Of all the sports I've written about in this column, tennis is the one I'm most passionate about. It's a sport in which you constantly test yourself against your own "personal best," yet it is social and competitive without generally being a team sport. It's a game of skill and power and speed and strategy, yet you can play it successfully into your 80s and beyond. You can improve and develop your tennis game for the rest of your life.

As with most sports, the secrets of tennis can't be taught from the written page. They are complex, involving judgment, strokes, placement, movements and follow-through, and they must be taught on the court. I urge you to get private or group instruction if you're even moderately interested in the sport. What we can do here is cover enough of the basics to get you started. The rest is up to you.

You'll want to begin, as always, by choosing clothes and equipment that make playing easier and more comfortable. Choose clothes made of light, washable fabrics. Shorts and skirts should be easy-fitting around the waist, and shirts should allow enough shoulder and arm movement. Socks with cushioned soles and heels add comfort and protection.

Shoes should provide flexibility and stability and give support to your Achilles tendons. Different court surfaces require different soles: smooth soles for indoors, spiked for grass, and herringbone for general use. All-purpose tennis shoes have a multipurpose sole that allows the player to perform well on grass, clay or asphalt surfaces.