I need help playing matches

[Fatmike]

I play in a league with 6 levels. I'm ranked level 6 (out of 6) with 4 other players. We are 30 overall, 5 on each level.

I can hit and stay in matches against all of these players. I play practices matches 3 times a week with players ranked lvls 3,4 and 5. I have a good serve and forehand and a decent backhand. I win my share of these practices matches but each time I play a league match (in the league we only play against people on the same lvl) I tend to change my game a lot trying to minimise errors and I then become a pusher. I become all tensed, my serve and forehand always break-up and I hold all my shots, and stop completing follow through on my shots (like I stop the racquet in front of me). I decelerate in shots because I'm afraid of missing. Then I start missing and start pushing a lot more.
I still win a lot of matches (I have a 9 win - 3 losses record so far) but I can't play my game. Yesterday I played against the lowest ranked lvl 6 player and after taking the lead 3-0, I lost 8-4 (these matches are pro-set). The other player only hitted high moonball and I became very unsure of my strokes. I made him run but since he returned high balls I always had to rebuild the point and I lost patience, made errors and lost confidence.

That match was the worst I played in a long time but, like I said, I can't let go my shots in these matches. I win by pushing and I don't like that. A few weeks ago, the "pro" in charge of the league who is a friend of mine and also give me lessons once in a while told me that my victories had a "taste of loss" (thats translation from french, does that makes sense?).

I was thinking to buy that book from Brad Gilbert, wininig uglly, but then I thougth that's exactly what I'm doing and I'm tired of this. I mean, I'm not having any fun anymore.

Any comments, sugestions?

 

[Steady Eddy]

First of all, just because you beat someone in a practice match, doen't necessarily mean you're better. People lose practice matches for lots of reasons. The best players don't so much try to win practice matches, but use them to work on their weaker shots.

I'm like you. I can win pushing, I'd rather win by charging the net but that's not how it's worked out. Maybe you can become a great offensive player someday by working on those skills. But sometimes it doesn't work out that way, and you have to be content with being a winning player, even if the way you win isn't glamorous. Time will tell. I don't know of any way to change things in the short term.

 

[5263]

Do you have a clear pic in your head of how you want to hit and win?

Can you describe this for us?

 

[Jim A]

would you rather lose pushing or not having faith in your strokes or run the risk of losing and go down with the game you know you have?

whenever i get tight and start giving away points, I just remind myself that if I'm going to make errors, I want to make them playing the way I should be playing and force myself to hit out a bit, you can still rally and take control of the point with the moonballer, wait for the short ball

 

[Fatmike]

would you rather lose pushing or not having faith in your strokes or run the risk of losing and go down with the game you know you have?

whenever i get tight and start giving away points, I just remind myself that if I'm going to make errors, I want to make them playing the way I should be playing and force myself to hit out a bit, you can still rally and take control of the point with the moonballer, wait for the short ball

That's what I need to do.... When I start pushing and make errors I curse at myself saying that I should play my game instead... I won't make more errors anyway.... but I always get into that pushing patten anyway

 

[Fatmike]

First of all, just because you beat someone in a practice match, doen't necessarily mean you're better. People lose practice matches for lots of reasons. The best players don't so much try to win practice matches, but use them to work on their weaker shots.

I'm like you. I can win pushing, I'd rather win by charging the net but that's not how it's worked out. Maybe you can become a great offensive player someday by working on those skills. But sometimes it doesn't work out that way, and you have to be content with being a winning player, even if the way you win isn't glamorous. Time will tell. I don't know of any way to change things in the short term.

In practice matches I play against better player and sometimes win. When I win those better players don't go easy on me. They want to win every points. When I lose, I still give decent matches to those players. (Like 6-4, 7-5)

I'd rather lose playing my style then win by pushing. You'll say just do it, but it's seems impossible for me....

 

[Fatmike]

Do you have a clear pic in your head of how you want to hit and win?

Can you describe this for us?

I'm trying to be an offensive baseliner with a strong and heavy forehand.

I also have a big serve.

When that big serve or forehand come back I try to give more in those shots then start breaking up. Then I'm afraid of missing then start pushing. Always the same pattern....

 

[TheGreatestAudia]

Pushing is not the worst thing to happen to your tennis game. LOTS of pros rely on "pushing" in any given match. Yes, everyone wants to play all out aggressive tennis and take it to their opponent but, you have to play percentages no matter what style you play. If your opponent is dumping them into the net after 3 hits every point, why stretch yourself for the winner on the first shot if it isn't a high percentage shot? How do you move up in this league? By winning matches or by being more aggressive? You will soon get to the point where you will have to be more aggressive on certain shots as you move up. Trust me.

 

[Fatmike]

Pushing is not the worst thing to happen to your tennis game. LOTS of pros rely on "pushing" in any given match. Yes, everyone wants to play all out aggressive tennis and take it to their opponent but, you have to play percentages no matter what style you play. If your opponent is dumping them into the net after 3 hits every point, why stretch yourself for the winner on the first shot if it isn't a high percentage shot? How do you move up in this league? By winning matches or by being more aggressive? You will soon get to the point where you will have to be more aggressive on certain shots as you move up. Trust me.

I agree with you. It's not pushing that bothers me. It's not being able to hit the same way I hit when the results of our matches aren't compiled somewhere.

 

[mikeler]

I agree with you. It's not pushing that bothers me. It's not being able to hit the same way I hit when the results of our matches aren't compiled somewhere.

Sounds like you get the yips when playing for something (league title etc). Do some searches in the forums for how to deal with nerves.

 

[LeeD]

Everyone has to balance WINNING tennis against Artform tennis.
Same with EVERY sport ever.... do you play to succeed by the score or do you play to do it well in the form catagory?
A mixture of both is the best, as you know.
So play a few matches for the artform, going for the shots, looking like a pro, and see what happens. Mainly, push on the critical points, and hit out on the non important points. Best of both worlds.
Then when you get more consistent, you can hit out EVERY point and still play your best tennis.
Just years of playing compeititively gives you that mental edge.