Choke or not?

[lhstennis12]

I had a tournament match this morning. I'm a pretty decent player, and won the first set handily, 6-3. However, I was up 4-0 and let him get a few back before being able to close it out. Then, second set, I was up a break and serving at 4-2, and ended up losing the set 4-6. I then completely fell apart in the super breaker, losing 4-10.

Now, I play golf in the spring and most of summer, so this was my first tournament this season and I don't have many matches under my belt yet, but is this a choke? I could almost feel it coming... Either way, what can I do to help with this?

 

[xFullCourtTenniSx]

I had a tournament match this morning. I'm a pretty decent player, and won the first set handily, 6-3. However, I was up 4-0 and let him get a few back before being able to close it out. Then, second set, I was up a break and serving at 4-2, and ended up losing the set 4-6. I then completely fell apart in the super breaker, losing 4-10.

Now, I play golf in the spring and most of summer, so this was my first tournament this season and I don't have many matches under my belt yet, but is this a choke? I could almost feel it coming... Either way, what can I do to help with this?

There are one of two possibilities.

You and your opponent are of pretty equal skill, but you got the early lead and thought because of that you had everything won and went on cruise control. Your opponent didn't give up, so while your level went down, his stayed the same so he caught up. The first set you realized it early enough, and held on long enough to win. The second set you felt like you could hold on no problem because you won the first set with a similar situation. Your opponent took advantage, won the second set, and took that momentum to win the third.

The other possibility is that your opponent is better and had a bad start. Or that they just dug deep when they were down (meaning they are still better, but experience wise).

Basically, don't lose your focus. Even if you're up, imagine that you're down and fight for every point, for every game, for every set. Be like Nadal. He'll celebrate for a hard-fought point even if he's still 1-5 down with his opponent serving at 30-15. He fights for everything (till his knees died on him, but he still fights hard for most of every point). Change your attitude and play more matches. You can't practice your mindset for matches except in real, close matches.

 

[Donny0627]

No its fine!! It was your first tournament in a while. We all get rusty. You just should go out and train some. I wouldn't call that a choke. My doubles partner played a singles match. He was leading 5-0, when his opponent came back and beat him 7-5 (7-4).

Work on your consistency and you should be fine.And be more confident in yourself!!

I did tht in a practice set once. I was playing this kid I cant stand(cheating, annoying, etc....). He is like this major hot head. So he was up 5-0 and I was furious(yes, i kno tht sounds hypocritical, but...), so i finallly decided just to pretend it was a fresh start and not get upset with myself. I won 2 straight games and was down 5-2. He started screaming and chucking his racket. I won tht set 7-5...

 

[charliefedererer]

Tennis is a physical battle.

But it is also a mental battle.

You have been practicing the physical strokes.

But you say this was your first tournament this spring. Therefore you haven't been practicing the mental focus that match play demands.

So while you can learn the lesson of needing more match play, you have to wipe the bad part of the experience away. and be confident the next time you will be bette prepared.

Above all, you can only play one point at a time, so for tiebreakers, just like early games in a set, focus on the ball. Between points just focus on anticipating where you will serve or receive the first ball. Don't concern yourself with anything other what is immediately present. If you focus hard enough on each shot, the match will take care of itself. It is this focus that is your best chance to prove Arthur Ashe wrong.

"I don't care who you are, you're going to choke in certain matches. You get to a point where your legs don't move and you can't take a deep breath. You start to hit the ball about a yard wide, instead of inches."
-Arthur Ashe

 

[David Backhand]

I wouldn't call that a choke... All in all, it was pretty close... Your'e opponent probably had good comeback ability, and tiebreakers, well, theyr'e tiebreakers.
I played a match a couple of days ago against someone who was clearly worsethan me. I dominated the first set and took it 6:1. I choked on the second set. No forehand, no backhand, no first serve, nothing. I lost that set 0:6 (!). Snapped out of it only in the middle of the tiebreaker, I was down 3:6 when i took a ball out of the air with an overhead backhand and slammed a winner into the oppsite corner... Heard my opponent go : "Oh-oh, he's back..." and I knew I was back. Ended up winning the TB 10:8.