focusing drills

[LuckyFrame]

Right now my problem is i can't focus hard in big matches...i seem to get nervous and i frequently lose to nerves...i know the best way to get over this is to play more meaningful matches. Other than that, does anyone know any ways to build your mental toughness/focus? my level of play when it doesn't matter is so much higher than in a "big match." (unless i get a huge adrenoline rush and play well)

its weird because im actually really mentally tough in matches im comfortable in..i come back from 15-40 0-30 a lot and stuff. really my problem is inability to handle a meaningful match.

[Bagumbawalla]

OK, imagine this situation- The opponent is serving, it's match point. He hits a really hard serve about 4 inches wide, you call, "out", and effortlesly drive it down the line for what might have been a perfect winner.

Next he serves a much easier second serve, but instead of making a great placement, this time you pop it into the net.

So what you need to do is try to hit every ball with a "free and easy" mind as you did in the first situation.

So, when you practice, also practice that same attitude of just playing the ball as if it were not a life/death situation-- which, by the way, it is not.

[Jessica]

OK, imagine this situation- The opponent is serving, it's match point. He hits a really hard serve about 4 inches wide, you call, "out", and effortlesly drive it down the line for what might have been a perfect winner.

Next he serves a much easier second serve, but instead of making a great placement, this time you pop it into the net.

So what you need to do is try to hit every ball with a "free and easy" mind as you did in the first situation.

So, when you practice, also practice that same attitude of just playing the ball as if it were not a life/death situation-- which, by the way, it is not.

gracias!! 10char

[LuckyFrame]

OK, imagine this situation- The opponent is serving, it's match point. He hits a really hard serve about 4 inches wide, you call, "out", and effortlesly drive it down the line for what might have been a perfect winner.

Next he serves a much easier second serve, but instead of making a great placement, this time you pop it into the net.

So what you need to do is try to hit every ball with a "free and easy" mind as you did in the first situation.

So, when you practice, also practice that same attitude of just playing the ball as if it were not a life/death situation-- which, by the way, it is not.

funny you say that because i noticed i hit a lot of really good returns on serves that are a little out and i just called them out but hit them normally....

haha i know its not life or death but for some reason it doesn't matter what i tell myself, i still care a lot and get tight.

[Grizvok]

funny you say that because i noticed i hit a lot of really good returns on serves that are a little out and i just called them out but hit them normally....

haha i know its not life or death but for some reason it doesn't matter what i tell myself, i still care a lot and get tight.

It's because you are telling yourself "be calm" but you aren't actually calm at all. Just because you try and convince yourself to be calm doesn't make it true. You need to go into the match with that mentality from the get-go because it is a MUCH harder thing to do mid match in my experience.

However, I am really damn good at making third set comebacks a reality. Us tennis players on the whole are very vocal with ourselves both verbally and mentally and trying to force and urge yourself on is one of the biggest mental skills you can learn in my opinion. My last match against this pulmonary doctor from Johns Hopkins was intense. I took the first set 6-1 and just fell asleep during the next 1.5 sets and found myself at a set all down 5-2 with me serving. I stormed back and took the deciding set 7-5.

In tennis, you need an extremely short term memory. Forget what just happened in the last point if you made a mistake and continue trying to play smart tennis for the remainder of the match. People always praise Nadal for his fighting spirit (which he certainly has) but he has also tailor made his game to GIVE HIM A CHANCE at all times. More so than just a fighting spirit, he has a fighting game.

What you need to do is focus on your brand of tennis and at least give yourself a shot. These are the reasons my game in particular has developed into a baseline bashing type of game, because I feel confident that I can engineer comebacks based on superior effort and drive. I'm not saying a net rushing type of game is inferior, but when it comes down to it hitting a passing shot winner is going to be much easier for your opponent than hitting an outright winner when your opponent is behind the baseline giving it his all.

Just my opinion.

[Totoro]

It's tough when a million things go through your mind in a match. Free your mind and play the way you were meant to play and play the ball. Focus on the ball and see the rotation on the ball as it leaves your racquet and to your opponent's racquet. This can help dial you in and keep you focused at the task at hand. Good luck.

[plasma]

it depends on the opponent. I like to pump my fist a bit when I sense the other guy is tanking. It is a subconcious skill, not a concious one, tennis that is, not fist pumping....
Having talent means mixing it up, going to net when you need to create pressure against a better opponent, paying attention to his weaknesses
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