New Years Resolutions for Tennis

dizzlmcwizzl

Hall of Fame
Post your New Years Tennis resolutions for 2013 here. You should tacitly relate it to adult league and tournament tennis so I do not get the snarky, "it does not belong here" reply.

As a newly minted 4.5 I want to:

1) Drop another 20 pound this year so I can play some 40+ singles
2) Play at least 15 league matches between the three teams I am invited to play on.
3) Look like I at least belong on the court with legitimate 4.5's in every match this season.
4) Play in 2 tournies at the 4.5 + level
 

VeeSe

Rookie
As a new 4.0, I would like to:

1) Make my forehand more of a weapon
2) Get more comfortable serve-volleying
3) Develop the slice as a regular shot in my arsenal
4) Get a stronger second serve
5) Win 80% at the 4.0 level
6) Win ~30% at the 4.5 level

Good luck on your goals, everyone!
 

OHBH

Semi-Pro
1. Make big improvements in my net game so I can serve and volley more often.
2. Improve speed and explosive power in my legs, ideally I would like to be able to dunk a basketball, right now I can just barely touch the rim.
3. Join multiple leagues
 

darrinbaker00

Professional
As a long-time 4.0, I would like to:

1. Drop 20-25 pounds and improve my footwork.
2. Drop 20-25 pounds and improve my footwork.
3. Drop 20-25 pounds and improve my footwork.

If I do those three things, in that order, everything else (winning more matches, moving up a level) should fall into place. ;)
 
E

Ess

Guest
I would like to see Federer play live in an ATP event. Before he retires or I have a kid and cannot afford it financially.
 

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
Put more bite into my slice.

Continue developing touch shots by attempting one drop shot or drop volley per match.

Improve fitness, 'cause I have become quite slow, even for doubles.

Improve flexibility by stretching every night.
 

dizzlmcwizzl

Hall of Fame
Improve flexibility by stretching every night.

At work we have a group of guys that meet every morning and workout. We all do different stuff and have had varying levels of motivation at times.

In early fall we all agreed that we would do the INSANITY program together. So every morning we would meet and work out together. This has been awesome for motivation. We enjoyed it so much that we went to the wall-market and bought some YOGA and Gillian Michaels DVDs. Now that INSANITY is done we have been doing these ridiculous fitness videos together. We look a little silly sometimes but we are all enjoying the the group stretches the most.
 

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
Ah, the group workout. I've been doing a morning group workout for 13 years now. My motivation wanes at times (like now, when it is cold and dark out), but few things work better long term than group workout situations, IME.
 

v-verb

Hall of Fame
Good resolutions gang!

For me:

* continue to build my strength
* drop 6 more lbs to hit my 155 lb target (I'm 5'7")
* hone my strokes to be as efficient as possible
* improve my topspin fh and bh
* learn to play doubles better - court positioning etc
* crack 100 mph on my first serve consistently (fat chance I know but it's a goal)
 

OrangePower

Legend
As a long-time 4.0, I would like to:

1. Drop 20-25 pounds and improve my footwork.
2. Drop 20-25 pounds and improve my footwork.
3. Drop 20-25 pounds and improve my footwork.

If I do those three things, in that order, everything else (winning more matches, moving up a level) should fall into place. ;)

Amen to that. Middle of the road 4.5 here. It all starts and ends with footwork, especially for singles.
 

Larrysümmers

Hall of Fame
i dont really know. now that i dont have a normal routine, ie doing something from 8-4 daily, i kinda lost my motivation to play. when tennis was something to look forward to after a long day, or on a free day, it is so much more fun
 

cknobman

Legend
  1. Stay mentally focused for the entire match
  2. Improve my net game
  3. Incorporate more serve and volley into my game (largely dependent on how well I can improve my net game)
 

Angle Queen

Professional
For 2013, I resolve to:
  1. Play less "organized"/USTA tennis and focus on self-arranged play. I'm, momentarily, tired of the fees, politics and pressure. I will not play in the new 40+ division and will not captain the Combo ladies team I've done for the past 2 years (unless they significantly change the logistics).
  2. Refocus on doubles play (after spending the past ~18 mos working on my singles game. Not gonna give up entirely on the Singles Adventure but I realize I much more enjoy doubles from both the social and skills perspective. I want to, once again, make myself the person people call when they need a "4th".
  3. Somehow (not quite sure how)...get my longtime dubs partner up to 4.0 with me. Sure she can (and will) play "up" with me, but there are a few local things we now cannot do together. Besides, she is deserving. She is my "setup man," and her health issues aside from the past 2 years, I'm sure she'd already be a 4.0 with me. She just needs one solid season to push her over the edge.
  4. Now, from the skillset/toolbox set, I need a serve "out wide." Mostly for that diminishing singles game but a nice variety to have in doubles (if properly scripted with my partner)
  5. Be even more aggressive on the poach.
  6. Make my OH feared...so much so, that they won't lob (not that they do it much at 4.0 anyway).
  7. Finally, find the FUN again in the game. Worry less about the score and concentrate on what's fun (and what's working that day). Carry a 10-spot in my bag to go out for drinks/apps afterwards and make sure childcare can cover that "extra" time.

2013 will be a transition year for me personally. My youngest child will begin Kindergarten in the Fall and that will begin a full week of daytime playing opportunities that I've never had before.

I am thankful the area I live in has plenty of terrific women to play with during the weekday.
I am thankful, at my age, to be able to play, at all.
I am thankful to be....alive!
 

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
For 2013, I resolve to:
  1. Make my OH feared...so much so, that they won't lob (not that they do it much at 4.0 anyway).

If anything, my first year at 4.0 has taught me the overhead is absolutely crucial because 4.0s lob way more than I expected. They probably lob a bit less often than 3.5s, but they lob much, much better. And because they lob when you are two up, it is a winner unless someone takes it out of the air.

In our clinics, we have been working on OHs like never before. Now that we all know how to get to net, we are being lobbed to death in matches. We lack the power to crush an OH hard enough to put a crater in the court, so we have been focusing on using the OH to open the court (aiming for one of the alleys) and then finishing up the middle.

YMMV, of course.
 

Maui19

Hall of Fame
1. Make my volley technique less horrific.

2. Greatly reduce the wear and tear on my racquet frames by accomplishing goal #1.

3. Focus on playing more with players who like to hit the snot out of the ball.

4. Be more appreciative of the dudes/dudettes who captain the teams I play on.
 

Angle Queen

Professional
If anything, my first year at 4.0 has taught me the overhead is absolutely crucial because 4.0s lob way more than I expected. They probably lob a bit less often than 3.5s, but they lob much, much better. And because they lob when you are two up, it is a winner unless someone takes it out of the air.

In our clinics, we have been working on OHs like never before. Now that we all know how to get to net, we are being lobbed to death in matches. We lack the power to crush an OH hard enough to put a crater in the court, so we have been focusing on using the OH to open the court (aiming for one of the alleys) and then finishing up the middle.

YMMV, of course.

4.0 lobs are indeed better than at 3.5...just like just about every element. I'm way too tiny to ever have a crushing overhead (or anything else for that matter) so I''ve always worked on placement -- mostly angling them off or (shhhhhh) at my opponent's feet (I feel really bad when my placement on that one is off). Luckily, the better opponents usually don't take offense...just realize their own lob wasn't that good :p

Still, I find a lot fewer lob attempts the higher the ladder I climb.
 

Topaz

Legend
[*]Now, from the skillset/toolbox set, I need a serve "out wide." Mostly for that diminishing singles game but a nice variety to have in doubles (if properly scripted with my partner)

[/LIST]

2013 will be a transition year for me personally. My youngest child will begin Kindergarten in the Fall and that will begin a full week of daytime playing opportunities that I've never had before.

I am thankful the area I live in has plenty of terrific women to play with during the weekday.
I am thankful, at my age, to be able to play, at all.
I am thankful to be....alive!

I second the serve out wide! For me, it is doubles, especially mixed, that has gotten me in the 'serve down the T' rut on both sides.

And AMEN to the last paragraph! ;)

And yay for more time to play during the week!
 

AR15

Professional
My new years resolution (regarding tennis) is to get to know the people I play tennis with better. Make more friends. To be seen more on the courts as an example of a good Christian, and less as the self absorbed tennis junkie some may have seen me as.
 

beernutz

Hall of Fame
4. I want to better control my temper on the court, especially with regards to partners who are making mistakes, but also not get angry at myself for UEs.
3. I want to improve my backhand to the point where it is actually an offensive weapon I can count on.
2. I want to get bumped a level and play better in the post-season.
1. I want to play LeeD.
 

Surecatch

Semi-Pro
1. Drop twenty pounds and improve fitness.
2. With added fitness, give up on fewer points
3. Continue rapid improvement in all areas.
4. Make my serve a consistently effective weapon instead of an occasionally effective weapon.
5. Start winning more and continue to progress to possible upgrade to 4.0.
6. Above all and in the mostly general way, taking into account all facets of the game...be a better player at the end of the year than I am at the beginning of the year.
 

Ipster

New User
I have one tennis goal for this year.

I started playing tennis September 2009 and my goal is to move from 3.0 to 3.5 at the end of this year. I'm going to play singles exclusively this year and I'm focused on being the best singles player I can be.
 

heninfan99

Talk Tennis Guru
1. Survive holidays (almost there)
2. Improve cardio
3. Continue to play with joy
4. Reverse slice serve would be fun
 

J_R_B

Hall of Fame
As a long-time 4.0, I would like to:

1. Drop 20-25 pounds and improve my footwork.
2. Drop 20-25 pounds and improve my footwork.
3. Drop 20-25 pounds and improve my footwork.

If I do those three things, in that order, everything else (winning more matches, moving up a level) should fall into place. ;)

This. And suck less.
 

Avles

Hall of Fame
Strengthen my legs and improve my footwork.

So far my leg-strengthening program has consisted of doing a ton of holiday eating. I figure my legs will get stronger from carrying all that extra weight around, then I'll lose the weight and my strong legs will be good to go!
 

tennismonkey

Semi-Pro
1 - lose 10 pounds and keep it off.
2 - hit more first serves in play.
3 - stop lolly gagging to the net.
4 - remember to sit down during changeovers and have a quick drink.
 

Rorsach

Hall of Fame
Start playing again this year. I haven''t been able to play well for about a year and haven''t played at all for about 6 months due to health problems.
Hopefully these are all behind me and i can start enjoying tennis again.
 

Fuji

Legend
I plan to be competitive at 5.0 by the end of the year, and lose about 20lbs.

(How sad is that? Since school started I'm 18lbs over where I was this summer... :( )

-Fuji
 

Turbo-87

G.O.A.T.
1. Spend time with the ball machine working on lessening my shanked volleys. Those make me entirely too mad.
2. Increase first serve %
3. be more aggressive with poaching, but see #1
 

JRstriker12

Hall of Fame
1-Get back to playing USTA league after the birth of my twin girls (fingers crossed).

2-Lose 30lbs which is the rest of the weight I put on during my wife's pregnancy.
 

AtomicForehand

Hall of Fame
1. Improve first-serve percentage (it's a killer when it's on, but depending on the day I hit it in somewhere between only 20-60% of the time). I would like my first-serve percentage to never be lower than 50%--and that would be on a bad day!

2. Dare to hit kickers and sliders as my second serve whenever I am up 30-0, 40-0, or 40-15. Current second-service delivery is a homemade underspun thing (which no one is really able to attack successfully actually. But still. I want to be a big girl someday)

3. Sneak in some serve-and-volley play (again, when I am up in the score)
 
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Fuji

Legend
1. Improve first-serve percentage (it's a killer when it's on, but depending on the day I hit it in somewhere between only 20-60% of the time). I would like my first-serve percentage to never be lower than 50%--and that would be on a bad day!

2. Dare to hit kickers and sliders as my second serve whenever I am up 30-0, 40-0, or 40-15. Current second-service delivery is a homemade underspun thing (which no one is really able to attack successfully actually. But still. I want to be a big girl someday)

3. Sneak in some serve-and-volley play (again, when I am up in the score)

It's amazing what confidence a solid kicker can bring to your game. I rarely double fault anymore for the sheer fact that I have a huge kick serve that I can place well. Even if I'm feeling not so confident, I can throw in a kicker on the first serve and keep percentages up in pressure situations if need be. :razz:

-Fuji
 

AtomicForehand

Hall of Fame
It's amazing what confidence a solid kicker can bring to your game. I rarely double fault anymore for the sheer fact that I have a huge kick serve that I can place well. Even if I'm feeling not so confident, I can throw in a kicker on the first serve and keep percentages up in pressure situations if need be. :razz:

-Fuji

I rarely double-fault either, but still, I'd like to have more of a pro-looking second serve. What would you say is the key to consistency with your kicker?
 

Fuji

Legend
I rarely double-fault either, but still, I'd like to have more of a pro-looking second serve. What would you say is the key to consistency with your kicker?

As much racket head speed as I can humanly create haha! The other thing is Toss placement. As long as I get a proper toss slightly left of 12, and tons of RHS I'm golden it seems! Confidence is key really. If you have faith in your kicker it will work out, as soon as I get hesitant it doesn't work at all and I start to send it long.

-Fuji
 

AtomicForehand

Hall of Fame
As much racket head speed as I can humanly create haha! The other thing is Toss placement. As long as I get a proper toss slightly left of 12, and tons of RHS I'm golden it seems! Confidence is key really. If you have faith in your kicker it will work out, as soon as I get hesitant it doesn't work at all and I start to send it long.

-Fuji

Interesting. My kicker lands short when I lack confidence. Prolly don't get enough RHS--it gets tons of spin but no forward thrust.

Thanks for the tip! :wink:
 

Fuji

Legend
Interesting. My kicker lands short when I lack confidence. Prolly don't get enough RHS--it gets tons of spin but no forward thrust.

Thanks for the tip! :wink:

For sure! The mentality of swinging for more on my second serve then on my first was definitely a bit of a block initially, but once I got the idea in my head that more RHS equaled more consistency it really helped!

Hope it helps you a bit! :)

-Fuji
 

Jim A

Professional
Didn't play last year so just rolling over those goals.

Mixed:
1. Win Flight - advance to Districts
2. Win Districts (lost in Final in '11)
3. Have Fun at Sectionals

Adult:
1. Help team make it back to Districts, probably mostly at #2 singles and 2/3 doubles - had a couple losses to the roster via bump-ups -
2. Have fun, drink beer (actually this is #1)
 

chatt_town

Hall of Fame
As I will be turning 45 this coming September, I need to take serving more seriously. I've gotten away with a 3.5 serve for a long time and it's been because of mental toughness and speed. I noticed I fell maybe 5 or 6 times at the end of last year and I hadn't fallen 6 times in 10 years. So I'm sure I've lost a step. So I need to get a few more than 2 free points per "tourney" with my serve. I mean the kind of free points that I earned and not the ones where they were too stupid to put me on defense and tried to hit them for winners and hit them off the back fence. So my goal is to get a better serve to offset what I may lose in speed.


Post your New Years Tennis resolutions for 2013 here. You should tacitly relate it to adult league and tournament tennis so I do not get the snarky, "it does not belong here" reply.

As a newly minted 4.5 I want to:

1) Drop another 20 pound this year so I can play some 40+ singles
2) Play at least 15 league matches between the three teams I am invited to play on.
3) Look like I at least belong on the court with legitimate 4.5's in every match this season.
4) Play in 2 tournies at the 4.5 + level
 
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Turbo-87

G.O.A.T.
After last night's doubles, STOP LOSING sets when you have a commanding lead. Was up 5-2 both sets and lost each 7-5.
 

corbind

Professional
After last night's doubles, STOP LOSING sets when you have a commanding lead. Was up 5-2 both sets and lost each 7-5.

This is ... Amazing to do that in consecutive sets. How you could give up 5 games in a row -- twice! I feel your pain. :(
 
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