Tennis is a wonderful game and an exciting sport to get involved with. Taking lessons is the best way for beginners to learn the sport, however if you can't playing with someone who is more experienced, can also be very helpful to adopting good habits. It is much easier to learn the basic skills and proper techniques in the beginning, as opposed to trying to correct improper form later one. The best way to work on these techniques is to practice them repeatedly before you ever get into an actual game. This way, the proper moves can become second nature in a low stress environment before entering into the high pressure world of matches.
There are a few skills that you should practice on the court. The first one is dealing with the ball on the first bounce. A lot of people will wait until the second bounce if they don't feel that they can react quickly enough to the first. By hitting the ball on the first bounce you will improve your reaction time both physically and mentally. It is also important to simulate actual tennis match conditions. After all, you are practicing and learning so that you can play the game.
The next thing that is important is your breathing techniques. Many people don't realize that your breath is extremely important to your power and to your stamina. Breathing at the right times and getting into a good breathing schedule will allow your shots to be more powerful and quick and will also keep you in the game longer without succumbing to exhaustion. Begin by breathing out after each shot and take two or three breaths after every point to refresh your body.
Your court position is extremely important to the game of tennis. Lastly, when you make a shot, avoid the net. This may sound silly to say, however by consciously hitting long shots, you will improve your depth perception and improve your game.