Tentative/Nerves: Help!

[GhostLigre]

I'm an aggressive baseliner and my best shots are my groundstrokes, which are mostly flat. During practice I am so confident about my groundstrokes. I'm very consistent and can grind all day if I'm playing well.

But when I'm in a match, especially with someone I haven't played before, I get so nervous and I tend to lose my consistency, power, and overall confidence in my groundstrokes. My serve and volleys aren't very good so I rely on my groundstrokes to win, but with my nerves getting to me, I start to play tentatively. I hit with more topspin on my fh and bh but I become really tentative with it, so I hit out a lot. My footwork also becomes worse and I rely on my footwork to win too. I think I am playing too cautious. I feel like I am playing too safe so I try to hit with a lot of spin to keep the balls in, but I'm not comfortable at that.

I need help on figuring out how I can play through my nerves, without being so tentative because I know I can beat the players that I lose to, but it's my nerves that always let me down. An advice my friend gave me is to forget about playing too safe and just play like you would in practice and "JUST GO FOR MY SHOTS". I don't know if this tactic would work, but I need more advice.

[lethalfang]

Well, just go for your shots.
Don't worry about winning the match. Don't even worry about winning the point. Just go hit your shots, and the winning part will take care of itself.

[DADYO]

My advice:

1) Try to tone it down a bit in practice, as if you were in a match
2) Play tons of tournament matches until they just become a natural process

Good luck! ;)

[GhostLigre]

Yeah, my coach says I should start playing more tournaments. I don't usually play that many tournaments, so yeah that's a good idea.

I'm also afraid that if I just go for my shots in a match, I'll make too many errors. But then again if I don't, I'll make errors anyway, so I guess I'll just try going for my shots.

[MrCLEAN]

Also, try to introduce some pressure into your practices, like certain drills that emphasize placement, or consistency. If you just mindlessly bang balls in practice, that won't do you any good in play because when you're playing a match, you have to think about things like placement and consistency. Try to add some element of stress to your practices so that you get comfortable operatining in that environment.

And like you said, if you're gonna miss hitting tentatively, you may as well miss hitting big. Sometimes I just have to hit myself out of my nerves, sure you make a few errors, but when you connect on a few, you start feeling it, and it usually fixes things.

[cghipp]

Remind yourself to move your feet. A lot of the time when I am nervous, my legs kind of turn to stone. Concentrate on getting those feet moving and a LOT of things will fall into place.

[fuzz nation]

Remind yourself to move your feet. A lot of the time when I am nervous, my legs kind of turn to stone. Concentrate on getting those feet moving and a LOT of things will fall into place.

Definately!!! Move your feet quickly so you can swing smoothly with confidence. Playing more matches will make you more familiar with that setting, but you can even bring a short list of priorities to re-read on changeovers. It can help to keep you settled and focused.

I also like to slip a couple of tiebreakers into the middle of a hitting session to make that gear change in my head. Playing and practicing can relate to each other a little better.

If you go out to one or two matches with a different mindset, you may have a breakthrough. Resign to losing before you go out there. Make your need to hit your shots the sole priority you take with you; everything else is irrelevant, especially the score. Too many people can ask, "How'd you do?" with the inference of asking if you won or lost a match, but you need to be able to come away knowing that you hit out the way you needed to. I've coached HS kids and using this method turned the seasons of two of my singles players completely around. They went from clinging to a desparately cautious playing style to just flying around and using their best stuff. In each case, they also quickly notched their first wins of their seasons, but their nerves were gone and they played happy. So can you. Get your head out of the way, crave your best hits, and go have a blast.

[The Gorilla]

When playing in a tournament start slow and work your way up to your best game.Lendl had similar problems and hugely improved his game by doing this.

[urbanxy]

I have the same problem. If I'm practicing, my groundstrokes are fluid and effortless, everything flows smoothly. Once a match starts, the wheels come off the wagon. What has helped me has been realizing that the during a match the score, my opponent, the weather, etc. are irrelevant. You should try to focus your mind only on striking the ball cleanly. Try to read the label on the ball as you swing. The more I focus on striking the ball well, as well as constantly moving the feet, the more fluid the game becomes. The ball tends to go exactly where it's supposed to go. :-)

[LuckyR]

This age old question gets at the heart of tennis matchplay. That's why a lot of folks describe tennis as a 90% mental game and only 10% strokes. There are many tricks and tips to try to duplicate practice results during matches.

Myself, I play best when I am concentrating on where to hit the ball and not how to hit the ball. Once someone starts micromanaging stroke mechanics, you are by definition, not in the Zone.

[4brotherdrive]

Play how you play in practice, forget the score, your life doesn't depend on winning :).

[doggieboy]

I'm an aggressive baseliner and my best shots are my groundstrokes, which are mostly flat. During practice I am so confident about my groundstrokes. I'm very consistent and can grind all day if I'm playing well.

I used to get so nervous I was afraid that I would throw up. I pretty much like all of the advice the others have provided. In addition, this is what works for me before the match. My little ritual:
I get everything that I'm going to take together the day before.
My iPOD had a "tennis" playlist. The songs are all very sad or melancoly. I listen to this music at least 1/2 hour before the match (it brings me down)
I wear a baseball hat that has the brim very curved and pulled low over my forehead (this cuts down on my side vision - I want to focus straight ahead).
I chew gum (Trident if you care and I'm sure you don't) - I do Brad Gilbert's warmup exercises (get his book if you don't have it) - during the warmup I make sure that I breath in my nose and out my mouth - move my feet (lots of little steps) - watch the ball - make sure I hit deep - hum a song - look for strengths and weakness in my opponent. I also try to get a bit angry with my opponent (I'm not proud of that - but it helps me)

Hope this helps in some small way, as people are going to think that I'm a head case.

[randomname]

I have the exact same problem as you and I have to say that the only thing that never fails for me is to find something to get angry about (at my opponent, not myself, thats just a sure way to self destruct) because once I do I stop thinking about what im doing and just focus on how badly I want to beat them

[MrCLEAN]

What has helped me has been realizing that the during a match the score, my opponent, the weather, etc. are irrelevant.

Not only irrelevant, but out of your control. Focus on the things you can control (namely you), and don't worry about anything else.

And you guys who get mad at the opponent for no reason....you guys are headcases! lol

Forget about making up some fantasy about why you're mad at the guy, and get mentally tough. Focus on playing to the best of your ability, and nothing else. No amount of "wanting it" makes you play better. If getting mad at the guy helps you focus for some reason, it is the focus, not your false anger that is helping your game. I'd recommend finding a more healthy way of getting focused, you'll probably have more fun in the process.

[thejackal]

im not sure if this could work for you, but try playing at 60% of your max ability in practice a few times. that'll help u loosen up and put less pressure on you to hit winners in matches.

[Solat]

practice more matchplay exercises

play "pressure points" so start games at break point down or play games from 30 - 30

or start the match at 1-4 down so you have to work hard under pressure

[GhostLigre]

Also, try to introduce some pressure into your practices, like certain drills that emphasize placement, or consistency. If you just mindlessly bang balls in practice, that won't do you any good in play because when you're playing a match, you have to think about things like placement and consistency. Try to add some element of stress to your practices so that you get comfortable operatining in that environment.

I practice with the same people everyday so even though we play some tiebreaks and competitive stuff that involves consistency and placement, I don't feel even half as nervous as I am in a match against someone else like from another school.

Myself, I play best when I am concentrating on where to hit the ball and not how to hit the ball.

I think I play better when I do that too. I was playing a match against this college guy and I wasn't playing my best so I was experimenting with my mind. I said to myelf just to think about where I wanna hit and I was a lot more consistent. When I think about HOW to hit a ball, that's when I usually miss.

[MrCLEAN]

I practice with the same people everyday so even though we play some tiebreaks and competitive stuff that involves consistency and placement, I don't feel even half as nervous as I am in a match against someone else like from another school.



I think I play better when I do that too. I was playing a match against this college guy and I wasn't playing my best so I was experimenting with my mind. I said to myelf just to think about where I wanna hit and I was a lot more consistent. When I think about HOW to hit a ball, that's when I usually miss.

Then start your tiebreaks down 0-4! lol. Seriously though, you need to find SOME way to simulate the pressure of a match, since that seems to be your problem mostly, dealing w/ the pressure, not hitting the ball per se. And you're right, if you start thinking about HOW to hit during a match, it's all over.

[The Gorilla]

Then start your tiebreaks down 0-4! lol. Seriously though, you need to find SOME way to simulate the pressure of a match, since that seems to be your problem mostly, dealing w/ the pressure, not hitting the ball per se. And you're right, if you start thinking about HOW to hit during a match, it's all over.

maybe you should figure out exactly how you hit the ball in training then you will be able to fall back on good technique when the pressure gets to you and you're no longer hitting the ball automatically.

[MrCLEAN]

:confused: I'm guessing that was intended for the OP.

What is pressure really? Or nerves? It's usually caused by outcome related desires. You want to win a match, you want to win a tournament, ect. Those things you just can't worry about when you're playing. You just can't! All your focus needs to be on executing. If you hit the best shot you can hit and the guy hits a sportscenter winner, nothing you could have done. If you hit the same shot and he hits a netcord winner, nothing you could have done. If you hit the same shot and it goes for a winner, again, you executed to the best of your ability. Assuming those were three consecutive points, you're down 15-30, and you've played your best. At this rate, you MIGHT lose. Let it go, you're doing the best you can do, and that's all you can control. You can't control your opponents letcord winners, you can't control their fantasy shots. So QUIT WORRYING about them! :p You can affect the outcome of the match, but you can't control it. Try to not focus on results, and instead just focus on the process, one ball at a time. That way, the pressure of winning or losing is removed. Just try to play your best, and if it's good enough that particular day, you will win. It really is that simple.

[Ronnie92]

My friend experimented with Marijuana (although I begged him not to... that idiot) to help his nerves before football and tennis matches. He said it really workd!!!

[GhostLigre]

My friend experimented with Marijuana (although I begged him not to... that idiot) to help his nerves before football and tennis matches. He said it really workd!!!

Haha, no thank you. I want to play clean.

I'm guessing that was intended for the OP.

What is pressure really? Or nerves? It's usually caused by outcome related desires. You want to win a match, you want to win a tournament, ect. Those things you just can't worry about when you're playing. You just can't! All your focus needs to be on executing. If you hit the best shot you can hit and the guy hits a sportscenter winner, nothing you could have done. If you hit the same shot and he hits a netcord winner, nothing you could have done. If you hit the same shot and it goes for a winner, again, you executed to the best of your ability. Assuming those were three consecutive points, you're down 15-30, and you've played your best. At this rate, you MIGHT lose. Let it go, you're doing the best you can do, and that's all you can control. You can't control your opponents letcord winners, you can't control their fantasy shots. So QUIT WORRYING about them! You can affect the outcome of the match, but you can't control it. Try to not focus on results, and instead just focus on the process, one ball at a time. That way, the pressure of winning or losing is removed. Just try to play your best, and if it's good enough that particular day, you will win. It really is that simple.

Yeah, it really is all mental for me. I try to go for too much sometimes. I need to be more patient, work up some long rallies, which I adore. This way I can get my rhythm going. Then when I loosen into the match, I'll start to play my game a little bit more, which is backcourt rallies until I find a short ball and kill it.

Like you said, I need to stop worrying about the score and winning and focus on each point. I have another match in 3 days and I'll try out this mental process and I'll reply on how the match goes.

[skiracer55]

- Watch the ball, hit it hard, and don't think.

- Get into some other kind of really risky sport. I'm a Masters alpine ski racer in the winter. If I lose the bubble at 70 m. p. h. in a downhill, I not only don't win, I might get a trip to McDonald's. After that experience, I go into a tennis matching knowing I have absolutely nothing to lose...

- Get into another summer sport where you have to make a major physical effort and there's nobody else around. For me, that's road biking. Sometimes I ride with other people, but a lot of the time I just go out for a hard 40 miles or so with some hills and sprints thrown in. After something like that, you know you can trust your body to do the right thing, and your mind shuts down to just focusing on the physical effort.

- Be yourself. Be the same person in a match that you are in practice. Ron LeMaster, author of The Skier's Edge, does a yearly presentation at the Boulder Center for Sports Medecine. In this year's pitch, he talked about how Anja Paerson's line, technique, and tactics are beaucoup aggro because that's the way she is. Works for me...I'm aggressive, too, so I just let that come out in ski racing or tennis. Any time I back off, I'm the other person's patsy...

[ShooterMcMarco]

You just need to reframe yourself, your mind. Just realize that if you hit a ball out, nothing bad happens to you. When you lose a match, nothing happens. You are your own reality...the meaning of a tennis game (or any event in life really) is all in your head, treat a match like a video game not a fight or flight situation. If you mess up, press start and do it all over again.

[Bagumbawalla]

This is about the 4th most commonly asked question.

Some of the more common answers are:

Practice until you are confident in your strokes.
Warn up well, before you play.
Play in as many tournaments as you can- so you get used to them.
Don't always practice with the same people- play with a variety pf players with different styles.
Realize everyone feels just the same as you.
Concentrate on the basics- watching the ball, stroking cleanly, etc.
Don't change you game from the way you practice- hit out- do not be tentative.
Don't put extra pressure on yourself, don't buy new shoes the day before or have your racket strung differently- keep everything as much as possible the same.

[Kaptain Karl]

When I get this question I usually look to HOW the player practices. (A few posters have suggested something similar....)

The saying "Practice makes perfect" is ... wrong. Most Instructors and Coaches will tell you it ought to be "Perfect practice makes perfect."

Do a search on the phrases ...
"perfect practice"
"game based drills"
"game-based drills" (I can never remember if we've used the hyphen or not.)
... anyway, you'll see a few threads with lots of suggestions for Drills which help you practice in ways that enhance the pressure of practice. By the time you get into your matches, you'll think your matches won't be so challenging / nerve-wracking afterall.

- KK

[Osteo UK]

I need help on figuring out how I can play through my nerves, without being so tentative because I know I can beat the players that I lose to, but it's my nerves that always let me down.

Here's something to think about.

Often I've noticed that when players get nervous, it tends to highlight their weaknesses. Sometimes it's a particular stroke, but if it's virtually everything, there are two things I would suggest that you ask yourself:

1. Is this highlighting that your "widespread weakness" is that you're not actually aiming anywhere specifically when you hit? That is, are you just 'hitting and hoping' a little more than you realise, rather than aiming?

2. Are you concentrating too much on your opponent rather than the ball when it comes back?

Give these both some thought, worst case scenario is that you have ruled these two options out!

[Redflea]

Here are some....

Here's a good one from TommyGun:

One of my favorite combo drills is to have one player hit to a certain spot on the court for all balls hit to him. The other player can hit anywhere on the court but is not allowed to hit winners. He is only allowed to hit at slightly less then rally pace so the player covering the whole court can feasibly get to every ball and hit it back with good form. This drill promotes several things:

1. Placement
2. Consistency
3. Conditioning
4. Technique

Once the player covering the whole court is tired, the players switch turns until they have hit to both corners alternating who covers the court.

And here are some good ways to practice pressure from Mahboob Khan:

Another example of 'training the pressure' as KK suggested is:

-- If you hit an ace, you win the game,
-- If you commit a double fault, you lose the game,
-- If you commit return of serve error, you lose the game,
-- If you win the point with a volley and/or smash, you win the game.

Obviously, the rules are the same for all the players, sets finish very quickly, and you can play as many sets as possible.

Yes, you must train the pressure in a match-like practice.

Also:

Here are some more Mahboob Khan tips:

-- With a partner, keep the rally long, let's say 100-300 strokes without missing. (Your ability to hit winner on a suitable ball depends on your ability to control the ball for a long period of time.) If you miss, start over again.

-- Start a rally with a partner. After six strokes, play out the point. From cooperation to competition; from technique to tactics!

-- Start a rally with a partner. But now you must finish (win) the point within six strokes! No 7th stroke.

From this thread: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=81111&highlight=game-based+drills

One that I use when hitting with opponents who I generally beat...when playing a set, there is a one-point penalty per-break, against the player who is up a break.

So if I'm up 3-0 with two breaks, I start my service game at Love-30 in the fourth game. After that game, if I win an am still up two breaks, my opponent starts the fifth game serving at 30-Love. It can keep the sets close and puts more pressure on me in those practice stituations. The more you get ahead, the more pressure you have on you in each game. Doesn't work so well if you're playing someone better than you, obviously, since you're always getting a leg up when you're down.

I like various versions of trying to hit as many shots in a row as possible (decent shots, not just pushing it back and forth). If you're into that type of exercise/goal motivation ("How many can we get?!") the pressure builds as you get up over 50 and when you hit 100 it feels like your heart is going to burst... :) Great for simulating game pressure. You can add a fun twist on that one by starting to increase the danger of missing a shot (say once you hit 50) by moving each other side to side and bringing each other into the net and lobbing each other back.

[Kaptain Karl]

I like various versions of trying to hit as many shots in a row as possible (decent shots, not just pushing it back and forth). If you're into that type of exercise/goal motivation ("How many can we get?!") the pressure builds as you get up over 50 and when you hit 100 it feels like your heart is going to burst...I remember doing this in College ... in Alley Drills. (All shots had to be in the alley.) We'd play to 100, and once we got past about 50, we'd really *hammer* the balls at each other.

(This is one drill I've not approached 100 with these newer frames. This drill makes me believe that indeed, today's frames are more powerful ... than my Fort was.)

- KK

[Redflea]

There are SO many things I could do in college that I can't do now. I hope it's the fault of the frame and not me, but I wonder... ;)

I miss my old Fort...in addition to how it played, it was a beautiful looking racquet.

[lcw]

I'm an aggressive baseliner and my best shots are my groundstrokes, which are mostly flat. During practice I am so confident about my groundstrokes. I'm very consistent and can grind all day if I'm playing well.

But when I'm in a match, especially with someone I haven't played before, I get so nervous and I tend to lose my consistency, power, and overall confidence in my groundstrokes. My serve and volleys aren't very good so I rely on my groundstrokes to win, but with my nerves getting to me, I start to play tentatively. I hit with more topspin on my fh and bh but I become really tentative with it, so I hit out a lot. My footwork also becomes worse and I rely on my footwork to win too. I think I am playing too cautious. I feel like I am playing too safe so I try to hit with a lot of spin to keep the balls in, but I'm not comfortable at that.

I need help on figuring out how I can play through my nerves, without being so tentative because I know I can beat the players that I lose to, but it's my nerves that always let me down. An advice my friend gave me is to forget about playing too safe and just play like you would in practice and "JUST GO FOR MY SHOTS". I don't know if this tactic would work, but I need more advice.

Try this approach for few months till you get used to playing matches:
Before your play a match hit on the wall, ball machine or with a hitting partner for one hour or so. If that’s not an option go jogging for few miles or get on an exercise machine. Do anything to get you a bit tired and calm your nerves. Also try to play against better players that will challenge your shots, keep the ball in play and don‘t give you time to think.

[Nick Irons]

It's about experience, maturity and being match tough.

Nerves (Or better put, the lack of controlling them) are from inexperience mostly

[drhopz]

I used to get so nervous I was afraid that I would throw up. I pretty much like all of the advice the others have provided. In addition, this is what works for me before the match. My little ritual:
I get everything that I'm going to take together the day before.
My iPOD had a "tennis" playlist. The songs are all very sad or melancoly. I listen to this music at least 1/2 hour before the match (it brings me down)
I wear a baseball hat that has the brim very curved and pulled low over my forehead (this cuts down on my side vision - I want to focus straight ahead).
I chew gum (Trident if you care and I'm sure you don't) - I do Brad Gilbert's warmup exercises (get his book if you don't have it) - during the warmup I make sure that I breath in my nose and out my mouth - move my feet (lots of little steps) - watch the ball - make sure I hit deep - hum a song - look for strengths and weakness in my opponent. I also try to get a bit angry with my opponent (I'm not proud of that - but it helps me)

Hope this helps in some small way, as people are going to think that I'm a head case.

Good suggestion. I'll try the ipod routine.