If you like what you see on television during Wimbledon and the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, you should ask yourself three questions: Do you have good eye-hand coordination? Do you enjoy running? Do you have a competitive spirit? If you answered "yes" to these three questions, then the sport of tennis may be your love match.

When I answered "yes" to these questions, I discovered a game that continues to challenge me 35-years later. I like to think that I am a good example of the saying: "Tennis is a game for life."

One of the unique advantages of the sport of tennis is that one does not have to be an Andy Roddick or a Serena Williams to become a player. Those proficient in tennis often refer to players who lack any formal training as "hackers". Yet these novice players are able to find other would-be-players who share their same comfort zone. Even though it appears that they spend more time picking up balls than they do hitting them, they are having fun and getting some exercise.

However, if you aspire to a higher tennis playing level, here are some tips to get a beginner started off on his or her best Nike covered foot:

1. General Good Health: A tennis truth: You should be in basic, good physical shape to play the sport. This does not mean that you have to take out a gym membership. This does mean that if you want to play tennis, you should be incorporating more fast walking or other aerobic exercise several times per week. Your efforts will strengthen your heart and help to build your stamina. (If you have any health issues, visit your doctor for an opinion before beginning any sort of rigorous exercise.)

Not everyone wants to be a singles tennis player. If playing doubles is your singular goal, you will be expected to cover your half of the court, run quickly to reach short or deep balls, and play long, continuous points when you are serving.

Using light weights to build upper body strength has the double benefit of helping to prevent injury. Because there are certain repetitive motions in tennis, building muscle tone around arm, shoulder, wrist and knee areas is an important step as you improve your game.

2. Equipment: Before you purchase a tennis racket, go to a sports store that offers tennis racquet "loaners". By trying several different rackets through a loaner program, you can get a feel for which size and type of racket works best for you. When you have made your selection, pay attention to how

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