How to close out a set?????

[T1000]

I played a tournament yesterday and lost in the quarterfinals, 2nd match to the four seed. First match got delayed an hour because my opponent locked his keys with his racquets in his cars and AAA took forever to get there (he knew about this 30 mins before the match but didn't tell the tourny director until the time when our match was called). We finally get out there and I win 6-3 6-3. I was up 5-1 in the 2nd but I couldn't close it out until I served at 5-3. I got nervous and made dumb decisions, should be easy to correct. This was an hour and a half long match.

2nd match I only get a 10 min break between the two. I thought I was supposed to get at least an hour between matches but apparently that rule doesn't exist any more. I don't have time to grab lunch or rest so I play one match right after another. I start down 0-4 but then I just started playing and ran off the next 5 games easily. I one my first point on serve the choked. I could feel my heart beat faster, my breathing get more rapid, felt anxiety, and started to get tight. I got down 0-40 on 5-6 on my serve and hit three aces and then went to a tiebrake. I lost the tiebrake 7-5 and then lost the second set 6-2. I had no energy left when he broke me at 2-3 and couldn't rally back (it was his first match of the tournament). It was a two hour match

Any one have tips on how to close out a match and not cave into pressure like I did. If i closed it out at 6-4 I really feel like I could have won that match in straights. I know I have to work on my fitness and should have been able to stretch it to three (he was really tired at the end of the second).

 

[fruitytennis1]

Realize the other person is having some anxieties also. That always sets my mind correctly.

 

[dozu]

at the end of a match, you should have an idea what his weakness is, right?

when it gets tight, just send everything to his weakness, and make him beat you with his worst shot.

simple as that.

 

[Manus Domini]

breath deeply, think that you're playing yourself or hitting on a tennis wall, not playing in a match. That way you have less anxiety of win/lose scenario.

 

[5263]

At that point in the match, you should have a real good idea of what is working well and what is not. With a big lead like you had, I would focus on the more aggressive stuff that is working and just take it to him to put him away, but if the lead slipped away some, I would go with the more conservative stuff that was working well and make him earn everything he gets.

I always like to try and put them away at the first opportunity and not just assume it will happen. Some players think that the last game will fall if they are up 5-1 and relax. Some think it will fall if they just start to tee off and crush things. IMO both of these take you out of your winning game and may make it tough to regain your winning form if things go poorly. I think you should hold your course and stay with your winning form to the end, with only subtle changes to try and win every point
(as there is little need late in the match for setting things up with unproductive patterns that help other things to work in the vein of keeping them honest).
With this I quite often win the last game at love or 15.

 

[fuzz nation]

No mystery that everyone can benefit from a good level of fitness. Make the time to keep after it and your motor will be fine out there. There's no substitute for turning in the "hard miles" off the court.

One of the best mental techniques to learn as a tennis player is to concentrate on the point you're playing at that moment. You sound like your attitude, focus, anxiety, etc. were fluctuating with your scores as the matches progressed. Hey, it happens to everyone - no biggie!

Keeping your focus on nothing but the point in front of you might sound like an oversimplification, but it's something that you need to practice just like your serve and strokes. Even if you're playing a quick tiebreaker, go through the routine of clearing the slate in your head and deciding what you're going to do in the next point. Even when you're receiving serve, you can review a quick plan like "eye on the ball, return deep cross-court, press him with an easy second serve to my forehand". No matter what happens, you already know what you want to do with the ball this way.

Playing more "in the moment" can make the setting, the score, and even your opponent's game or behavior a lot less likely to affect you. Again, this is a rather simple idea, but there are way too many gremlins out there that can sneak in and distract us. With a little practice and mental discipline though, it will be easier for you to stay in your most positive frame of mind for more of your competitive situations.

As for the rules, well knowledge is power. Dig them out and review them so that you're more in the know concerning some of the technical stuff. I think that the provision for a minimum break period between matches is still around, but it was just a rule that someone decided to overlook.

 

[T1000]

It happened again this tournament. I won my first two matches 6-3 6-1 and 6-2 6-1. I was up 5-0 and serving for the match and lost both of them. In the semis I won 5-7 6-4 10-4. I was up 5-3 serving and 15-40 returning at 5-4 and lost the set. I was up 5-3 and serving in the second and lost my game. I also choked away a ton of break and game points. My dad came to every match and counted 73 missed chances in all four matches (I lost the final). I become to passive, hit everything short, and when I try to play agressive, I hit long. Any advice?

 

[mordecai]

sounds like it's your head. you need to work on keeping your thinking to a minimum between points. start habitually taking deep breaths between points-- in through the nose, out through the mouth. keep your breathing steady and your body loose and mental relaxation will probably follow.

 

[Geezer Guy]

Nice of your dad to let you know you screwed up 73 times.

Look, you closed out the sets (and matches) of your first two matches in timely fashion. Just because you were serving for the match at 5-0 and then won it at 6-1 is NOT the end of the world. Most down-and-out opponents are not going to just roll over and give it to you. They're going to put up a fight at the end and make you earn it. And you DID earn it. In the Semi's you came back after losing the first set. Doesn't sound like a choker to me. I wouldn't get all bent out of shape about not being able to close out a set on your first attempt. Would it be nice if you did? Sure, but sometimes the opponent has a little something to do with it too.

Now, you said "I become to passive, hit everything short, and when I try to play agressive, I hit long. Any advice?" That sounds like someone who's afraid to lose. They're hoping instead that the other person will lose. It takes confidence and courage to play to win. You gotta just go for the shots you KNOW you can hit, and not be afraid to miss those shots. Just as if you were on the practice court and there was nothing on the line. Yeah, you'll miss some. You'll go for a DTL backhand when you're down match point and miss. Big deal. You lose a match today. That's how you learn to win the match tomorrow. I'm not talking about taking wild stupid chances and swinging for the fences. I'm talking about taking the shots in pressure situations that you would in practice.

 

[split-step]

Some advice from someone who doesn't have trouble closing out sets on his serve:

- A solid first serve that you can place in either corner and into the body goes a long way. I typically serve out sets with at least one point won solely on my serve. Last week I served out a set with 1 aces and 2 service winners.
This serves the dual purpose of demoralising your opponent and not giving you the chance to choke during the point.

- Play the point ahead of you. Do NOT start out a point, thinking of the easy volley into the open court that you missed wide the previous point. This can be hard to do depending on the individual. You need short term

- Raise your level/focus/intensity.
I firmly believe in playing the game that got you the lead, but there are players that raise their games when they are staring at losing a set.
Continue to play your game, but if you find all of a sudden it is no longer working and you are down 0-30, ante up.

- Be confident
I have played opponents whose trepidation while serving out a set was so obvious. This only gave me more impetus to apply more pressure. Being positive with your body language shows that you are not afraid and are ready to take the set.

Remember, serving is an advantage. If you have a 2 break lead and you are serving for the set, you definitely should take it by the 2nd try.
On the other hand, if you fail at serving it out, regroup instantly or your opponent will run away with it.

 

[snvplayer]

I agree with 5263.

When you are closing out, you have to stick with what has been working for you; no need to experiment. Stick to your strength, and impose it on your opponent's weakness. Underlying premise is that you know what is working that day against your opponent, and you know your limits.

To compare it to UFC or whatever, your best move is arm-bar, and your opponent cannot block it to save his life. Then, you stick with arm-bar. No reason to try a choke or something.

 

[Mahboob Khan]

From what you stated in post 1 it is clear that you were a bit agitated prior to start of your first match (of course not your fault). You won the first match but then there was no rest and you started the second. It is impossible to purge those thoughts, "they made me play the second match too quick"; you feel as the system is against you. All these things beyond your control choke you at critical stages of the second match.

Yes, work on your conditioning, and in practice play at least five sets or two best of three set practice matches per day against two different partners so that you are trained for adverse circumstances that the circuit so often presents.

I was in such a situation two decades ago but I was mentally ready to lose the second match. As I was sure I was going to lose the second match, I decided to swing freely. Everything clicked and I won the match since I did not put any pressure on myself. Relax mind results in fluid strokes!

 

[PINENUT]

Easy To Say, But Don't Think About The Games Leading Up To The Game You Need To Win The Match. Mentally, You Have To Let Each Point You Loose Go...and Build On The Positive Points. Sometimes It Helps To Talk To Yourself To Figure Out Why You're Losing When You Had The Lead. What Are They Doing Now? What Did You Stop Doing? How Can You Cover For Your Weakness? What Do You Need To Do To Expose Their Weakness? Good Luck