after the first set!!!
- Thread starter merlebo02
- Start date
Topspin Shot
Legend
Expect your opponent to come out stronger and probably try something a little different to throw your game off. You have to keep your focus up to figure out what (if anything) is going on. Also tell yourself that if you come out with a little extra effort, you'll probably break his will. Very few guys will be mentally willing to mount a second set comeback just for the chance to win a third set.
tdhawks
Professional
I try to play the 1st game of the 2nd set as if it were the deciding game in a match. If I win the 1st set and get up 1-0 in the 2nd, it seems to be a huge mental let down/distraction to my opponents. You cannot give them any sign of relief. A little confidence goes a long ways in this sport.
xFullCourtTenniSx
Hall of Fame
Historically, if I win the first set, I will steamroll through.
Reason being I have poor strategical sense. If I beat you in a set, that means my tennis is good enough, and it will only keep getting better cause I'm already hitting my stride (until I get exhausted).
Honestly, I feel like just maxing out your endurance is one of the best ways to strengthen yourself mentally. You win a first set, and you're rearing to go in the second set and run away with it. You lose the first set, and you're still rearing to go because you got plenty of juice left, so you can up the intensity.
Reason being I have poor strategical sense. If I beat you in a set, that means my tennis is good enough, and it will only keep getting better cause I'm already hitting my stride (until I get exhausted).
Honestly, I feel like just maxing out your endurance is one of the best ways to strengthen yourself mentally. You win a first set, and you're rearing to go in the second set and run away with it. You lose the first set, and you're still rearing to go because you got plenty of juice left, so you can up the intensity.
xFullCourtTenniSx
Hall of Fame
I think I've lost one second set after losing the first (in singles). Maybe doubles too... I don't use my brain much and have terrible shots, so if I beat you in a set, not much is going to change in the next one. This is why my 2nd set winning percentage is 0% when not winning the first set.
xFullCourtTenniSx
Hall of Fame
Unfortunately, I don't have the endurance to give 110% for 3 full sets, especially if they're close.
Wait, I think I won once in the second set after losing the first set... Okay so my percentage isn't 0%. lol
Yes, I'm out of shape, but I don't care much for competitive play anymore.
user92626
G.O.A.T.
This is one of the things that peeve me. Most of us living in the US are perpetually "out of shape" so no point in pointing that out.
Secondly, like most rec players you probably play among your peers so give or take things are pretty equal. I know so many players who turn down potentially good game/time, saying "I can't run." "It's too tiring" blah blah.. To that I say you're not competing against 21 years old's. Shouldn't you believe that every player around you is your equal at best? Or just play your best and see where you stack up.
I don't think my message gets through.
On other hand I know this guy who plays quite averagely. He knows that and everyone else knows that, too. But he's competitive and loads of fun. He challenges others to singles and asks them to give him advantages to level the field, eg he hits to full doubles court, one alley or always starts at 15-love up or give him a few games in advance. It's really fun, because it's challenging for everyone.
Personally I would love to play competitively with any accessible high level players, and if things get too predictable I don't mind doing what this aforementioned guy does. No shame in that!
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user92626
G.O.A.T.
Good for you, LeeD
But does it really matter to claim age and injuries when you compete on same/similar level?
President
Legend
It's funny how much styles really make fights. I actually beat a guy who is a competitive league 4.5 player in a pro-set yesterday. I probably got a bit lucky with a few points here and there, but the main thing was that his style just played into mine. He gave me consistent, medium pace groundstrokes for me to tee off on with my forehand from the back of the court. He barely made any errors, but eventually neither did I, since he let me settle into my rhythm and I didn't have to worry about hitting any passing shots or low balls since he never sliced. LeeD is a really tricky player to hit against, I barely get to hit rally forehands against him because he is so aggressive and uses so much variety. Totally different games.
Thing is, if I tried to play your game against you, I'd be looking at breadsticks, maybe twos all day. Sure, I can rally somewhat close, not quite, but play is different, and your strengths will overpower mine.
Remember Reuben at SanPabloPark? He still talks about his loss to us, he can't understand how he can lose breadsticks teamed with a USTA 4.0 mixed player.
He understands he wasn't taking it seriously, but he can't fathom losing to two 4.0's.
Tennis is weird, you simply overpowered his partner, while I fooled him with some serves he didn't think I should be able to hit. He did say how bad my first serve was, me not getting ANY in against him.
Remember Reuben at SanPabloPark? He still talks about his loss to us, he can't understand how he can lose breadsticks teamed with a USTA 4.0 mixed player.
He understands he wasn't taking it seriously, but he can't fathom losing to two 4.0's.
Tennis is weird, you simply overpowered his partner, while I fooled him with some serves he didn't think I should be able to hit. He did say how bad my first serve was, me not getting ANY in against him.
MathGeek
Hall of Fame
Forget who won the first set. Start over 0-0, and go from there. One game at a time. One point at a time. The only thing to remember is what's working and what's not.
President
Legend
Yup, I'm pretty inexperienced against playing varied styles of play so it's been really good for me to play against so many different types of opponents since coming to California(including you).
Btw, I'm not surprised at all we won that double set against Rueben. His partner was slow as molasses and had a weak serve, of course I could just tee of his against his serve with my forehand and you can get in to net quickly. I think I can beat or at least play evenly with Reuben if we both play at the baseline, but maybe that's just me being cocky
President
Legend
That's true, I need to work on my passing shots a lot. I really want to play some decently high level doubles sometime, that's something I haven't done too much in my tennis career. Probably that set I played against that JC guy with Roger and with you against them was the closest I've come. It would probably help me a lot with my ability to pass players at the net (when I'm used to just trading big forehands from the baseline) and hit off low balls, which would be a further asset in singles. Like I said earlier, I feel so limited against players who come to the net and keep me off balance, not allowing me time to set up my big forehand (and when I do, I usually misfire because of the lack of baseline rhythm).
Let me know what days you think I should come to Berkeley so we can get some good dubs in! I'm in California until August 20th or so, then going back to Philly.
I"m still playing with the old farts, and even JC and Roger have gotten bored playing that kind of 3.5 tennis.
Weekends is best, but there's a USTA Junior tourney going on in August for possibly TWO weekends. They take all the courts, plus some surrounding courts.
I don't know where the 4-4.5 guys and gals play when the courts are closed to the public. Most seem to be from Oakland, so might play there.
I'll bet, playing JC or Roger, you will seldom if ever see a chance for a forehand passing shot. They will relentlessly grind your backhand, until it break's down. That's the credo of smart tournament play....play the backhand, even if it's more consistent, because it seldom is the weapon a forehand can be.
Weekends is best, but there's a USTA Junior tourney going on in August for possibly TWO weekends. They take all the courts, plus some surrounding courts.
I don't know where the 4-4.5 guys and gals play when the courts are closed to the public. Most seem to be from Oakland, so might play there.
I'll bet, playing JC or Roger, you will seldom if ever see a chance for a forehand passing shot. They will relentlessly grind your backhand, until it break's down. That's the credo of smart tournament play....play the backhand, even if it's more consistent, because it seldom is the weapon a forehand can be.
President
Legend
Damn, I really wanted to get to play quite a few sets of doubles before I left California. I have two other regular hitting partners who I could probably convince to play doubles, but I lack a 3rd. I know your van is old; I guess it would be impossible for you to make it down to Palo Alto sometime? If so, I'll try to make it to Berkeley a few more times before I leave for Philly, and we can pray that JC, Roger, Reuben, or someone else who is good is there as opposed to the 3.0/3.5 guys who are usually there.
My van is non existent, towed away by the City of SanPablo.
G/f has been in PuertoRico for 3 weeks, now itching to go windsurfing every afternoon.
The girls haven't been at the courts now for 3 weeks, and my bud with a 12 and 15 year old haven't shown in about the same timeframe, but they didn't go to Florida and Atlanta for Junior tournaments.
G/f has been in PuertoRico for 3 weeks, now itching to go windsurfing every afternoon.
The girls haven't been at the courts now for 3 weeks, and my bud with a 12 and 15 year old haven't shown in about the same timeframe, but they didn't go to Florida and Atlanta for Junior tournaments.
