a thing about the game, how to score, the rules, diddlysquat!  

I enjoyed the group lesson, but I wanted to move on more quickly, so I took a couple of private lessons.  The teacher suggested I join a league to help me progress faster.  That first league I signed up for was the funniest thing I ever did. I could still barely keep score throughout the match, I was super nervous, and even by the standards of the other people who played as badly as I did, I still played the worst!  The good thing was, it was the bottom league so I couldn't get any lower.  The best advice my coach gave me was "keep at it" and "sign up again".  So I did.  He was right. Despite feeling a complete idiot during those early league matches, I learned so much from the other people I played against and gradually gained confidence.

About a year later, I had won the league twice and was moved up to the next level.  That was the start of a beautiful relationship with tennis. I still took lessons sporadically, but continued signing up for the leagues regularly. Progressively I worked my way up to the top level.  I made a ton of friends along the way, and today I can proudly say I give Brian a run for his money on the courts - haha!
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Brian is wearing Nike shorts and top I Shoes by K-Swiss I Ray-Ban Sunnies I Babolat Racquet

How to Get Started

All you need is a good pair of tennis shoes.  If you don't have a local tennis shop, there are lots of online options like Tennis Warehouse.

A tennis racquet.  If you know nothing about tennis, this can be a daunting task, as there are so many to choose from. The best option is to borrow one to start with, or ideally demo a racquet if you have a local tennis or sport store. Normally, any charge there may be for the demo is taken off your purchase once you have choosen the racquet you want to buy.

​Take a lesson.  You can find a certified tennis pro close to you through the USPTA.com website.
 
Unlike golf, once you have the essentials, you can virtually play tennis for free every day.  Of course, you can join an expensive tennis club and strut about in your cute outfit.   But trust me - that outfit looks just as cute on the public courts! It also looks cute when you go grab a Starbucks after the match.  Or, if you're up for "tennis and 'tinis", and you go straight from the courts to happy hour - even cuter!

Game, set, match!
Love
​Karen xox