"Keep Calm, you're only down a break"

[TimeToPlaySets]

This has been a big mental improvement for me.

I started a match today down 1-4
1-0
1-1
2-1
3-1
4-1

At 4-1, it feels like you've gotten your ass kicked.
Like it's already over.

I remind myself, Relax, you just need a break,
so it's like I'm only down ONE game.
This is a close match. RELAX. Play your game.

In this match, I came back to tie it up.
4-2
4-3
4-4



In another match, I was trailing the entire match after an early break.
1-0
2-0
3-0
3-1
4-1
4-2
5-2
5-3

Entire set, I am telling myself, Relax, you just need a break,
so it's like I'm only down ONE game.

5-4
5-5

Suddenly, we're back on serve, and it's a TIE GAME
(After feeling like the loser for the last 8 games and 45 mins)

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

@TimeToPlaySets - that is great mental toughness. Your next assignment, should you choose to accept it, would be to extend that attitude to any deficit, not just one break. No matter how far down you are, there is no time limit [hopefully] and your opponent can't claim victory until he wins that last point. So there is always room for a comeback, no matter how unlikely. Keep fighting.

This tape will self-destruct in 5 seconds...

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

@TimeToPlaySets - that is great mental toughness. Your next assignment, should you choose to accept it, would be to extend that attitude to any deficit, not just one break. No matter how far down you are, there is no time limit [hopefully] and your opponent can't claim victory until he wins that last point. So there is always room for a comeback, no matter how unlikely. Keep fighting.

This tape will self-destruct in 5 seconds...

Since my match scores are recorded and people look at them I'm always fighting for every last game I never give up because I want the deficit to be small even if I lose

 

[FiReFTW]

Interesting how many peoole break down and give up when trailing.
The more im losing the better I play, I reach a new level the more im getting my ass kicked.
Because my competitive nature and pride refuse to let him beat me like that and I reach some insane state of mind and focus.

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

Happened again.
I was down 1-3
Feels like you've lost the match already,
Kept calm and steady.
Finally caught up and was back on serve @ 7-8 (Was playing 10 game set)

 

[beltsman]

This has been a big mental improvement for me.

I started a match today down 1-4
1-0
1-1
2-1
3-1
4-1

At 4-1, it feels like you've gotten your ass kicked.
Like it's already over.

I remind myself, Relax, you just need a break,
so it's like I'm only down ONE game.
This is a close match. RELAX. Play your game.

In this match, I came back to tie it up.
4-2
4-3
4-4



In another match, I was trailing the entire match after an early break.
1-0
2-0
3-0
3-1
4-1
4-2
5-2
5-3

Entire set, I am telling myself, Relax, you just need a break,
so it's like I'm only down ONE game.

5-4
5-5

Suddenly, we're back on serve, and it's a TIE GAME
(After feeling like the loser for the last 8 games and 45 mins)

True nirvana: Once you are down 4-1, think "I am only 2 games away from losing this set - let me tank and conserve energy for the optimal comeback."

 

[FiReFTW]

True nirvana: Once you are down 4-1, think "I am only 2 games away from losing this set - let me tank and conserve energy for the optimal comeback."

Some people are the type that when they are losing they really give up, not by their own will but they are just the type of person that when they are losing see alot of negativity and how its over and the opponent was better and will win... so their level drops and they lose even faster.

Im the type where if im losing I get even more riled up since im very competitive and refuse to lose, so my level and focus gets better and better.

But my problem is when im up alot my level is prone to dropping , because subconsciously I already won in my mind and I start underestimating my opponent and playing too casual.

There are some ppl who are very good at leading tho and their level doesnt drop always i need to work on that

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

I never let up when ahead. I try even harder to kill off the opponent.
I have lost a 5-0 lead, and don't plan on doing that again.

 

[Dartagnan64]

I try to always play like I'm down a break. Keep in that mentality whether way ahead or way behind. That way you still feel hopeful but aren't getting cocky.

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

Quick bump dedicated to Stan the man's 2nd set comeback last night !

 

[Ash_Smith]

The way tennis scoring works, your job very rarely changes (although you get a bit less margin for error). At the start of the set you need to win 6 games, at 0-4 your job hasn't changed, you still need to win 6 games. The same is true of in-game scoring. At the start of a game you need to win 4 points, at 0-30 you still need to win 4 points.

Once you accept and understand this way of thinking it frees you up to focus on the things you need be doing to win those points or games rather than focussing on the state of the score.

 

[user92626]

The way tennis scoring works, your job very rarely changes (although you get a bit less margin for error). At the start of the set you need to win 6 games, at 0-4 your job hasn't changed, you still need to win 6 games. The same is true of in-game scoring. At the start of a game you need to win 4 points, at 0-30 you still need to win 4 points.

Once you accept and understand this way of thinking it frees you up to focus on the things you need be doing to win those points or games rather than focussing on the state of the score.

I am not sure, Mr Smith.

At 0-4, I would be thinking all my effort has been a waste. I still have the whole course to run while my opponent only has a third left. If I'were on the other side, I would be thinking the same thing too and would exploit the situation for 2nd set!

Focusing on the task at hand is generally a good advice. It's some sort of skill actually -- you know being oblivious to contexts, external factors, eg able to ignore your unwanted pregnancy, company downsizing that you were informed earlier. That's tough to do with the mind.

 

[Ash_Smith]

^^^ That's why these things are mental skills - they are skills which have to leanred and practiced like any other.

At 4-0 you would be thinking your effort had been a waste - that's the point, its about training yourself to tell yourself a different story!

 

[ptuanminh]

Don't know why but when i am down a break, i am very motivated to break back. If i am down 2 breaks, i get mad and try to raise my level. Guess i am the opposite of front-runner.

 

[Dragy]

^^^ That's why these things are mental skills - they are skills which have to leanred and practiced like any other.

At 4-0 you would be thinking your effort had been a waste - that's the point, its about training yourself to tell yourself a different story!

What about having lost 2 games on your serve already is not the same route to make compared to when you just need to hold and make 1 break? Now you can argue for various leagues and levels and particular players there may be no huge advantage for the server, and then there’s more truth in such approach...

 

[user92626]

^^^ That's why these things are mental skills - they are skills which have to leanred and practiced like any other.

At 4-0 you would be thinking your effort had been a waste - that's the point, its about training yourself to tell yourself a different story!

This kind of mental skills that you're speaking of reminds me of Forrest Gump. He is not aware of the point of football or anything about it. He just runs as fast as he can when he's told, and it works out great!

Gump probabaly has reached the pinnacle of this skill that you're referring to. Total oblivion. LOL

 

[user92626]

Don't know why but when i am down a break, i am very motivated to break back. If i am down 2 breaks, i get mad and try to raise my level. Guess i am the opposite of front-runner.

Ehh motivation is a bit (uh very) different from telling your mind to be unaware, unaffected by the score that you can still perform as if the score wasn't there.

You seem trying to hard to agree with mr. Smith as even to bring on an irrelevant point

I'm all for motivation (which is a diff from what we're talking here) but factually it ain't bad to know your limits or be mindful of where you are, ie don't need to develop that kind of skill that Mr. Smith was talking about. Case in point, world #1 Djokovic clearly quit when he felt his body's taken enough.

 

[thehustler]

I've learned if you play enough you'll run into most scoring situations. I've been down 5-0 and come back and been up by the same and blown it. I've saved match points and blown them. I've played strong to start, then went on a walkabout only to come back and also had it where I just don't come back mentally for one reason or another. It's important to be ok with all of it though. As I've gotten older I've had to get smarter because my body isn't getting faster. I've had to use more strategy than just getting every darn ball back. I've learned to come up with better game plans and focus on executing those more than what the score is. I find if I plan my work and work my plan good things come to me. That may not work each time as your plan could be flawed against your opponent, but that's why we go out there, to have fun, to learn from our successes and mistakes. I think the better you get the less you can focus on the score. The more confident you can be about coming back.

 

[sureshs]

This has been a big mental improvement for me.

I started a match today down 1-4
1-0
1-1
2-1
3-1
4-1

At 4-1, it feels like you've gotten your ass kicked.
Like it's already over.

I remind myself, Relax, you just need a break,
so it's like I'm only down ONE game.
This is a close match. RELAX. Play your game.

In this match, I came back to tie it up.
4-2
4-3
4-4



In another match, I was trailing the entire match after an early break.
1-0
2-0
3-0
3-1
4-1
4-2
5-2
5-3

Entire set, I am telling myself, Relax, you just need a break,
so it's like I'm only down ONE game.

5-4
5-5

Suddenly, we're back on serve, and it's a TIE GAME
(After feeling like the loser for the last 8 games and 45 mins)

What were the final outcomes of these matches?

 

[EddieBrock]

It's amazing to me how your mind works during matches. Keeping in mind you are only down a break or 2 is obviously very helpful. My mind races constantly during a match, providing more commentary than ESPN. If I'm down I'll sometimes start playing much better. One match I lost the first set like 6-1 and was down 5-1 or 5-2 with my opponent serving. All of a sudden I had a feeling like "being tight isn't working and I'm probably going to lose anyway, so why not relax and swing out". After that I broke him in a multiple deuce game and then got back to 5-5 and won the set in a tiebreak.

In one of my more recent matches I was winning easily according to the scoreboard, but kept thinking things like "I'm only up a break. Can you imagine if I lost the next 2 points, lose serve, then end up losing after being up a break?" Even when I was up 2 breaks and then up a set and a break I kept thinking about how close the games were an how embarrassing it would be to lose after being up so far. I was wondering if my serve would continue to hold up and if I could continue to win games playing the way I was. I only relaxed when I was a few points away I could see my opponent getting upset and making easy mistake.

Something else I noticed is I play much better with no pressure and no one watching. On the other hand I talked to someone who said when no one is watching he feels like it doesn't matter how he plays and he players much better with an audience or during pressure situations.

 

[sureshs]

Brad Gilbert has written that if you are up a point, think that you are down a point.

 

[user92626]

Brad Gilbert has written that if you are up a point, think that you are down a point.

That's a neat concept.

but don't u think it targets a specific mindset? Like, if someone thrives on the positive or thrives on the negative. Positive reinforcement vs negative reinforcement. Which one works for u

 

[Ash_Smith]

Something else I noticed is I play much better with no pressure and no one watching. On the other hand I talked to someone who said when no one is watching he feels like it doesn't matter how he plays and he players much better with an audience or during pressure situations.

These are choices not actual things - you can choose to play as well when someone is watching and equally he can choose to play as well with no audience as he does with an audience.

 

[EddieBrock]

These are choices not actual things - you can choose to play as well when someone is watching and equally he can choose to play as well with no audience as he does with an audience.

How do I choose to play well with someone watching? If I'm playing and I see someone watching all a sudden my body will tighten up and I feel self conscious.

 

[user92626]

@EddieBrock

I have heard that if you imagined them naked, you'd loosen up. Or tighten up, I don't remember.

My trick is I imagine I'm naked and feel very proud. I'd perform well.

 

[thehustler]

I've learned to just block out what's around me. By the park I frequent they're building the new community center, so there's lots of construction noise. We're right by basketball courts and sometimes those get noisy. Far enough away (sometimes) there's loud kids playing. There's benches by the tennis courts that people sit on and sometimes watch us play, or do whatever. It gets windy. It gets sunny. The sun hides behind the clouds then peeks out at random times. I just focus on playing my opponent and not worrying about what's going on around me. I've seen too many players who focus on the external and try to use it as an excuse.

 

[thehustler]

That's a neat concept.

but don't u think it targets a specific mindset? Like, if someone thrives on the positive or thrives on the negative. Positive reinforcement vs negative reinforcement. Which one works for u

Yeah I think that would be more of a mindset thing. I mean how long can you go thinking you're down? Hmm I won the game, that's odd, I swear I was down 0-40. No idea how I won that game.

 

[Power Player]

Im such a slow starter sometimes that i often find myself down a set and have to tell myself “its ok, you are only down 1 set”

 

[ptuanminh]

Ehh motivation is a bit (uh very) different from telling your mind to be unaware, unaffected by the score that you can still perform as if the score wasn't there.

You seem trying to hard to agree with mr. Smith as even to bring on an irrelevant point

I'm all for motivation (which is a diff from what we're talking here) but factually it ain't bad to know your limits or be mindful of where you are, ie don't need to develop that kind of skill that Mr. Smith was talking about. Case in point, world #1 Djokovic clearly quit when he felt his body's taken enough.

What makes you think i am trying to agree with mr. Smith? I am bring on a point. I don't think i mentioned telling the mind to be unaware or unaffected here.

 

[user92626]

What makes you think i am trying to agree with mr. Smith? I am bring on a point. I don't think i mentioned telling the mind to be unaware or unaffected here.

OK You were not trying to agree with him then

Still, motivation is different from this aforementioned mindset skill, imo.

 

[sureshs]

How do I choose to play well with someone watching? If I'm playing and I see someone watching all a sudden my body will tighten up and I feel self conscious.

Yeah it is well known that even seasoned pros can feel added pressure from certain audiences

 

[ptuanminh]

OK You were not trying to agree with him then

Still, motivation is different from this aforementioned mindset skill, imo.

Hard to say. People find motivation from different source, they are motivated by different things. Wherever you try to find power of will to come up with a win, thats motivation, imo.
On a side note, i just played a 4.0 tournament match today. I was down a double break in the first set 1-4. . I managed to win the next 11 games to win the match 4 and 0.

 

[user92626]

Hard to say. People find motivation from different source, they are motivated by different things. Wherever you try to find power of will to come up with a win, thats motivation, imo.
On a side note, i just played a 4.0 tournament match today. I was down a double break in the first set 1-4. . I managed to win the next 11 games to win the match 4 and 0.

Interesting. Did you suddenly click and/or your opponent roll his ankle? At 1-4 junction.

 

[ptuanminh]

Interesting. Did you suddenly click and/or your opponent roll his ankle? At 1-4 junction.

My opponent looked healthy, still can serve and run around. We had some lung busters.
What i did right is: I had belief that i can win and i waited for my opportunities - thats when my opponent serve level dropped. I broke him and moved in for the kill to win the next 2 games.
After that, i pretty much destroyed his confidence.