How Mark Knopfler Got Around Practicing Guitar Using A Tennis Racket

Who would have thought that a tennis racket could be the launchpad to guitar greatness? Mark Knopfler, the iconic songwriter and guitarist of Dire Straits, recently shared a surprising anecdote about his early musical endeavors.

During a candid conversation on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Knopfler revealed that his unique guitar style was, in part, shaped by his childhood pastime of strumming tennis rackets with his sister.

“Well, it’s because of my big sister Ruth, and I think big sisters are very important in this world,” Knopfler fondly recalled. It seems that Ruth played a pivotal role in molding her brother’s musical journey, even before he picked up a real guitar. But how did this unconventional practice translate into the mesmerizing guitar work that defined Dire Straits’ sound?

A Tennis Racket and a Sister’s Guidance

Knopfler’s musical journey began in an unexpected way. He confessed to using cheap tennis rackets as makeshift guitars during his childhood: “We had these dodgy little tennis rackets that you could get for not very much money, we used to use the tennis racket as a guitar.”

It was a far cry from the sophisticated instruments he would later master. The Dire Straits frontman credits his sister for a crucial turning point in his early musical exploration. “I was playing it, I was pretending it was a guitar, and she turned it round so that I was holding it right-handed, and she said that’s the way you play it,” he recalled.

This simple act of guidance not only corrected his posture but also set the foundation for his future as a right-handed guitarist. From these humble beginnings with a tennis racket, Knopfler’s talent blossomed into a legendary career.

A Pandemic-Induced Change in Playing Style

Knopfler has candidly admitted that his guitar playing has suffered somewhat since the COVID-19 pandemic. In an April interview with Guitarist magazine, he confessed, “Well, I’ve certainly been writing more songs and I don’t know whether that was [specifically] to do with the pandemic or not, or because I just had more time. But it certainly hasn’t helped my playing any.”

It seems that the pandemic-induced lockdowns and restrictions had a noticeable impact on Knopfler’s musical practice. “The musician part [of me] is much reduced, I think, but the writer part is as strong as ever,” he explained.

While his songwriting abilities remained unaffected, the lack of consistent playing time took a toll on his guitar skills. He even admitted that he had “deteriorated a little bit”.

“It’s Not That I’ve Forgotten How to Play it – I’m Just Rusty”

Mark Knopfler acknowledged a decline in his guitar playing skills, attributing it to a lack of practice. “But that’s just something that seems to have happened recently, and I should really take steps to spend more time behind the instrument, to just get playing. It’s not that I’ve forgotten how to play it – I’m just rusty,” he confessed.

Despite releasing his latest solo album, ‘One Deep River’ in April 2024, Knopfler has no immediate plans for a tour. The demanding nature of touring has led him to prioritize other aspects of his musical career. His last major performance was at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 2019.

While fans eagerly await the opportunity to see Knopfler perform live again, it’s clear that he is currently focused on honing his craft and exploring new creative avenues.