match of my life.

[Liv3 For It]

On Monday, May 18th, my high school team will be competing for the South Jersey Final. It is a state tournament and if we win, we will be the best team in SJ. Then we will continue to go on to play for the entire state or NJ.

Anyways, I am playing doubles with my brother. Our number 1 and number 2 singles are garenteed wins. They will definately not lose. That means that we have three chances to get a win to win SJ. I play first doubles.

However, the rest of the team is the favorite to win. We have played them once before and lost 3-2. The biggest chance for us to win is my doubles.

So basically, If I win, the team wins, and we win SJ. Pressure? nah.....jk.

I think that it will be the biggest match of my life on Monday and I have to win.

What are your thoughts on this?

I know only a little bit of information on the doubles team we are playing. I heard that they like to cram the net and leave an open space on alleys and are prone to lobs. Basically, they want to force you to hit down the alley and pass them.

Any help/tips are appreciated.....I better win:)

[tenniscool]

just stay confident brother!

[Nanshiki]

I think your perspective is extremely limited if you think a high school regional match is the "match of your life."

There is no such thing as a match you have to win. This is not combat; it's a game. Treat it as such.

[acehole]

first i would not assume that any match is a guarantee. i just took one of my doubles teams to our district finals. on the way, they knocked out the first seed. in the finals, they lost to the team who took out the second seed.
second, in your head try to downplay the stage. unless you are tournament tough, especially mentally, telling yourself how important this is may sow the seeds of your downfall.

stay calm, relaxed, and patient. and train with pressure drill on the lead up to matchday. make sure that in addition to playing your game, you are able to disrupt theirs if you need to.

good luck!!

[TennisPassion5]

Where exactly are you from? I'm from Voorhees(Eastern High School)...would you hit some time?

[sonicboi21]

If they got to the finals, then they obviously arent bad. Dont take them so lightly, then, if they start beating you, you'll break down

[TennisPassion5]

You go to Lenape right? But yeah, you guys will 100% beat Cherry Hill East. Nikola is a stud and your number 2 is very good also. You guys should win fairly easily.

[nethawkwenatchee]

I think your perspective is extremely limited if you think a high school regional match is the "match of your life."

There is no such thing as a match you have to win. This is not combat; it's a game. Treat it as such.

This is good advice! It's taken me many years to come to this understanding. Many young players (myself included) play(ed) tennis with the wrong attitude. I used to feel that the world evolved around my winning or losing. This is simply too much pressure and frankly nobody cares as much as you do about you're results (at least not for long) I think you'll find the game more rewarding, as well as fun, if you don't apply this un-needed pressure on you're self to win.

It's important to play you're best and try to find a mental edge with out tricking yourself in to believing that there is something wrong with you for losing. This simply isn't true and it's very frustrating until you learn this lesson! Play hard, enjoy the moment, and be gracious come win or loss! You're tennis memories will always be victorious!

Good Luck!

[wihamilton]

You and your doubles partner need to serve a high percentage. That's sooooo important to playing good doubles.

[drake]

Liv3, I can offer 2 tips to help you win your "life" match.

1. Get your first serve in.

2. Lob a net hugger, specifically lob over the backhands. This way if it's short, you still have an offensive possibility. The overhead backhand smash is the least practiced shot! Try to use this often, IT WILL RATTLE THEM one way or another.

[acehole]

This is good advice! It's taken me many years to come to this understanding. Many young players (myself included) play(ed) tennis with the wrong attitude. I used to feel that the world evolved around my winning or losing. This is simply too much pressure and frankly nobody cares as much as you do about you're results (at least not for long) I think you'll find the game more rewarding, as well as fun, if you don't apply this un-needed pressure on you're self to win.

It's important to play you're best and try to find a mental edge with out tricking yourself in to believing that there is something wrong with you for losing. This simply isn't true and it's very frustrating until you learn this lesson! Play hard, enjoy the moment, and be gracious come win or loss! You're tennis memories will always be victorious!

Good Luck!

yeah, hate to say it but i agree. it really is not important enough to lose a minutes sleep over. and i used to be the same way, beating my self up for losing. i ended up taking years off from competing, and it took a while to realize that i was never going to be a professional tennis player, or make money playing tennis in anyway. so the only thing left is to do it for the enjoyment of it. it is very easy to take something you love and make it something you hate by forcing it, or blowing it way out of proportion. winning that match should be something you do for you.

[tennisfreak15347]

live for it, do you happen to play for St. Augustine? what school do you play for, because I also am in south jersey and play high school tennis.

[TennisPassion5]

live for it, do you happen to play for St. Augustine? what school do you play for, because I also am in south jersey and play high school tennis.

Would you hit sometime? I play for Eastern HS, and I believe he plays for Lenape, because the thing he refers to(I believe) is between Cherry Hill East and Lenape. His description is fitting for their #1 and #2, and East doubles have no brother combos.

[tennisfreak15347]

email sent, tennis passion

[tennisfreak15347]

Would you hit sometime? I play for Eastern HS, and I believe he plays for Lenape, because the thing he refers to(I believe) is between Cherry Hill East and Lenape. His description is fitting for their #1 and #2, and East doubles have no brother combos.

interesting. I thought St. Augustine because they were number 1 in the region (with only 1 loss) and had a brother-combination doubles team.