Tennis = Money

So I play tennis in school right now, because my parents didn't allow me to play those "cool kids sports". But you know what? I don't care..... cuz I don't need a sport to tell me if I'm kool or not...... However, with many sports, to become better than others is to simply train and work hard. For example, in basketball, if you shoot 100 more free throws than another person who has similar athletic abilities compared to you.... then you would no doubt be  better than him at free throws. But what I hate about tennis, is that although hard work is essential, money decides who is better or worse. In basketball, you use one ball. In football, you use one ball. In soccer, you use one ball. In swimming, you use one pool. In ping pong, you use one table. In track, you use one track field. The list goes on and one, and the only difference that you may have from another athlete in these sports is perhaps the shoes and the athletic wear. But in tennis..... you use one court........ but about 10,000,000 + combinations of tennis strings and rackets that constantly change and upgrades. And to keep up this with this constant flow of improvements, the only way is to spend money $$$. What I mean is that you can buy one nice expensive racket, and in three years, the same racket but better comes out. So should you spend more money on the new racket? Or should you use the same one while others use the new and improved one around you? Speaking of rackets, the structure of a tennis racket is a frame with string weaved and tensioned....... simply put. But even with this tennis string, their are different levels of string that provide extra power/spin/control etc. But like all things, with better quality, comes a higher price. Furthermore, these tennis strings don't last forever, they break every once a month. So you would think that these simple little strings cost like a few bucks right? WRONG!!! One set of string for 1 racket..... costs about $25-75 (including stringing). So let's do the math here

Nice racket ($150) + String ($25x, x  being number of stringing times) + Shoes ($55) = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

And equipment is only small portion of this inequality

When you walk onto a tennis court, you can CLEARLY tell who is "legit" and who is "recreational". Why? Because if you're a recreational player, the stroke techniques are completely off from what "legit" players consider standard. If you play for fun, most of the time, you merely wish to get the ball back over the net. But if you're "legit".... not only are you REQUIRED to get the ball over the net... you have to consider WHERE you should hit, WHAT KIND OF SHOT you should hit, all while trying to PERFECT the shot itself. So how can this be done? The answer is very simple. You get a coach. Sure you can go online and look up "tennis techniques", but there will always be SOMETHING wrong because you don't know for sure what is right and what is wrong. So at this point, you have spent a large sum of money for equipment, and now to be "legit" you hire a coach. The average cost for a 1 hour session with a professional coach is $50+  Multiply all of these expenses for a AT LEAST 3 years.... and BAM!!!! .......................... you might as well go buy a new car................. or a house......

Why 3 years?

Because if you're of the human race, then it takes time to mold what you find comfortable into what is considered right. And I fondly remember that there is a saying that goes "money is time". If you're smart and work hard, then in 3 years, you techniques and strokes will be slowly developing into the "legit" player. But if you don't, then the expenses just keep on going up manzzzz...... You see, in basketball or football or any of those "cool kids sports" I don't believe that the expenses invested is anywhere near what tennis requires. True, you can go to those Training Camps or Athlete Programs.... but tennis has all of that. There is literally schools and schools that devote their entire purpose into molding tennis players from around the world. The 17th ranked world player and former world number 1 player who had won 3 grand slams, Maria Sharapova, spend her entire childhood in one of these camps. Her parents quit their jobs so that they could invest in her daughter for this very sport..... and I guess..... good investment..... but that is 1 player out of millions and millions of players.

So moral of story? 

Don't even try to become a professional tennis player. Don't take this sport to seriously, because tennis is money. And money is time. And unless you truly want to devote your life to this sport. Just have fun!

Thanks for reading!