Adjusting from outdoors to indoors in one match

CosmosMpower

Hall of Fame
I played a tournament this weekend which was supposed to be outdoors. Sat AM the match started at 9:30, I won the first set 6-1. Second set was close and it started raining at 3-4. They called a rain delay for about an hour and then moved everyone to indoor courts. The USTA officials rushed us through the warm up (less than 5 mins is what we were told). I had a really hard time adjusting to the different lighting and court speed and ended up losing the 2nd set and 3rd set tiebreak because I couldn't see the ball well and was late to a lot of my shots, especially returns which left the ball short in the court and allowed him to attack the net.

My opponent was a serve and volley/chip charge guy whose game was much better suited for indoors. Looking for tips to adjust to dramatically different playing conditions for next time.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
I played a tournament this weekend which was supposed to be outdoors. Sat AM the match started at 9:30, I won the first set 6-1. Second set was close and it started raining at 3-4. They called a rain delay for about an hour and then moved everyone to indoor courts. The USTA officials rushed us through the warm up (less than 5 mins is what we were told). I had a really hard time adjusting to the different lighting and court speed and ended up losing the 2nd set and 3rd set tiebreak because I couldn't see the ball well and was late to a lot of my shots, especially returns which left the ball short in the court and allowed him to attack the net.

My opponent was a serve and volley/chip charge guy whose game was much better suited for indoors. Looking for tips to adjust to dramatically different playing conditions for next time.


You need to play in all conditions. Anything new requires a learning curve.
Court surface is probably the biggest diff.
 

CosmosMpower

Hall of Fame
You need to play in all conditions. Anything new requires a learning curve.
Court surface is probably the biggest diff.

I have played on those indoor courts before for a full match. My question is on ability to transition into drastically different conditions during a match. For instance moving from outdoor to indoor. I know something like this changed the dynamics of a major within the last few years (think AO?) when they closed the roof mid match.
 

Hmgraphite1

Hall of Fame
The second set was already even at best before you went inside. Probably a large portion was mental , getting tight. Not sure how to reset, but there must be a way
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
I have played on those indoor courts before for a full match. My question is on ability to transition into drastically different conditions during a match. For instance moving from outdoor to indoor. I know something like this changed the dynamics of a major within the last few years (think AO?) when they closed the roof mid match.
Geeze, since you already played in those indoor courts, while NONE of us have, you might have learned something specific, like height of roof, space between courts, surface bounce rate, glaring light locations, as well as background sounds.
 

CosmosMpower

Hall of Fame
Geeze, since you already played in those indoor courts, while NONE of us have, you might have learned something specific, like height of roof, space between courts, surface bounce rate, glaring light locations, as well as background sounds.

It's not a problem when you have a full warm up and an entire match to slowly adjust to the conditions. Going from overcast outdoor conditions to bright florescent lighting seemed like the biggest problem for me. I was seeing the ball great outside and returning serve well. Indoors I was backed up almost to the back tarp and trying to watch the ball from the toss all the way to my strings and wasn't able to track the ball successfully.
 

CosmosMpower

Hall of Fame
The second set was already even at best before you went inside. Probably a large portion was mental , getting tight. Not sure how to reset, but there must be a way

Second set was definitely much tighter, combination of slacking off at the start of the 2nd set and losing mental focus going down 0-3. I managed to claw my way back to 2-3 and the 3-4 before the rain came after refocusing. Opponent even made a comment that he thought he was smooth sailing up 3-0 and he was worried that his lead evaporated in 2 straight games when we went in for the rain delay.
 

Hmgraphite1

Hall of Fame
Second set was definitely much tighter, combination of slacking off at the start of the 2nd set and losing mental focus going down 0-3. I managed to claw my way back to 2-3 and the 3-4 before the rain came after refocusing. Opponent even made a comment that he thought he was smooth sailing up 3-0 and he was worried that his lead evaporated in 2 straight games when we went in for the rain delay.
Yeah he was talking to get in your head, trying to get you to let up a second time.
 

tlm

G.O.A.T.
I’ve found it tougher when going back outside after playing indoors all winter.
 

FiReFTW

Legend
Everyone needs time to adapt to different conditions, your opponent too, so no excuses.

He just obviously prefered those indoors conditions alot more, that was the difference.
 

zaph

Professional
Outdoors to indoors is relatively easy. No wind, no weather and the courts tend to have more pace.

The other way round is much tougher and it can take time to adjust. It can feel like you are playing is treacle after a winter indoors, the ball is so much slower.
 
D

Deleted member 23235

Guest
Yeah he was talking to get in your head, trying to get you to let up a second time.
He talked a lot, nice guy but I think he could be an auctioneer for a living. At one point he was counting his double faults out loud after each one like a play by play.
hehe, #1 reason i don't like small talk during a match.... run into too many folks trying to talk me out of my groove :p

regarding change in court mid-match... i try to be a bit more conservative with my shot making... like:
* i might go for a heavier spin or kick serve as my 1st serve until i get used to the lighting and background
* i try to avoid taking the ball on the rise
* tend to go for very large targets (ie. avoid dtl passing shot in dubs), maybe lob more until i get a groove on returns
* really focus on ball contact,

similarly, if conditions are tough, i know my opponents will tend to be more conservative... so in dubs, i might poach more. singles i might s&v more in the beginning
 

tlm

G.O.A.T.
Everyone needs time to adapt to different conditions, your opponent too, so no excuses.

He just obviously prefered those indoors conditions alot more, that was the difference.

This is true but indoors does give advantage to a more aggressive style player. Much easier to SnV indoors, plus serve bigger and hit more aggressively indoors. Outdoor tennis favors the more consistent style player more than playing indoors.
 

FiReFTW

Legend
This is true but indoors does give advantage to a more aggressive style player. Much easier to SnV indoors, plus serve bigger and hit more aggressively indoors. Outdoor tennis favors the more consistent style player more than playing indoors.

Not if your playing on a fast hardcourt outside and on clay indoors :p
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
That 33' roof level can actually HELP lobs, like a guide to clear the netman while not going long.
I played an indoor Mt. Tam match where my opponent accounted for lower hanging light fixtures while lobbing n me to death. He was a member while it was my first time there.
 

tlm

G.O.A.T.
What if you have impeccable passing shots tho and dont need to lob? :unsure:

Evidently you just want to argue. Indoor tennis on hardcourts is an advantage for hard servers, SnV, and more aggressive style players period. You sound like you have not played both indoors and outside HARDCOURT tennis much. I play outdoor tennis around 7 months a year and indoor for 5 months every year.

It’s always much easier to go indoors and adapt than it is outdoors. Much easier to serve harder indoors and much easier to go for bigger shots indoors. Some of the guys I play that have hard serves and aggressive ground strokes are much tougher to play indoors than they are outside.
 
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