Dropping a set after winning one.

FCarmo

New User
After winning a set, the mind tend to relax on 2nd set's firsts games...For me that games (first two or three games) are the most important of the match and when I must (or should) be more connected
 

mcs1970

Hall of Fame
You ran out of stamina...Your opponent started slow and you let your foot off the pedal thinking an easy win was in the cards...You made tons of errors in the 2nd set...could be any number of reasons.
 

Secret04

New User
Happened to me tonight. I'll contribute my thoughts as they are still fresh in my mind. Lost 1st set 6-3 after being up 2-0.
I spent the later part of the first set trying to fix what I was doing wrong. In retrospect this was counterproductive as I found myself tensing up, over thinking shots and basically not playing my game.
Start of the 2nd set, a fresh start, clear mind, back to relaxed form. Went all out and found myself back to throwing a relaxed arm. This was most evident in my serve and forehand. The only thing I kept reminding myself was to watch the ball hit the strings and to stay relaxed. Won the 2nd set 6-1. Took the 3rd to tie-break but lost.
In all, I think the mental aspect played a powerful role. It's the starting over, letting it go, getting back into the match aspect, I believe, with the added lifting of performance pressure.
There's is also your opponent who is applying what he did in the 1st to the 2nd set so maybe a bit of complacency? Then after going down after a break the roles are reversed... It's now him who is in his own head, battling two opponents, you and himself.
Just my thoughts and feedback after my match.

Edit: ok, sorry, I just realized my scenario is the opposite of what OP is asking but if you look at it from my opponents perspective it applies...
 
I think it's the "40-luv serve is 100% guaranteed to be a fault" effect.
You now have a margin, so you get careless and start spazzing out.
Just like when people go for that ace down the T every time they are up 40-0
I have never seen that serve go in in my life.
 

Silent

Professional
We play pro sets at my club. I was leading 7-2 then we had to stop when I was serving at 7-5 0-15

The opponent has nothing left to lose - he relaxes. I was hoping to be able to close the match, I was tentative, trying to keep the ball in play, trying new stuff, while the other guy was playing his game and gaining confidence - next thing I know, I'm in trouble and my last winning sequence can hardly be recalled. What helps me when that happens, and the first step is to recognize it's happening at all, is to relax, take a little more time in between points, and get loose by moving those feets. I find that keeping my body active helps me to focus.
 

justballtennis

New User
Statistics show that if the first set is won easily (7 or 8 games) the second is usually much closer (10+). It’s interesting when parents of player moan about their kids “not playing as well in the second set” when actually it might not be the case. Focus is a factor, loss of concentration, being able to sustain a high level for a long period of time is extremely difficult, good players may need to figure things out and this can take time, good players also change their gameplan, complacency to name a few. JBT
 

Morch Us

Hall of Fame
When you win the first set, you retained a specific mix of consistency+attack+defense. After the first set, you feel like you can go more on attack and less on consistency/defense, and so that you can make the game more rewarding for you. And you outbalance yourself. (Even though not too common, winning player can change the balance in other directions as well).

Another reason is that the opponent change his consistency+attack+defence balance from last set, since it was not working for him, and that itself can throw you off, even if you did not intentionally change anything.

Anyway in summary, each set is different, and whoever adapts well for that particular day/instance wins it.

You win a set.
The next set you get blown out 6-2 or less.
What are common causes for this, in your experience?
 

zalive

Hall of Fame
You win a set.
The next set you get blown out 6-2 or less.
What are common causes for this, in your experience?

Pay attention whether the opponent has improved his game in the second set.
When your opponent makes less errors and creates more pressure, everything may change because you may actually play worse because he played better that set. It's connected.
Suppose you're a really good player. How good your opponent will look on the court depends a lot on how much you allow him. Well, the same is valid for your opponent to, in case he has some quality to show.
So you must analyse whether your errors are connected to better opponent's game or your game has degraded in the second set.

As for me, I cannot quite relate to this as I usually play a stronger second set, unless I get physically exhausted, or unless my opponent raised his game to the level I was not able to completely match.
 
Last edited:

BaddJordan

New User
Overthinking; not in the moment sort of thing

Maybe the first set was climbing Mount Everest and then you think you have to do it again and it seems beyond you.

Opponent adapted to your shots or changed strategy
 

atp2015

Hall of Fame
You win a set.
The next set you get blown out 6-2 or less.
What are common causes for this, in your experience?

Losing focus or got tired after a long first set. If I'm mistaken you got bumped to 4.0 tennis, it's difficult to switch on and off within 10 minutes and if you have lost focus on your serve game and got broken, it might be difficult to come back in the set. 4.0 players are more consistent and can't experiment or wander off unless you are close to at least one level up.
 

Traffic

Hall of Fame
They figured you out. Thats it.
Losing focus or got tired after a long first set.
I was talking to a 4.0 female that I played against. She beat me 6-2, 6-4. She commented that there are many times where she wins the first set and loses the second.

From my own experience, I struggled initially with her Lefty spins, her no-pace, no bounce, super angled attacks. And trying to return her no pace lefty slice serves.
The second set, I finally adjusted to her pace and her tactics and was able to win some more games off of her.

I was watching a new member of my son's varsity team play a match yesterday. He dominated the first set. He was hitting very good shots that was giving his opponent such a hard time. His opponent was also making a few more UEs than what he should (he's trained with my son before). For the second set, the opponent cleaned up his UEs and started to rally consistently. Our new varsity boy started to miss some shots that were going in for the first set. He dropped a game. Then another. He continued to make more UEs. Then got frustrated. Then missed more. Dropped second set 1-6. He wasn't able to get back into any groove while opponent continued to play solid. Nothing spectacular, but no mistakes. Our boy lost the third set.

It was his first match as a varsity player. I'm sure the nerves and the pressure got to him. Also, he's been playing against VJ kids all this time trying to rack up required practices to be eligible for varsity matches.
 
Statistics show that if the first set is won easily (7 or 8 games) the second is usually much closer (10+). It’s interesting when parents of player moan about their kids “not playing as well in the second set” when actually it might not be the case. Focus is a factor, loss of concentration, being able to sustain a high level for a long period of time is extremely difficult, good players may need to figure things out and this can take time, good players also change their gameplan, complacency to name a few. JBT
It's regression to the mean.
 

thomas daniels

Semi-Pro
You win a set.
The next set you get blown out 6-2 or less.
What are common causes for this, in your experience?
It happens all time. The reason is, players, lose focus and think that the match will be easy. The best way to prevent this, is to play the 2nd set like you lost the first one and play it even harder than the first one. Now if you do lose the second set, the best tactic is to mentally refocus quickly and don't start the 3rd, until you are mentally ready to play it. I see juniors win the first, lose the second and then don't even mentally show up for the third!!! Use that time in between sets to talk to your coach and regroup. After you do that, just take it one point at a time and play the 3rd set on your terms. I'm going, to be honest, though, you have to experience this and go through it for yourself. Learn from whatever happens and look to get mentally stronger in future matches.
 

weelie

Professional
I think it's the "40-luv serve is 100% guaranteed to be a fault" effect.
You now have a margin, so you get careless and start spazzing out.
Just like when people go for that ace down the T every time they are up 40-0
I have never seen that serve go in in my life.

You've seen me play, eh? :D

But actually the last match I played, I won the first set 6-2 with a T-ace (almost an ace) at 40-15. Then 2-2 in the second, suddenly he was 5-2, really try to play my best to make it 3-5, then lost the set 3-6. Don't fully know why. I think it is the opponent learning to take my serve and shots, seeing my patterns, me playing slightly less aggressive, he starting to find his range, my forehand not being the best that day, me not able to handle his moon balls to my backhand as effectively as I wanted, plus I had no double faults in the match, he had many, most of them in the 1st set. Then lost the following match tie break 7-10 (after being 6-4 and 7-6 in the lead). Hit to the net cord last two or three deciding shots. I think his stamina was better. Basically, I won the first hour, he won the following 30min. I should have played more aggressively in the 2nd set, but instead I played a bit less so, like sticking to what won me the first (but then subconciously playing a bit more safe). I've played too many 1h limit matches (which I've learned to often win), need to learn to optimize for real matches.
 
Last edited:
Top