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Theodore Stroukoff has tackled many challenges in his life, including ongoing professional service as a travel nurse and 27 years spent as an ice skating coach. These days, Theodore Stroukoff is taking on a new challenge—the sport of tennis.

As with everything else in Theodore Stroukoff’s life, he takes his tennis game seriously. For those considering tennis as a hobby, Theodore Stroukoff has a few words of advice for a successful game.

First, says Theodore Stroukoff, it’s essential to start with good equipment. A quality tennis racket is essential to success in your tennis game. If you’re a beginner, Theodore Stroukoff recommends a racket with an oversize head that has a lightweight feel. As your game improves, you can move up to the next level, which is a racket the weighs around 9-11 ounces and has a mid-sized head. An expert level racket can kick your game into high gear. Once you’re ready to take on the big leagues, Theodore Stroukoff recommends looking for a racket with a weight surpassing 11.5 ounces and a head size between 85 and 98. These rackets put the weight on the handle instead of the head, improving the player’s control.

Now that you have your racket, take a look at the tennis balls you’re using for your game. Theodore Stroukoff recommends pressurized tennis balls, since they are lighter and fly through the air more easily. Non-pressurized tennis balls last longer, but they also do not bounce as high.

Before you head out to the courts, Theodore Stroukoff advises investing in a good pair of tennis shoes. First, look for a pair of shoes that provide lateral support. Because you’ll be spending a great deal of time moving back and forth, it’s essential that your shoes can support this sideways movement.

Good cushioning is essential. You have two choices when it comes to cushioning in tennis shoes, Theodore Stroukoff explains. The heavier of these choices is polyurethane, which provides more substantial cushioning. However, as Theodore Stroukoff points out, EVA is lighter and more stable. Since stability is important in your tennis game, this is the type Theodore Stroukoff recommends for tennis.

Once you have your equipment and clothing in place, it’s time to start your game. At first, you’ll focus on mastering the skill of keeping the ball in play as long as possible, Theodore Stroukoff says. But as you progress in the game, Theodore Stroukoff suggests that there are strategies you’ll learn to challenge your opponent by using certain types of strokes. This is a skill that isn’t learned overnight, acknowledges Theodore Stroukoff, but he has found that with practice, becoming a skilled tennis player is easily achievable.