What to do when you rally as a 4.5, but play in a match like a 3.5

[BillyBee]

How can I maintain the same relaxed, powerful strokes I churn out while rallying during an actual match when it really counts?

I'm betting this is a common problem. It amazes me how much I'll shorten up my strokes during a match. It's like I'm afraid to let go, and before you know it I'm just playing patty-cake with the damn ball. I'm exaggerating (it's not THAT bad), but I think you know what I mean.

Here's a couple tips I have come up with out of sheer desperation. I have found these to be useful, but I need additional suggestions from you guys:

Here are my tips so far:

1) As the ball approaches, I lie to myself and mentally tell myself I'm just rallying. I literally say those words to myself silently: "You're just rallying." Weirdly enough, it seems to help! Other lies I try and tell myself during a match include: "This isn't a match. I'm just working on my game." Or, "I'm just here having fun."

2) Right before I hit the ball I focus on taking a breath --- specifically exhaling. I think when I'm in a match I want to win so much I get anxious I stop breathing and tighten up.

3) I try to find just ONE thought that will get me through the stroke confidently. Examples: "Brush up." "Finish." "Power through." "Let go." "Whatever." "Screw it." (You get the idea.)

Any other advice for me?

[nViATi]

How can I maintain the same relaxed, powerful strokes I churn out while rallying during an actual match when it really counts?

I'm betting this is a common problem. It amazes me how much I'll shorten up my strokes during a match. It's like I'm afraid to let go, and before you know it I'm just playing patty-cake with the damn ball. I'm exaggerating (it's not THAT bad), but I think you know what I mean.

Here's a couple tips I have come up with out of sheer desperation. I have found these to be useful, but I need additional suggestions from you guys:

Here are my tips so far:

1) As the ball approaches, I lie to myself and mentally tell myself I'm just rallying. I literally say those words to myself silently: "You're just rallying." Weirdly enough, it seems to help! Other lies I try and tell myself during a match include: "This isn't a match. I'm just working on my game." Or, "I'm just here having fun."

2) Right before I hit the ball I focus on taking a breath --- specifically exhaling. I think when I'm in a match I want to win so much I get anxious I stop breathing and tighten up.

3) I try to find just ONE thought that will get me through the stroke confidently. Examples: "Brush up." "Finish." "Power through." "Let go." "Whatever." "Screw it." (You get the idea.)

Any other advice for me?
The only real way to fix this is to simply play more matches to get used to the experience.

[rafael]

It sounds like you are thinking waaaaay too much.

There shouldn't be a difference between the way you play when you practice and playing. Your shots should come naturally. If you are a 4.5 then you probably know your strengths and should be trying to exploit those not worrying about how to hit the ball.

I recommend "practicing" more matches. When I play I think only about what needs to be done (ie I need to hit the ball to my opponents backhand at a sharp angle, which will most likely result in weak return that I can then put away cross court), not how to do it. How to hit those shots should have been discovered in practice.

[cervelo]

You know, pressure is a funny thing ... A few experiences helped me deal with it:

The first: embrace the pressure as an opportunity to showcase your skills! Let's face it, if you're down 1-5 and bust your hump to comeback and take the set, you feel a monumental surge- much better than cruising to victory in some ways. ENJOY THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY PUSH YOURSELF AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT THE TOUGHEST OF CHALLENGES- EMBRACE THE REWARD OR ACCEPT THE DEFEAT BUT ALWAYS WELCOME THE CHANCE TO PERFORM A COME BACK!

Sometimes I might be down 0-40 on serve and I think to myself, "here's an opportunity to fight my way out of this hole and break his spirit." By taking this approach I stay relaxed and think more about my game plan and not the blame game over the score.

The second situation that helped me deal with the pressure occurred while a decent amount of people were standing court side while I played a friendly match against a former D1 player. I felt like I was getting pummeled and playing very reactive tennis, as opposed to aggressive tennis and really feeling fatigue.

I'm sure the score reflected my physical suffering. After we finished, some onlookers approached me thinking that I had really hit some great shots and really enjoyed my tennis.

IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THEY HAD ONLY WATCHED A FEW POINTS HERE AND THERE AND PROBABLY ONLY MANAGED TO CATCH MY BEST POINTS!!! The lesson of the day was: what the heck is there to be stressed over???? I don't even remember the score but I remember the great feeling of being complimented by the onlookers (after being pummeled, of course). Truth is, I have good strokes and love playing the game!!! I was so self-critical and never realized that it didn't even show!!! Had I been less self-conscious and more into the stroke match ups, I could've imposed more of what I needed to do and played a whole lot better.

[BillyBee]

Cervelo, that was a great post. Profound, even. It's amazing how the conversation going on in our heads can differ from what a bystander sees --- and once we get a glimpse of our own "criticism gap" we can step outside ourselves and make an adjustment that can work to our benefit.

[rommil]

This has been a problem of mine too a lot of times...I regress to a pusher sometimes and it is an aweful feeling. What I have been doing lately is play the way I normally do. I play a high risk game and I understand I will make some errors until I feel comfortable...or until I lose the game lol. I have learned to hit through the ball more and execute the strokes wether it goes in or not lol. Thinking too much holds me back. Just go for your strenghts and do what you do best. You will be happy, win or lose.

[cervelo]

BUT ALWAYS EVALUATE WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT IN LIGHT OF YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN RELATION TO YOUR OPPONENT'S.

In responding to another post above, the "putting something on the line to play under pressure" never worked for me. I'm not saying it's not a good teaching tool, because it's often used and bears results. I'm saying, it "flat out" never worked for me!!!!

I would tell myself, "close out the set or plan on running more sprints at tomorrow's workout." Or, "miss another forehand pass down the line and I should expect to drill that shot off the ball machine for an extra hour." I bought into the pressure rather than subverted it. Tension means tightness, tight muscles, tight thinking, tight emotions. Enjoy the game, smile more - see the ball, relax and let it fly!

[Geezer Guy]

What to do when you rally as a 4.5, but play in a match like a 3.5

So, us 3.5's are pretty bad, huh?

[TENNIS_99]

yes, i think this is a commom probelm. when you think that much you already make match play different than a practice rally and they will never be the same.

what i do during a match is to be aggrssive and offensive. I whack every short ball, i always mentally ready to give the first strike and open up the court. and a lot of time i hit even harder during match play because i want to end the point soon. And I found once i implment this with some success i can play safe if i need to.

[cervelo]

Yeah but it depends on the style of player.

Honestly, some (or even many) 3.5's haven't fully established what style of play or shot selection/rally suits them the most.

You can be an offensive counter-puncher, believe it or not. The key to success in counter-punching is maintaining your footwork and focusing on placement within a strategy.

For example, with the opponent I play most, my goal isn't hitting winners, it's forcing errors and/or short balls. I get those by hitting inside out forehands to his forehand (I'm a lefty) and following that up with heavy topspin down the line to his BH.

It's important not to misunderstand YOUR definition of aggressive or offensive play against any one player.

[Kyo.Phan]

Be relaxed and have confidence

[ironchef21]

It can be hard to bring practice play into real matches. As others have said you have to keep on playing matches and get more experience so you feel comfortable when the time comes.

As important as practice is, it's important to score a lot too so you can get used to the situations. I hit regularly with a friend and we try to get at least 1 set in to get used to "match" conditions. That way who wins isn't as important as a "real" match but you can get used to playing like you practice. Don't worry about wins & losses as much as improving your game.

[TENNIS_99]

Yeah but it depends on the style of player.

Honestly, some (or even many) 3.5's haven't fully established what style of play or shot selection/rally suits them the most.

You can be an offensive counter-puncher, believe it or not. The key to success in counter-punching is maintaining your footwork and focusing on placement within a strategy.

For example, with the opponent I play most, my goal isn't hitting winners, it's forcing errors and/or short balls. I get those by hitting inside out forehands to his forehand (I'm a lefty) and following that up with heavy topspin down the line to his BH.

It's important not to misunderstand YOUR definition of aggressive or offensive play against any one player.

yes, fair enough. my use of "aggressive and offensive" might be misleading. What I really want to say is that in a match play the ultimate goal is to find a way to end the point no matter what style of a player you are. And this is the main difference between match and practice.

What the poster's question is he plays like 4.5 in practice but 3.5 in match play. And from my own experience and watching other players seems to tell me that he might try to play too safe. If you want to play like a 4.5 it is not good enough just put the ball in. you need to experience those shots you hit during practice and always think about how to win. Even you are a counter-puncher you still need to move your opponent around and construct a point. 4.5 + players do not make a lot of unforced errors when you just put the ball back.

[scotus]

When you find yourself turning into a pusher, say this line to yourself: "Do not be afraid to win." You've got to let go of the fear of losing and muster up courage to go for your shot when it counts.

[Blue Beluga]

This is very common among those who don't play enough competitive matches. It is all mental. A few things to keep in mind.

1) A golden rule, don't worry about winning or loosing. If you are too concern about this, you will end up playing NOT TO LOOSE, which cause you to play more like a pusher.

2) Don't think too much about the point. Just try to play each shot the best you can and PREPARE for next shot. Remember, to start out with, just try to put together one shot after another and soon you will be able to play the point without messing up your shot. Most people out there are thinking too much about the point when they should be concentrating on each shot.

3) Concentrate on hitting the shot and NOT where you are hitting. After the shot, look at the OPPONENT and NOT the BALL. You can still see the ball with your peripheral vision. By looking at your opponent, it helps you concentrate and prepare for your next shot. Also, looking at your opponent helps you anticipate where he/she will be hitting which give you a lot more time to react and prepare.


REMEMBER, work on a few things at a time and not everything at once. Once you got those down, then move on to the next few things. Before you know it, you will be playing matches to your fullest abilities. Good Luck!

[FiveO]

How can I maintain the same relaxed, powerful strokes I churn out while rallying during an actual match when it really counts?

I'm betting this is a common problem. It amazes me how much I'll shorten up my strokes during a match. It's like I'm afraid to let go, and before you know it I'm just playing patty-cake with the damn ball. I'm exaggerating (it's not THAT bad), but I think you know what I mean.

Here's a couple tips I have come up with out of sheer desperation. I have found these to be useful, but I need additional suggestions from you guys:

Here are my tips so far:

1) As the ball approaches, I lie to myself and mentally tell myself I'm just rallying. I literally say those words to myself silently: "You're just rallying." Weirdly enough, it seems to help! Other lies I try and tell myself during a match include: "This isn't a match. I'm just working on my game." Or, "I'm just here having fun."

2) Right before I hit the ball I focus on taking a breath --- specifically exhaling. I think when I'm in a match I want to win so much I get anxious I stop breathing and tighten up.

3) I try to find just ONE thought that will get me through the stroke confidently. Examples: "Brush up." "Finish." "Power through." "Let go." "Whatever." "Screw it." (You get the idea.)

Any other advice for me?

Play like you practice. More importantly, practice like you play.

The real point is why have another set of mental cues for match play than for you do for practice? The reason is you're perceiving hitting the ball as somehow different on a practice court than you do in match play. Even more so, your probably viewing practice as having very little to do with match play, especially mentally. Same ball, same racquet, same you but somehow it becomes a different game. Totally. Generally it's driven by some sort of distraction, mostly the fear of missing. It's also driven by a lack of necessary focus, or varied focus on the practice court.

This is why I believe in focussed practice, both when drilling and playing practice matches. The only caveat is when working on a new skill or correcting a mechanical issue the thoughts will be focussed in a different area. Once that phase is passed, and the movements are grooved and more automatic, you must get into a match play mode in practice more often even when drilling. The thought that goes through my head during practice is visualizing the shot in my mind's eye while preparing to hit the shot. Where I want the ball to go and how I want it to get there. That visualization of the shot's pace, spin, shape and depth is all one picture, one thought. I literally get lost in that pre-shot visualization. When I miss, the feel and the flight of the ball let me know what I did or didn't do. Done. Let it go. Next ball. Each shot I hit in practice has a purpose, a target where I want it to go and how I want it to get there. Every miss has its adjustment. Even drilling x-courts, dtl's, volleys, overheads, whatever, same pre-shot plan, same focus. Miss the target, even if its in, make the mind's eye adjustment.

Too many players, I feel, 1) have no practice plan and 2) don't have an intent for each shot they hit. Mindless practice. Perhaps even mindless practice matches. In practice matches, between points I visualize how I want the point to go, the outline of the point. In the same way, during the point I then focus on each ball and visualize each shot before I hit it.

In competitive match play I try to do the same thing. Focus on the same thing. When I don't and I drift, I acknowledge I've allowed myself to be distracted. Which happens. I remind myself to go right back to that focus on the ball and shot visualization I practice in my practices.

"The zone" IMO, is not as passive as it's sometimes made out to be. What I feel is that it is the ability to focus w/o outside distraction combined with those days where one's mechanical execution happens to be flawless causing no intrinsic distraction.

All that being said, taking "your game" into competitive match play is a learned behavior. It's called being "match tough" by some. It's about putting all outside distractions aside, misses, game score, worrying about what others will say if I lose or play too close a match v. a particular opponent, everything. Our minds will wander and become distracted. With less match play one's mind will wander more often. So yes, play more competitive matches. In a book on golf co-authored by Jack Nicklaus, he stated he was an advocate of trying to do something with every ball he hit on the practice tee and on the course during stroke play. I agree with that approach. It's about taking your practice game to match play but it starts with bringing your match game, including your mental game, to your practices. Do something with every ball you hit on the match and on the practice court. Visualize it and then do it. Mental acuity, focus and what to focus on need to be practiced as well.

[cervelo]

yes, fair enough. my use of "aggressive and offensive" might be misleading. What I really want to say is that in a match play the ultimate goal is to find a way to end the point no matter what style of a player you are. And this is the main difference between match and practice.

What the poster's question is he plays like 4.5 in practice but 3.5 in match play. And from my own experience and watching other players seems to tell me that he might try to play too safe. If you want to play like a 4.5 it is not good enough just put the ball in. you need to experience those shots you hit during practice and always think about how to win. Even you are a counter-puncher you still need to move your opponent around and construct a point. 4.5 + players do not make a lot of unforced errors when you just put the ball back.

No no. I wasn't trying to be critical of your post- I agree with your comments.

I think that too many club players try and hit winners rather than structure points. I think somehow aggressiveness or offensiveness is equated with winners or power or risky placement.

If you win a point on your opponent's error, or an open court volley after a good approach or after a bazooka FH winner, you still only get one point!!

You can be aggressive by formulating your strengths and imposing them on your opponent, and not by hitting harder or by being impatient.

[gokou703]

i passsed that same type of hump by changing my whole approach to the game. i stopped trying to kill the ball like a typical 4.5+ player and actually slowed all my points down to about 70-75% percent pace. it wasn't until i brought my game and stokes to that slower level during practice and matches that i was able to put points together correctly and actually learn how to hit through the ball with confidence. i basically made a strong base for my game where with enough experience i could hit increase the pace in the 90%'s and lower it to 50-60 % and still feel totally comfortable out there that i was still in control of the points....btw slowing down my strokes helped my muscle memory and helped me learn how to correctly stroke the ball and still retain those strokes learned much better than before

[vin]

Enjoy hitting a good ball! If you can truly learn to appreciate playing quality tennis more so than winning, the fear of missing a shot will interfere with your shot making ability much less because it's pretty much irrelevant.

Just one of the many helpful things I learned from Jeff Greenwald's Fearless Tennis CD.

[RiosTheGenius]

I used to have a similar problem.
I realized that grunting helps me... not loud, but making sounds keeps me focus and keeps me going. a bit of anger is good out there. once you have that going your strokes will be there too.
it might sound strange for some, but i'm sure it's worked for many of you out there.
the main idea with my theory is that you can't be tight if you're all in heat out there, you become lose and you move better. I bust a 'vamos' or a 'dale' once in awhile, I spit, I say stuff ... don't mean it personally to my opponents but it pumps me up.

[Tennis Ball Hitter]

Also you may be misjudging your practice ability. I used to think I had the same problem [practice better than I play]. But I think alot of it comes down to me focusing on the good shots [winning points] and not giving the bad shots [losing points] enough thought. Basically, I think if I were to tally the points won and lost in practice I would lose a hell of a lot more than I win.

and in matches, I focus on the missed chances so it appears I am doing worse than I am but the score line would probably be better than that of the score achieved in practice.

[Tim Tennis]

It looks like we all have the same problem to some extent. I think you have to remember that rallying is a whole different ball game from playing an actual match. When you rally you try to hit user friendly balls and you get to hit a lot of them in a row so it is easy to get in the groove. A lot of times when you are rallying you will just let the ball go if it takes a little extra to get in position to hit it. You just hit another ball and start the rally again. In a match the last thing you want to hit is a user friendly ball, especially on the 4.5 level and up and that is the last thing your opponent wants to do. Your opponent is going to try to hit the ball as far away from you as possible and attack your weakness. Sometimes in a pre match warm up I watch my opponet and say, wow this guy has all the shots, he is going to kill me but when the match starts and I am hitting "non" user friendly balls I realize that this guy just does not have the "footwork" to set up and stroke the ball like he did in the warm ups. So where am I going with all this? I guess my point is you should rally better them you actually play. The goal should be to get your strokes up to the Rally Level, in match play and a lot of times it all boils down to "foot work" and preparation.

[SteveI]

Hi,

Try reading the "Inner Game of Tennis". Some great insights on how to let your "raw talent" win over your "over-thinking side"... or if you have already have read this book.. Telling SELF1 to shut up.. and let SELF2 just hit the ball.

Regards,
Steve