S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Some rec players behave like they are playing a Slam and it probably hurts their game more than it helps.
I like your thought process and I try and follow a similar path.
How to get over a mental block
- Thread starter FiReFTW
- Start date
Some rec players behave like they are playing a Slam and it probably hurts their game more than it helps.
I like your thought process and I try and follow a similar path.
Morch Us
Hall of Fame
Obviously it is a bit unfair to comment without seeing your match/play in realtime. So I have to make a lot of guess based on what I see on a day to day basis.
1. Lets take a step back and you try to analyze in your own mind what is happening? There is a good chance that you are trying to "prove" something in those matches. Maybe trying to prove that you are a lot better than the other guy and "show him" that by winning 6-0 6-0? Or maybe show him by "blasting" him off the court with winners, and overwhelming with winners, than just winning points by a non-painful rally?
2. Almost every tennis player on the planet (at least slightly) over-estimates their own skills, and under-estimates opponents skills. It is extremely hard to prove someone wrong, but it is what it is. But the more you over-estimate your skills, the more you get disappointed on a mistake/unforced error. The less over-estimation you have, the more closer to reality you are, and you will be OK with the fact that you are just another human, who is going to make some mistakes.
How many matches can you remember, where you won because your opponent played really bad? I bet, after most matches, when you tell the opponent "good game", you really mean it, I mean...that the opponent played to his 100% potential.
3. As someone pointed out, your analysis of matches before/after is also probably biased.
4. Also you got some great advice on not concentrating on results, but on the process. Totally agree with that. Again concentrating too much on results, indicates some kind of an urgency or need/reason to prove something to someone.
Anyway..... as I mentioned above, I have no basis for the above statements to your game, since I dont know you or have not seen you play. But it is just what I see around me in similar complaints/issues.
1. Lets take a step back and you try to analyze in your own mind what is happening? There is a good chance that you are trying to "prove" something in those matches. Maybe trying to prove that you are a lot better than the other guy and "show him" that by winning 6-0 6-0? Or maybe show him by "blasting" him off the court with winners, and overwhelming with winners, than just winning points by a non-painful rally?
2. Almost every tennis player on the planet (at least slightly) over-estimates their own skills, and under-estimates opponents skills. It is extremely hard to prove someone wrong, but it is what it is. But the more you over-estimate your skills, the more you get disappointed on a mistake/unforced error. The less over-estimation you have, the more closer to reality you are, and you will be OK with the fact that you are just another human, who is going to make some mistakes.
How many matches can you remember, where you won because your opponent played really bad? I bet, after most matches, when you tell the opponent "good game", you really mean it, I mean...that the opponent played to his 100% potential.
3. As someone pointed out, your analysis of matches before/after is also probably biased.
4. Also you got some great advice on not concentrating on results, but on the process. Totally agree with that. Again concentrating too much on results, indicates some kind of an urgency or need/reason to prove something to someone.
Anyway..... as I mentioned above, I have no basis for the above statements to your game, since I dont know you or have not seen you play. But it is just what I see around me in similar complaints/issues.
I did hear during the Australian open a commentator mention most points are won within the first 3 shots - im assuming on non clay surfaces. So perhaps its not so bad being aggressive early.
While still a newbie ive felt the pros and cons of aggression - the pushers waits for your mistake while with another aggressive i often feel if i let them get aggressive first the point is generally on their racquet. At the lower levels which i am they probably miss half the time (as do i) but you can certainly tell its their point to lose - its not a nice feeling knowing your fate is in their hands. On the flip side being overly aggressive against the pusher can be disaster, but id rather do that and improve than revert to their game which i believe has a lower ceiling and lets face it - less fun.
Dolgopolov85
G.O.A.T.
I would be happy to miss only by a bit. I don't even mind missing by a huge margin if the sound off the racquet is one that I like. When I hear miscontacts, it makes me more nervous because THAT shouldn't be happening. I would say if you feel you're tightening up, start going for more net clearance and aim to hit a spinner ball. Try to prolong the rallies because that will give you time to regroup. But again, all this is for when you are not hitting the ball as well as you would like. Missing by a bit should never be a reason to get nervous.
Dolgopolov85
G.O.A.T.
Great points and yes I would basically take a win any which way I get it with whatever set/game score. Nothing like I should be bagelling this or that guy. With my regular playing partner, I have days when I beat him easily, days when it's close and days when he bagels me (like today
). It's all good. I would obviously like to lose less and get a few games on the board while I am losing but I usually cannot remember the exact score of say the set from a few days back. Coz what's it got to do with today?Dolgopolov85
G.O.A.T.
Wanting to finish points in 1-3 shots is good. But don't try to manufacture that result. Try to hit the strongest ball you can with each shot and work yourself into a position to finish the point. Go for the shot that the rally situation dictates, don't be like this rally is too long already at half a dozen shots and I am pulling the trigger. If you really want to finish all points quickly, then use S&V and chip charge. At least that may improve your chances of winning points with that ultra aggressive approach.
FiReFTW
Legend
@Morch Us
You definetly have a point with wanting to crush someone 6:0 6:0 and proving how good I am and showing him and blasting winners, its 100% true.
@Dolgopolov85
You are right as I said, ending points and being an aggressive shotmaker is what I enjoy it makes tennis fun for me, however alot of times I get a not easy ball and instead of hitting more of a well placed setup shot and maybe getting my opponent off court I try to blast and force a crushing winner, and I hit some crazy highlight reel shots but also make a bit to many mistakes aswell, I need to be more smart about it and know when to gp for it or when to hit a setup shot or when tl even hit a defensive shot if needed.
Anyway I will for sure post some match play in the next weeks so you guys can see, hopefully I play a match soon, if not I just might post some point play to 7 or 11 from training or something.
You definetly have a point with wanting to crush someone 6:0 6:0 and proving how good I am and showing him and blasting winners, its 100% true.
@Dolgopolov85
You are right as I said, ending points and being an aggressive shotmaker is what I enjoy it makes tennis fun for me, however alot of times I get a not easy ball and instead of hitting more of a well placed setup shot and maybe getting my opponent off court I try to blast and force a crushing winner, and I hit some crazy highlight reel shots but also make a bit to many mistakes aswell, I need to be more smart about it and know when to gp for it or when to hit a setup shot or when tl even hit a defensive shot if needed.
Anyway I will for sure post some match play in the next weeks so you guys can see, hopefully I play a match soon, if not I just might post some point play to 7 or 11 from training or something.
This has already been discussed here 1000 times.
Boom!
Bender
G.O.A.T.
I play so loose, sometimes I drop the extra O in “loose” and go down in straights.
But to OP, just keep playing against this guy. Eventually you get past your nervousness and will be able to put these balls away nonchalantly.
Of course no guarantee that you’ll do the same against a new opponent, which is where tournaments come in.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
FiReFTW
Legend
For sure, I know I will improve and I am improving.
First few weeks when I started playing for points I couldnt play at all! Completely tight all match long and chokerror machine.
So I came a long way but I still have a long way to go before I trust miself fully and am confident and dont think past or future but stay only in the current point!
FiReFTW
Legend
I feel you!
TimeToPlaySets
Legend
Practice several hoppers of short ball approach.
Slice tends to float. You need a light touch.
Or a lot more topspin.
Approach shot is not the winner.
Place it. Don't crush it.
FiReFTW
Legend
fuzz nation
G.O.A.T.
Very encouraging. That early portion of the session where you were just playing points had you in exactly the frame of mind you're looking for out there - playing nothing more than just this point.
That's something I work on with my guys all the time. Plan the point, play the point, then hit the reset button and do it again. Doesn't matter whether you're up a set and a break, down by just as much, or dead even at two-all in a third set. The just-this-point mentality can keep us much more sharp and focused regardless of any match score. Is it easy? No. Can it be practiced and adopted? Yes indeed.
Trust me when I tell you that you sound like you're right on the brink of a breakthrough with this business. You can see your frustration and tightness making trouble for you. After you chew on this - remember that reflection and decision making we need to do away from the courts - you'll be able to recognize that frustration as nothing but a mental gremlin that messes up your game. Instead of letting yourself be victimized by it, you can take charge of your headspace and get used to ignoring that gremlin when it tries to creep in and offer you that mental ripcord.
Again, this takes a little work and some sober self-reflection when we're away from the courts. I've gone through it and some of the guys I've coached have, too. If you want to get better, you can't let the gremlin carry you off to drama-ville. When you recognize it knocking at your kitchen door with a bouquet of dead flowers wrapped with poison ivy (you absolutely can learn to see it coming), you only need to ask yourself, "Why am I out here?" If it's to earn an Academy Award, then you should give in to the gremlin. If it's to play a decent game, you can consciously decide to ignore that gremlin and keep on cookin'!
Morch Us
Hall of Fame
It may look like common sense adjustment, to be more consistent. But also please be aware that some players do well by nurturing that "alpha male" behavior, even if that means making more errors. Essentially, I can see, you want the point to be end on your own terms. You may not like it being pushed around, even though you win the point by your neutral/defensive skills.
FiReFTW
Legend
Very true, I like the points and the match to all be on my racquet, so I either win it or lose it but it was on my racquet.
Steady Eddy
Legend
If you get too serious about it, just quit tennis for a while. Come back when you can see it's just a game.
Or maybe don't come back to it at all? There's some good stuff to watch on Netflix.
Or maybe don't come back to it at all? There's some good stuff to watch on Netflix.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
So when my coach emailed me to "play lose", his darn spell-checker is why I've been losing so often??
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Bender
G.O.A.T.
...yes
Playing loose will always result in two Os.
If you drop the O in "loose" and lose, then your expression will be =O so in the end there are still two Os.
