Blowing leads/Controlling anger

[miniRafa386]

Okay, lately i have been playing very well, EXCEPT when i get a lead.

today, i lost the first set 4-6, really long, no breaks until my serve at 4-5. i go on to win the next set 6-1 in like -30 minutes , but in the 3rd set, after winning 9 STRAIGHT GAMES, i went ballistic and lost 6-3.

BUT, the thing was i started to go ballistic when my opponent HELD SERVE at 0-3, and it wasnt a close game, like a 40-30 game. but after that, i just lost it. couldnt control my temper, lost concentration, everything went down the tubes.

btw, i had a near 4 hr match yesterday, i won 7-5 in the tiebreaker in the 3rd, but nearly lost it because of my temper and focus. i lost the first set 6-7 after coming back from 1-5 down to 6-5, returning. had a 3-0 lead, lost the breaker 7-3. those 5 games i won in a row, i was so focused, didnt get mad, played well, and everything was perfect. i was up 5-2 the next set, my opponent holds and i lose serve, all because of my concentration. i broke at 5-4 opponents serve for the set.

basically, i fight harder and try harder when im down, but today, it didnt happen.

i have a match tomorrow at 9 am, how can i stop my inner safin from showing up and how can i have that determination, desire, and will to win like i had at 1-5 yesterday?

 

[spot]

You didn't say what happened to make you so angry. THats sort of a critical piece of information to leave out. I mean him holding serve isn't exactly earth shattering- if you really blew up because you lost a game then you are likely helpless. If for instance you lost it because you made dumb shots or flubbed a couple overheads then maybe there is something specific to focus on.

 

[miniRafa386]

i guess him getting a game got me mad, idk, it happened so fast.

 

[DarthCow]

If you start getting angry, take your time between points.
Dont look at the ground, and dont slouch over. Many players show bad body language, and their opponent just feeds off that. It builds their confidence to go for more.
So once you get angry and maybe lose a game, just stop and recover, otherwise youll end up losing a lot more matches that you should have won.

 

[Strings And Things]

If you start getting angry, take your time between points.
Dont look at the ground, and dont slouch over. Many players show bad body language, and their opponent just feeds off that. It builds their confidence to go for more.
So once you get angry and maybe lose a game, just stop and recover, otherwise youll end up losing a lot more matches that you should have won.

This is really good advice.

Keeping your head down is basically human instinctive reaction when you're down.

Don't be so hard on yourself. If you cannot control your inner anger for some reason, at least hide it. Be sarcastically upset if you will. Sort of laugh at yourself. ..dah dah dah, next point to focus on.

"Winning Ugly" might have some specific tips on anger management as well (I forgot if it does).

 

[Supernatural_Serve]

i have a match tomorrow at 9 am, how can i stop my inner safin from showing up and how can i have that determination, desire, and will to win like i had at 1-5 yesterday?

Focus on the point you are playing. Not whether you are winning, losing, playing well, etc. Accept that you will make mistakes, but with focus, the mistakes will be minimized, and accept that negative emotions will cause you to get tense, make bad decisions, make more errors, overhit, try to win the point that you just lost which is long over, etc. none of which will bring out your best tennis

 

[miniRafa386]

thanks for the advice guys, won my match 2 n 5 today, down 2-5 in the 2nd and came back. had a tough opponent the next rd, won 2 n 3.

my own solution along with everyone elses: i wrote "STFU" in purple sharpie on my left hand so when i would bounce the ball, i would see it. not one outburst

again, thanks for the advice.

 

[Strings And Things]

thanks for the advice guys, won my match 2 n 5 today, down 2-5 in the 2nd and came back. had a tough opponent the next rd, won 2 n 3.

my own solution along with everyone elses: i wrote "STFU" in purple sharpie on my left hand so when i would bounce the ball, i would see it. not one outburst

again, thanks for the advice.

.......STFU!

 

[goober]

my own solution along with everyone elses: i wrote "STFU" in purple sharpie on my left hand so when i would bounce the ball, i would see it. not one outburst

.

Next time write it on your forehead and stare coldly into your opponents eye before the match starts.

 

[thejackal]

if you're in a funk or getting tight because the finish line is in sight, hit the reset button. when u step up to the line think "new match, starting now"

 

[albino smurf]

Win this point. That is what I try to think over and over when I am playing. Focus on the ball, the point, the moment, never the whole day, the whole match. Find something small to focus on, like the STFU thing... and breathing.

 

[miniRafa386]

Next time write it on your forehead and stare coldly into your opponents eye before the match starts.

hahahahaha


i dont get mad anymore, but i suck at holding onto leads. i was up 6-0, 4-2 my serve, and lost the match 06 64 75. now the kid played like crap the first set, he had a 3 hr car ride and literally walked right onto the court, looked at the tourny director as he walked in, nodded, and went to the court i was waiting for him on. anyway, i had already played a match beforehand, so i was pretty loose. after the warm up, i ***** pwn him the first set 60, in literally 5 min. the next set, im up 4-2 and lose my serve. lose the set 64. up 42 again next set, lose it 75.

what do i need to do when im up? i play so much better when im losing, but my game goes down when i get a lead in a tight situation.