Have you ever been "in the zone"?

matchpoints

matchpoints

Professional
I remember talking to a friend about his tuff match but the score was 6-2 6-1. I asked him, "doesn't seem that tuff from the scores" his reply was, "the opponent was tuff, we had long close points, but i was just seeing the ball very well"

That reminded me of times when I'm just "in the zone" and I hit shots out of my bum. I'm talking about shots that I would have never tried in a normal situation but now I'm making them on important points. A lot of just reaction shots where I'm not even thinking but just doing. Stuff like ripping returns off a big serve. Sprinting to get a drop shot and then reaching out for the stretch volley hitting it at an angle. During these times, I could have a bleeding toenail and wouldn't even know it. My veins are engorged and red vessels channeling through my eyes. Sweat dripping and steaming off the 110 degree cement. Nothing is on my mind but the next point. What a great feeling to be "in the zone".

Have you ever been "in the zone"?
 
Yes - been there a few times. Magical stuff. The only problem I have is when I go "Hey - I think I'm in the zone today" and I then fall out of it.

The Japanese have a word for it - "mushin" - it means "no mind".

Haven't been there for quite awhile though! I hope I get to revisit soon....
 
I actually find it somewhat frightening to be in 'the zone'. It's as if nothing can go wrong. There is thus no balance - everything is weighted toward the positive end. It feels as if my body has been invaded, and I'm just along for the ride. Like being kidnapped, I suppose.

It's a very bizarre feeling - one that proves that a significant part of tennis is 90% psychological.
 
galain~ I'm going to have to say MUSHIN from now on! Thanks for the new word.

Deuce~ what a thrill eh?

I want to hear more....anyone else reach that level of tennis goodness?
 
as soon as i realize i'm in the zone, i pull a french open coria and get tight as dick's hat band.i go from playing out of my mind to needing the heimlich with amazing swiftness. methinks i'm a headcase on the court sometimes!
 
One time against my mentor. Beat him for the first and only time.

One time playing doubles. Great net game, lots of winners and probably less than a handful of errors. I didn't want the session to end because I know I wouldn't be able to duplicate that ever.

r,
eagle
 
I've been "in the zone" on several occasions but as soon as I start thinking about being in the zone I've lost my concentration and my game heads south quickly. The only time I was in the zone, realized I was in the zone, and then stayed in the zone was this past Monday night (the third match with my new RDX-500 MP). I was in the zone BIG TIME. Won the first set 6-0 and the second set 6-1. He wanted to play some more so we played two more sets and I won 6-1, 6-1. I couldn't do anything but laugh at some of the shots I pulled out on that night. He and I both were just shaking our heads.

The only thing that could have been better about my game that night was my serve. I'm working at adding more power to my first serve by rotating my shoulders more and while I was trying to work on that I committed 4 double faults in those four sets.

Triple
 
matchpoints, you must have really been in the zone to "hit shots out of your bum"!!

Been in the zone before but never THAT zone.
 
Interesting Japanese word. We used to call the Zone "playing out of your mind." Very close.

Yes. I've been in that Zone ... and its counterpart. Like a first round match last summer, when I lost two "carbon copy" sets. I won the first eight points of each ... and hardly anything else went well the rest of the time.

I prefer the former Zone.

- KK
 
I've been in the zone more in basketball than in tennis for some odd reason. In basketball, there have been times I would go 5-5 or 6-6 in a game up to 11; I wouldn't give up turnovers and I would throw a few assists as well. In tennis, I've never had it last longer than a set; the ratio of winners to errors was something like 4:1. Everything I hit felt smooth and effortless.

galain and deuce are right, being in the zone is an odd feeling and once you know you're in the zone, you immediately fall right out of it. I guess for me, I don't reach it often because I tend to overanalyze every single thing that happens; I guess I'm not the type to reach 'mushin'.
 
I think every player has been in the zone several times. Always a nice place to be.

Sometimes when I get home from work and wifey is letting the kids destroy the house I feel like I am in the twilight zone, does that count?
 
********** said:
I think every player has been in the zone several times. Always a nice place to be.

Sometimes when I get home from work and wifey is letting the kids destroy the house I feel like I am in the twilight zone, does that count?
Click to expand...

hahaha, or when i'm getting pulled over buy a popo....
 
galain said:
Yes - been there a few times. Magical stuff. The only problem I have is when I go "Hey - I think I'm in the zone today" and I then fall out of it.

The Japanese have a word for it - "mushin" - it means "no mind".

Haven't been there for quite awhile though! I hope I get to revisit soon....
Click to expand...
If it happens, it is a thing of beauty. I Only ever get there in long distance running.
 
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