How to Close a Match?

[lordmanji]

so i played my league mixed doubles match today and we won the first set easily 6-1 and couldve won the second easily but i let up on them - didn't hit the ball as normally as i do, wasn't aggressive at net, a real lack of focus. so we end up losing 4-6 and end up losing it in a supertiebreak 8-10.

so any advice on maintaining that killer instinct? i feel sometimes im just content with playing at the other player's level and so my sets are usually very close but i end up losing.

 

[Volly master]

i was once up 6-2, 4-6, 4-0 40-love and blew it from there, trust me, it could be alot worse.

Dont think about winning the match, just focus one point at a time, otherwise you'd be like me and overthink and assume your gonna win.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

You ask about "killer instinct", so we are to assume that is the issue in the absence of other facts.

Of course, the reversal could be caused by quite a few things. You don't say how old you are or your level of competition-- these things could be factors. If you are older, for example, you may lose stamina as the game progresses--which you might mistake for ebbing killer instinct. If you are you younger, you may, simply, have a short attention/interest span, and need to learn to focus, even when you are ahead.

If you are not replenishing your liquids and electrolytes, it could casue your energy to flagg.

Another possibility is that the opponents learned something during the first set and were able to put more pressure on your, or your partner's weaknesses, they may have begun to anticipate your shots/serves if you did not vary them enough- sometimes that is enough to turn the tables.

If we can be sure that health, stamina, age any your opponents are not factors-- then perhaps you did lose your focus.

Regain your focus one shot at a time. Do not cloud your mind with thinking about more than one thought at a tme. Focus on really seeing and enjoying every ball and choosing every shot for a percice reason. Work with your partner in setting up strategies, discuss the opponents strengths and weaknesses so you are both on the same page. Work as a team, setting each other up, not as two individuals.

Good luck,

B

 

[lordmanji]

You ask about "killer instinct", so we are to assume that is the issue in the absence of other facts.

Of course, the reversal could be caused by quite a few things. You don't say how old you are or your level of competition-- these things could be factors. If you are older, for example, you may lose stamina as the game progresses--which you might mistake for ebbing killer instinct. If you are you younger, you may, simply, have a short attention/interest span, and need to learn to focus, even when you are ahead.

If you are not replenishing your liquids and electrolytes, it could casue your energy to flagg.

Another possibility is that the opponents learned something during the first set and were able to put more pressure on your, or your partner's weaknesses, they may have begun to anticipate your shots/serves if you did not vary them enough- sometimes that is enough to turn the tables.

If we can be sure that health, stamina, age any your opponents are not factors-- then perhaps you did lose your focus.

Regain your focus one shot at a time. Do not cloud your mind with thinking about more than one thought at a tme. Focus on really seeing and enjoying every ball and choosing every shot for a percice reason. Work with your partner in setting up strategies, discuss the opponents strengths and weaknesses so you are both on the same page. Work as a team, setting each other up, not as two individuals.

Good luck,

B

to answer your questions, i am 25, relatively in shape and i think i'm a solid 3.0. i have pretty reliable fh and bh with good technique and footwork, a kick serve (that i doublefault on 30%).

i think you do have a point about the opponents changing their game. they started to hit more to my partner and when im on the ad court on the volley while my partner serves, they hit it to my bh volley which i dont attack on since im not confident in it unless its a high ball.

and i think the opponents picked up their game, too, especially the guy. though their technique sucks he had a decent flat first serve and became more aggressive at net. i probably shouldnt talk about the women cuz theyre what you expect of 3.0 women (more like 2.5).

but yeah, i think if i had maintained aggression and focus in the second set especially after winning 6-1 and being on cloud 9 instead of letting up, we coulda easily won 6-3 at least.

 

[fuzz nation]

It's a good habit to have a quick reality check with your partner after the first set is won because it's too easy to hit the cruise control and get burned like you did - don't worry, it happens to all of us. Make it clear that you need to slam the door on them right now, keep up the pressure, and get an early break to take the fight out of them. If you're flying around with at least as much aggression at the start of the second set, some of your opponents will pack it in right away, but many others will at least know they've got a huge hole to dig out of and that's demoralizing.

 

[Hot Sauce]

If you're winning, and what you're doing is working, then just don't change anything. Keep playing the way that got you up in the first place.

 

[samizram]

When did you lose the momentum? Right after the first set? That's typical. You win a set and you relax. That is natural and you must fight against it. At the begining of a new set focus on winning the first two games. That's how you prevent a comeback (like a football team tries to put away a game by scoring on the first drive of the 3rd quarter). If you don't do that the momentum will probably shift because your opponent is *not* relaxed and trying hard to get back in the match.

You lose your edge and intensity when you relax because you just won a big game or a set. You start playing like you have a lead. But you don't really. This isn't like baseball where you can get ahead and then sit on your lead to win the game.

I know of several good articles on this, but here is the only one I can link to from here.

http://www.operationdoubles.com/letdowns.htm

 

[krprunitennis2]

Here's my story that might help:

I had a match today, and I won the first set. During that first set, I kept my opponent down low by not thinking that I'm winning much. I focused on reading his serve, and where I should first hit the return. I won the first set (but his serves were scary). During the second set, I had some thoughts like, "I'm winning, lemme try something new and ease up." My opponent almost won a break point in my serve. So I kept on thinking what I'd do on that next point. Sadly, I lost a game on the final set since I tried serve and volleying when I was up 5-1, when I'm not confident in my volleys in matches.

Moral: Keep your mind in what you'd do on that next point, deep breaths on the back of the court (I don't know, but it keeps me a wee bit pressured, but not too much). That's what works for me.

 

[JHBKLYN]

Possible reasons your team lost:
1. You thought you were better than them when infact they had a bad first set and talent took over and they went on to win.

2. Stop thinking how bad their techique is and focus on the match. Pretty strokes don't win matches, winning points do.

To be devil's advocate, they may be saying if they played the way they did in the second set, they should've beaten you guys without a tiebreaker.

It may not be killer instinct you need to worry about, it's asking yourself how did you lose the match and make sure you improve on that the next time you play. Thinking you coulda easily won 6-3 had you not let up and not giving your opponents credit for playing a good match is a sure way to lose the rest of your matches. Don't underestimate your opponents, good teams will always come back when they're down and you'll need to play extra hard especially when you won the first set so easily.

I've been through what you've been through and the above is what I learned.

Good luck with your season.