4 Life Lessons That Kids Can Imbibe From Tennis

Sania Mirza, India's first female tennis superstar, has confirmed her retirement plans following a first-round exit in women's doubles at the Australian Open. She has declared that 2022 will be her last season since her body is 'wearing down' and doesn’t have the energy and motivation for the grind. A six-time Grand Slam champion, Mirza is the idol for many tennis lovers. However, not everyone aspiring to become a tennis player can make it as big as Mirza or a Steffi Graf.  

The game of tennis, like many other sports, offers a host of life skills, cognitive and fitness benefits. So, if your kid is enthusiastic about it, encourage her to hit the tennis court not because she may become the next Sania Mirza but because she will grow up to be a well-rounded person. Here is what a budding tennis star can learn from this game. 

Sportsmanship 
Tennis players place a high priority on sportsmanship and fairness when interacting with opponents. This sense of sportsmanship is also important for children's growth. It will assist your children in learning how to deal with a variety of situations in which they may lose or win. Tennis teaches kids how to adopt attitudes that include humility and compassion while dealing with successes, as well as strength when dealing with losses. Tennis will ensure that your children are able to navigate the different ups and downs that come with life success. 

Confidence 
This is a vital lesson that your children will learn once they have participated in tennis for a while. When they have mastered the fundamentals of tennis and progressed to a high level of proficiency in the sport, they gain confidence in how they handle themselves. Success in tennis, like other sports and physical activities that have a significant psychological impact, will provide a great deal of confidence. This self-assurance will encourage your children to engage in other activities with the belief that they can succeed. 

A sense of accountability 
Tennis is an individual sport in which one has complete control over his or her level of performance. There are no team members to blame; you are solely responsible for the outcome. Tennis is a sport in which the players compete against themselves too as they're always attempting to get better at your own actions. The same is true for life. At every step, your child will need to take the benchmark up by quite a few notches. 

Improves mental strength 

Tennis being a game of angles, geometry, and physics, your child will need to develop mental agility in order to compete. This will further help her become stronger and enable her to deal with challenging situations later in life.  

Determination 

Accepting defeat while summoning the inner strength to try again is a valuable life skill. During a singles match, such inward drive is very important. As no coaching is permitted on the court, your child will have to rely exclusively on what he or she has learned. While seeing your child struggle can be frustrating as a parent, this experience teaches him the valuable lesson of tenacity.