Need to get rid of passivity

[Koaske]

Whenever I'm playing in a match, I almost always find myself playing rather passively in the second set, if I have won the first one. However, I think it's more of a mental problem than physical, because if I have lost the first set,
I usually play better in the second.
I'd appreciate if you people could give me some good tips on how to get rid of this kind of problem. Thanks in advance!

 

[ramseszerg]

Lie to yourself and tell yourself that you are losing. It works!

 

[pro_staff]

Lie to yourself and tell yourself that you are losing. It works!

this is what i do sometimes. especially when i'm up 5-4 and serving out the match. and when i win the first set, i try to change my playing style so the opponent doesn't get use to one strategy and it keeps me on my toes.

 

[EliteNinja]

Try to take more balls on the rise.
This helps me focus on being agressive tennis and not playing defensive/passive/on-the-back-foot tennis.

 

[papa]

this is what i do sometimes. especially when i'm up 5-4 and serving out the match. and when i win the first set, i try to change my playing style so the opponent doesn't get use to one strategy and it keeps me on my toes.

I would hope most (if not always) of the time you "stay" with a winning strategy - "change" it when you lose.

 

[tonysk83]

After watching my schools 3 doubles team throw away the championship in a tournament, it was brutal watching them play passive when they were up. They come back in the 1st set from 1-4 to win it 7-5. They lose the second set 1-6, in the third they are up 5-2, with 8 match points and they couldn't close it off. It was like they decided, these guys are hitting too hard, and want it more, so lets just block them back and get this over with.

It is a big problem when winning the 1st, losing your fire and losing the match. I typically after winning the 1st set don't try to get pumped up again or anything like that. I just try to keep the same attitude as the first set which was hopefully just hitting hard. Keeping your strokes up is the hardest thing for me. You need to trust all your shots, even if you have a weak backhand, and could possibly get around it with a forehand, you need to just trust yourself and hit it. Can't slow your strokes down, keep going for the big shots in the second, possibly even go for more risky shots just to keep your confidence up.

 

[Vlad]

Me, on the other hand very often play my best tennis in the second set (often I win it 6-1, 6-2) if I lose the first one.. but then in the third set, I start to play more tight and passive and therefore losing... I was even up 5-1 in third set in one match and still ended up losing 5-7..... Its very very frustrating to not be able to play best tennis in big moment of the match..

So, the similar pattern happened in 5 of my last 8 matches..

 

[papa]

Well, I think a great deal of this has to do with getting a lead and then trying to "protect" the lead by playing defensive - generally, regardless of the sport, doesn't work very well. If there is a "clock" involved it might work but it won't in tennis.

Keep doing whatever it was that got you the lead in the first place rather than sitting back and hoping the opponents will screw up.

Lots of players fail to realize that when your opponent(s) fall behind in a match, they often will play much better. Yes, some fold but most good players step it up a notch so be very carefull when you win the first set. Some call it the "angry bear" snydrome but whatever you call it, its there.