We’re Causing A ‘Raquet’ With 40 Funny Tennis Memes

By Israel O

You can’t argue that tennis is one of the most widely followed and played sports around the world. It is arguably up there with soccer and basketball in terms of fans and airtime. Tennis stars also do exceptionally well if they are ranked among the elite. However, becoming a tennis star comes with several years of dedication, hard work, and determination. Once you are determined to become one, you should be ready to deal with the fame and internet fanatics that accompany the sport. As you derive joy from the game as a professional, so do die-hard fans who can’t help but turn you into a meme! Today, we intend to “serve you” a dose of laughter from a wide range of original tennis memes. Let’s get into it. 

A noisy court

Sometimes, certain games require the spectators to be quiet when the players are in action. This is true for tennis at the beginning of a play. But there are always going to be those who have to express their excitement. The noise from these fans could easily distract a rookie and make them lose focus. 

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When fans see a good serve or the impressive reflex from their favorite tennis players, they tend to start cheering loudly. The onus is on the player to keep up the performance since the person on the receiving end can capitalize on any moment of distraction. 

A humiliating breakfast

When you beat your opponent six nil in a single set during a typical tennis match, professionals refer to this as a bagel. Being served a bagel is soul-wrecking and super humiliating, especially when a professional is at the receiving end. 

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Serving a bagel is also gratifying and gives the server a sense of confidence and invincibility. When you beat an opponent six nil twice in a game, this is referred to as double bagel. There’s an award for whoever serves the highest number of bagels in an ATP tour. 

A win is a win

Victory comes with an intense feeling of joy, and winning a tennis match is no exception. When you win a game, you feel elated and convinced that your hours in practice were not in vain. Your fans also become more confident in your ability.

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The feeling that tennis players get when they win a game is similar to what we feel when mom says our friends can come over. We know that this verdict will allow us the freedom (limited) to have fun with our friends. 

The neat sport

Most sports are usually accompanied by your clothes, body, and hair ending in a mess. Undoubtedly, tennis is an exception in this case. You can play tennis for hours, and your clothes will remain intact and clean throughout the game. 

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That’s why most tennis stars put on white since they expect little to no grime to stain their outfit. Besides, their hair and makeup hardly need a retouch throughout a game as the sport is widely known to be devoid of contact with other elements. 

Ready and fearless

This meme makes us think that the star is giving off an aura of confidence and superiority. Typically, these two attributes are needed for anyone who wishes to dominate their opponents. You must be fearless and ready at all times.

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The readiness starts with having proper footing on the court. A professional must always be alert and ready to return every hit with precision and accuracy. These are the recipes for success in tennis and many other competitive sports.

Putting your opponents in their place

Like most sports, tennis requires continual effort and practice. Many professionals undergo intense training and hours of practice before being recognized as elite tennis stars. Winning a match starts with positioning yourself appropriately and delivering unexpected strikes.

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Once you fulfill these conditions, you’ll have an immediate feeling of putting your opponents where you want them. This satisfying feeling can be compared to what you experience when you corner that mosquito that’s at war with your peace. 

Mixed feelings

Tennis, like any other sport, is accompanied by wins and losses. You win some and lose some. The winning days come with an indescribable feeling of extreme happiness, and this reminds you of the undeniable benefits that come with putting extra effort into the game.

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The days that you lose remind us of the awful feeling that comes with accidentally stubbing your toes on the table as you try to make your way to the kitchen. Those days don’t last long if you pay more attention to where you’re going! But, it will happen to the best of us!

Living in the moment

When you’re deeply engrossed with returning your opponent’s hit with precision, you will hardly notice your facial expressions as you hit the ball. This player’s face became a meme simply because the camera caught her in the middle of the action. 

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We also notice the freestyle nature of certain tennis outfits. This player is showing a great amount of skin due to the nature of the sport. As long as you can move around freely without difficulty, your outfit as a tennis star doesn’t really follow many specific rules. 

Fun and work

Just like most things in life, children and adults think about tennis differently. Adults realize the fact that tennis requires hard work on and off the court. Kids, on the other hand, see tennis as fun and a way to pass the time. 

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We can hardly blame them for their simplistic view of thinking since most of us are guilty of viewing a racquet as a guitar when we were kids. As we grew up, we realized that things are not as they seem. 

Serve the monster

This picture reminds us of the fact that tennis can be a one-man affair. You don’t need to find a human opponent to compete with before you can enjoy the game. You can play with inanimate objects like the wall or imaginary opponents like monsters under the bed.

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As long as you have a racquet next to you at all times, you shouldn’t have a shortage of opponents. Playing against the wall can make you become a better player since it’s inanimate, and it will return the ball with precision. 

Dogs and balls

Dogs are lovely creatures to have around, especially when they are domestically trained. They are also playful and become attached to their owners when they stay by your side for a long time. If you wish to build a stronger bond with your dog, you need to play with them often. 

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Dogs like to play with rolling objects like balls. You should consider setting up a tennis game with your dog. However, bear in mind that the game will be one-sided as they lack the precision to serve the ball. 

This isn’t Ponzi

Every financial expert believes that you can hardly find an investment that promises a hundred percent return at all times. However, investing in tennis balls defy this rule as you’re guaranteed a hundred percent return on your investment.

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The meaning of this analogy is that when you hit a tennis ball against an opponent, especially if it’s inanimate like a wall, you can always expect the ball to return. In fact, the return speed is 100 percent proportionate to your serve. 

Winning takes more than being skillful

Winning a tennis match comes with abandoning your fears, especially when you have to play in front of a large crowd. The fear becomes more intense when your opponent is a bigger, stronger, and faster player than you would expect. 

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However, winning a tennis match takes more than being skillful. First and foremost, you have to abandon any sense of fear and intimidation. Surviving a herculean task like professional tennis becomes easy when you take out the fear component and believe in your skillset. 

More than a service

Serving the ball is a rudimentary tennis skill that determines the direction of a play. A tennis professional that serves the ball well will have the upper hand against his counterpart that may be less skillful at serving the ball. 

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You have to consider many factors before serving the ball, and you don’t have much time to think about it. On top of the list are the wind intensity and direction. It is also helpful to suspend the ball mid-air before hitting it with the racquet while serving. 

Looking both ways

This phrase isn’t alien to tennis fans as they have to turn their heads to the right and left almost throughout an entire tennis match. Their head and body movements will most likely be in sync with the direction of the ball. 

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When you watch a tennis match in person, especially highly ranked contests, you wouldn’t want to miss any moment of action. As such, it is normal for you to see tennis fans looking right and left at the court as if they want to cross a busy road.  

Being current is advantageous 

Very few satisfactory feelings rival the one that you get when you tell your friends that you’ve seen a meme that they haven’t discovered or are impressed that you found it first. It makes you feel superior and puts them on their toes.

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As a professional tennis player, being up to date with the latest tennis meme is part of the game. You have to read the latest news, forums, and follow pages of star players to get ahead of your opponents off the court. 

The first step in the game

This picture claims that the only thing that you serve but do not eat is a tennis ball. We think that the person that created the meme has never been served in a court of law. Apparently, there is more than one thing that you can serve but can’t eat.

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That aside, serving the ball in the right manner is the first step in the game. If you get it right, your game will tend to move in a profitable direction since serving the ball in a way that is illegal leads to a deduction of points. 

He nailed the pose

Tennis is a game of speed and agility. The best players often outclass their opponents in speed and the ability to return the ball with strength. Another important talent that is needed in tennis is having an enviable reflex when going after the ball.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock/Sofia Zhuravetc and Asatur Yesayants

As the opponent sends the ball across the court, you must be ready to stretch your muscles and nail different poses, including the one you see in the picture above. Being flexible, agile, and fast comes with practice and dedication. 

The beautiful game

Tennis qualifies as a beautiful game in all ramifications. It guarantees fun for both players and fans on and off the court. Besides, it is one of the few sports that leaves you physically unscathed even after hours of playing.

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Tennis also comes with little to no injury risks since you have the opportunity of occupying half of the court alone. The ample space provides the freedom to move around with zero chance of colliding with people. However, you may twist an ankle if you’re not careful!

Imperfections

Humans will always remain infallible no matter the amount of skill or practice they put into something. It’s an inherent nature that gets the better of us once in a while. However, the more practice you put in as a tennis player, the fewer mistakes you make.

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Mistakes come in different forms in tennis. However, most of them lead to a deduction of your points. They could happen in you wrongly serve the ball or a failure to return a hit appropriately. The lesson is to learn from the mistakes and move on.

A wrong comparison

Tennis and ping pong are very similar games, but they are set up completely differently. Roger’s face beautifully depicts our reaction whenever someone tries to put the two games on the same level. They have similar principles, but tennis is a bit more intense than ping pong.

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Tennis is physically demanding due to the larger playing field, ball size, and extended playing time.  On the other hand, Ping pong, which is a recognized Olympic event, can be played on a small table with tiny rackets, which makes it less intense. 

The greatest of all time

The best tennis players are ranked by the ATP based on their performances in tournaments. For a long time, Roger Federer was considered the best in the game. The star player distinguished himself from thousands of other tennis players in the world because of his impressive skills. 

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Recently, Rafael Nadal overtook Roger as the greatest male player of all time. Rafael has stayed on top for several years, and his consistency on and off the court made him achieve his goal of being the best professional tennis player. 

There’s fun in watching

Tennis provides an entertainment opportunity for players and spectators. You can enjoy the game as much as whoever is playing. Since winning a tennis game relies primarily on strategy, it is very common to see many intellectuals among the spectators. 

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A tennis court also isn’t typically as rowdy as other sports fields. This, alongside other cogent reasons, is the factor responsible for the large followership that accompanies the sport. Simply put, watching and playing equally guarantees a great time.

Dating a tennis star

We think that dating a tennis star isn’t the best move since love means nothing to them. We aren’t saying they’re incapable of loving or receiving love, it’s actually a term used in the sport. Love is a term used to refer to a zero on the scoresheet.

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For instance, a player that is at the receiving end of a bagel will see their score described as love. Remember that a bagel is ending a single set with six nil. It’s a humiliating scene for most tennis players. 

Show them the boss

While this tennis star was simply making a hit at her opponent, the cameraman caught her at a funny angle. Her face looks like she’s showing the ball who the boss is. That’s exactly the face you make when you’re enjoying what you do. 

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Playing tennis might seem easy, especially to those watching from the sideline. Only those who play will understand that it requires impeccable timing and speed. You must also be precise and remain focused throughout the game no matter what.

Disappointing moments

Every sport comes with disappointing moments. These moments elicit a wide range of sad reactions from players and fans. Some people go to the extent of crying uncontrollably, while some simply give up on the match before any further damage.

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The best practice is to shrug off the disappointment since we’re human and make mistakes from time to time. Mistakes are bound to happen. The problem starts when the issues become repeated, like someone not holding a single-serve throughout the game. 

Matching outfits 

Tennis players are free to wear whatever they like if they’re not restricted by their sponsors. Sometimes, it is common for two players to unintentionally wear matching outfits. When this happens, the fans don’t have a problem distinguishing who their favorite player is.

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The matching outfits shouldn’t be a problem for the tennis player since each person occupies a different half of the court. However, this player’s facial expression summarizes everyone’s typical reaction when you find out that your opponent is wearing the same outfit as yours. 

Understanding your opponents

Becoming a star player comes with certain duties. The first is a constant challenge. You must constantly challenge yourself with opponents, especially those that are above your level. Playing with people like this will help you improve your game tremendously.

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At first, you will be able to study the opponent, their strengths, and weaknesses. You’ll also learn a lot of tactics and strategies by watching your opponent’s moves closely. With time, you’ll acquire immense value through regular challenges. 

The inevitable

Our infallible nature as humans will always surface once in a while. No matter the amount of skill or practice we put into something, some moves won’t go your way. Sometimes, you might fail to deliver a successful serve even as a professional.

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Other times, you hit the ball too hard till it escapes the opponent’s half. These errors typically cost players invaluable points, but restrategizing can make you perform a significant comeback. The lesson is to accept the inevitable and move past it. 

Perfect timing

Tennis players know that you forfeit a point whenever you hit the stick during active play. As such, they practice for several hours and days just to become more precise during a match. The more precise you become, the better your chances of winning a game.

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Sometimes, making complicated moves when you should keep things simple causes inevitable point deduction. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for trying out rare moves during active play. However, your timing and precision must be impeccable. 

Realistic standards

Having realistic standards is very paramount in tennis. You cannot become Serena Williams or Rafael Nadal in a day. These people have paid their dues and have toiled for years before they got to the level they are at today.

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Some new players display an excess of self-confidence, which could almost be mistaken for arrogance. Arrogance will add nothing to your game except the loss of unreasonable points. Confidence is key, but it shouldn’t be in excess. Always stay humble.

Facing the reality

Practice is very different from the real game. In practice, you’re probably alone or playing with someone. There’s no crowd, cheering, or boos. There’s no media, journalists, and opposing fans. However, the story changes when you’re in the middle of a competitive match.

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At a real game, there’ll be lots of noise, fans, media, journalists, and emotions. The onus is upon you to filter out unnecessary distractions and remain focused on the prize. It might be difficult at first, but it gets better with practice. 

Facial gymnastics

This is not a type of gymnastics, but we’ve coined the term to refer to the wide range of funny faces that tennis players make unintentionally during active play. It is almost unavoidable, like the face in this picture. 

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Undoubtedly, these funny faces are partly due to the intense nature of the game. Tennis requires finesse, stamina, agility, and speed. You have to make decisions in split seconds if you wish to defeat your opponents and come out on top.

Wall training

It is no hidden fact that the wall has played a significant impact on the careers of many tennis stars at different points in their career. You can never beat the wall no matter how skillful you are since it’s inanimate.

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It returns your hit with precision and commensurate speed. Therefore, many tennis stars perform wall practice from time to time as it helps with precision and hitting ability. There’s no excuse for not finding a partner to practice with.

Undivided attention

Many strong and agile women tend to fall in love with tennis since they already have the most important qualities to become successful at the game. This submission is apparent as many successful tennis stars are physically strong and limber. 

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Women’s attire in tennis is also usually skimpy to allow for flow, ease of movement, and reducing stress. While watching, you should pay attention to their cunning moves and serves. Doing this will help your performance in competitive games. 

No room for pausing

You can pause a soccer game if you like but don’t try it in tennis if you do not wish to see funny faces. The strength and speed required to return the ball from your challenger will leave you making all sorts of unintentional funny faces.

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This situation is true for many contact sports like boxing and basketball, but the propensity is higher in tennis. The reason is that every move and play happens within split seconds, and this allows the cameraman to capture these moments. 

A winner’s mentality

Winners always believe that they are successful at every game until the scores come out at the end. Until then, they are not concerned. This mentality will help you remain focused and ruthless as you make your moves on and off the court. 

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Novak has built a place for himself as one of the most successful tennis players of all time. He was the men’s best player until recently, when Rafael Nadal took the spot. This means that he is the winner even before the game starts because of his track record.  

Pay attention

Don’t ever let down your guard while playing tennis. If you do, your challenger might capitalize on your laxity and win the game. However, we are not saying that you must be one hundred percent alert as humans will always remain infallible.

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You must pay attention to the ball and your opponent. You must also be ready to return the ball as soon as it hits your half. Any moment of inattention could cost you some points and might even lead to an injury. 

The tennis world cup

Wimbledon is the oldest and arguably the most prestigious competition in tennis. The competition brings many stars across the world together and is usually the most intense game of the season. Think of it as the world cup of tennis, as every tennis star wishes to have one in the bag.

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The competition, which started modestly, has grown to become the most revered contest in the tennis world. If you’re a true tennis fan, the name Wimbledon shouldn’t be alien to your ears. It’s even been made into a pun, as we see in this meme. 

Not everyone is built for the game

Tennis is fun and gratifying, especially when you’re winning. However, this doesn’t mean that everyone is built to play and enjoy tennis. If you put in your best and you end up on the losing side continually, trying baseball isn’t a bad option.

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You’ll still be hitting balls in baseball if you decide to jump ship, and you’ll probably find more honor and satisfaction at the end of the day. However, being prepared can never be ruled out irrespective of the sport you’re playing.