Every game of tennis starts with the space it's played in. A standard tennis court is a rectangle, 78 feet long and divided in half by a net. For singles matches, the court is 27 feet wide. For doubles, wider alleys on each side are used, bringing the total width to 36 feet.

The court is marked with lines that define the boundaries. The outer lines are the baselines (at the back) and the doubles sidelines. The inner sidelines are for singles play. The boxes closest to the net are the service boxes, where a serve must land.

Beyond the court, you only need two things: a racket and a can of tennis balls. Rackets come in different weights and sizes, but modern ones are typically made of lightweight materials like graphite. Tennis balls are fluorescent yellow so they're easy to see.

Tennis scoring might seem unusual at first. Instead of counting points one by one, you progress through a series of named scores. The goal is to win points to win a game, win games to win a set, and win sets to win the match.

A game starts with both players at zero, which is called "love." From there, the scoring goes as follows:

If both players reach a score of 40-40, it's called "deuce." To win the game from deuce, a player must win two consecutive points. The first point won gives that player "advantage." If they win the next point, they win the game. If they lose it, the score goes back to deuce.

The first player to win six games, with a lead of at least two games, wins the set. Most professional matches are best-of-three sets for women and best-of-three or best-of-five for men.

There are four main shots that form the foundation of tennis. Mastering these is the first step to playing the game well.

Backhand: The backhand is the opposite of the forehand, hit on your non-dominant side. It can be hit with one hand or two. Many players find the two-handed backhand offers more stability and power, especially when they're starting out.

Serve: Every single point in tennis begins with a serve. One player throws the ball into the air and hits it over the net into the opponent's service box. The serve is the only shot a player has complete control over, making it a critical weapon.

Volley: A volley is a shot hit before the ball bounces on your side of the court. It's typically a short, punching motion performed when you're close to the net. It's used to end points quickly by giving your opponent less time to react.

The game begins with one player serving. The server must stand behind the baseline and hit the ball diagonally into the opposite service box. They get two chances to make a successful serve. If they miss both, they lose the point.

Once the serve is in play, the players rally, hitting the ball back and forth over the net. The ball must land within the court boundaries to be considered "in." You lose the point if you hit the ball into the net, hit it outside the lines, or let it bounce more than once on your side.

Players switch sides of the court after every odd-numbered game in a set (e.g., after the first game, the third game, and so on). This ensures fairness by accounting for factors like sun and wind.

Now, let's test your knowledge of these core concepts.

With these basics of the court, scoring, and strokes, you have the building blocks for understanding and playing tennis. Every rally and every match is built on these simple rules.