World's Toughest Sport! (technically)

Technical skill, tactical knowledge, mental control, poise knowing thousands/millions of eyes are on you. This is what it takes to become the best of the best as an athlete. What sport requires all of this? Tennis! No other sport out there is harder to master than this one. I have heard of players picking up a sport in their early teens, maybe even high school and still making it to their respective sport's professional leagues. I have not heard that in tennis. There is not one player in the top 10 or top 100 for that matter that have picked up the sport without playing in their early teens and have made it all the way to the top of the game. The sport is just too difficult. Technical skills of grips, swing types, footwork patterns have to be so exact to keep a ball within a relatively small perimeter that the slightest technical flaw will limit or stop a player's ability to succeed. Other sports, especially team sports, allow players to specialize in their relative positions. Players do not need to master all skills as different positions require a distinctive abilities. In tennis, there is no distinction. A tennis player needs to have a good forehand, backhand, serve, volley, etc etc etc! A weakness can easily be exploited and that is why we don't see players with weak or average games on the tour. Sure there are various styles of game but they all involve the same technical skills; good forehands, backhands, and you know the rest. Flip the script, take an offensive lineman in football and put him as free safety. Would this be productive? Of course not! These two positions require different skills sets. How about a goalie in soccer placed as a forward. Sure, he/she could handle the ball at some extent but could they have the ability to score goals? No, that is why they are a goalkeeper. In the following posts I will discuss the technical and mental side of tennis and why they differ than other sports. I will also keep adding to the argument of the technical side. This topic brings in lots of emotion and discussion which is great. Until later on!