Argumentative Essay: Is Tennis A Sport?

Have you ever felt a bursting rush of adrenaline, or sat on the edge of your seat, like you were sitting on pins & needles? Well, those are a couple of the many reactions I have when watching a tennis match. A tennis match is very electric. You can feel the energy surging through the crowd as they watch from the bleachers. Experiencing two competitors going head, to head on the court, incites a feeling like no other. From the very first serve, it’s all about who has the most endurance. Both competitors giving their all to hit that neon green tennis ball over the net. With the hope that one of them will walk away with a win.

Another reason I love the sport of tennis is because of my grandmother. Ever since I can remember, I would sit with
her and watch the Grand Slam tournaments. Especially the matches of her favorite player, Serena Williams, on the tennis court. My personal favorite player is the incredible Rafael Nadal. For me, the sport is entertaining. But also has personal nostalgia.
Tennis itself is one of the most popular international sports in the world today. Only the 4th most popular. Soccer is the 1st (known as football in other countries), 3rd is Cricket. Tennis is seen by an estimated 1.2 billion people worldwide every year. Making it one of the most watched, and most profitable sports, in the world today. Not bad for a sport that dates back to the 12th century in Northern France.

Some may see tennis as a somewhat less than masculine sport, when compared to other sports tough to play like Football and Basketball. I personally think that argument is wrong, because tennis is a challenging sport. Anyone that plays tennis will need a lot of endurance to play this sport. Sometimes a match can last hours, and the players need to be physically prepared for these drawn out matches. Also, many tennis players face minor and sometimes grave injuries. I’ve seen countless matches where players push through pain and continue on, even against doctor’s order.

Tennis is much more than just a sport. It is a hobby, career, and lifestyle for many. It’s an activity that exercise your muscles, and your mental skills. Pushing yourself to the brink of exhaustion, in an effort to outsmart and outlast your opponent. I mean are you just going to stand there and let your opponent score a “15-all” point on you because you are too tired?
If you’re a tennis player, the answer would be a passionate “heck No”.
When you’re on that court, your only goal is to win the match, and walk away a winner. So whether you’re playing tennis with a friend, after work or school, or as a professional player like Serena Williams, and Rafael Nadal you need to be focused. It is more complicated than hitting a neon green ball over a net, or swinging a cool looking racket around on a court.

My argument against tennis as a sport, stems from the physical demands it requires. I feel like all the running back and forth on a court, can lead to joint problems in the future. The repetitive sprinting, and lunges at a rapid pace can be a lot of stress on the ankles and kneecaps.
This can lead to possible arthritis in both the knees and ankles. Swinging the racket with so much force can also create upper body trauma. Back pain, arm, wrist, and shoulder pains are caused by repetitive serving (swinging of the racket). All of these require countless massage therapy and acupuncture treatments. Many tennis player’s careers have come to a premature end due to all of these injuries.

I end this by saying, Tennis has become one of the most popular and most watched sport today. It has spawned some of the most recognizable athletes in the world and one of
the most profitable as well. It has become more than just a sport. It has become a cultural phenomenon in it own right over the years. This is why tennis is my favorite sport.