New Year's resolutions - tennis edition

[OrangePower]

2012 New Year's resolutions - revisited

It's that time of the year again...

What are your tennis-related resolutions for the new year?

My top three:
1. Improve fitness / movement / agility.
2. Develop 1HBH to use when pulled out wide (usually use 2HBH)
3. Work on service placement


EDIT: A year has gone by since I wrote this note... How did you fare with your 2012 resolutions?

 

[jonnyjack]

1. Control my temper (same as last year but I still had a couple blow ups this past year but have improved a lot, haha).
2. More consistent second serves, maybe a higher toss. Actually, it's consistently into the net as opposed to long so that's bad.
3. Improve semi-western forehand to use as a weapon as I normally hit a continental forehand slice with full western forehand mixed in when I have the time to set up. My forehand is not an offensive weapon enough.

 

[Cindysphinx]

1. Need to poach more off of weak serves.

2. Need to figure out a better serve from the ad court.

3. Need to slice mid-court balls (and come in more often).

 

[j00dypoo]

1. Go out and play.

 

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Lose 50 pounds ....

Play more singles ....

Become more aggressive at the net in doubles ....

 

[Angle Queen]

Good idea for a thread.

1. Improve fitness. To that end, I began an hour-long, quite intense, aqua-aerobics class this month. Will continue to schedule one singles hitting/practice session a week. I'm normally a doubles player so the extra work is needed.
2. Better return-of-serves. We lose games when my ROS is "off." Some days it needs to be more consistent - other days, more aggressive. I need to recognize those situations sooner and make the appropriate adjustments.
3. Increase depth of shots. Be it groundstroke or volley, more depth either becomes an outright winner or forces a weak reply...that becomes the winner (for me OR my partner!).

Now...not so much my resolution but more on my "wish" list (of something I'm willing to work on A LOT but not necessarily use until ready) is a kick serve. Maybe I can teach this ole dog a new trick.

Happy New Year everyone!

 

[catfish]

1. Lose 8 - 10 lbs.

2. Work on my poor footwork.

3. Play more singles.

 

[andfor]

1. Develop 130+ mph serve.
2. improve vertical jump to 40 inches.
3. Obtain elusive ATP ranking.

 

[InspectorRacquet]

1. Not allow backhand to be squashed by power

2. Not bomb the (very inaccurate) first serve every time - hold back and just used a pumped-up second serve to lessen double faults

3. Serve and volley at least once per match (hopefully at least once per set)

 

[maggmaster]

1. Develop my flattened out backhand into a more consistent forcing shot for doubles.

2. Improve the placement of my backhand and forehand slices also for doubles.

3. Develop a true kick serve, right now I have a topspin slice as my second serve.

 

[yonexpurestorm]

win an open tournament this year.

 

[dlk]

Lose more weight.

 

[adamX012]

OP, only one resolution.....

BEAT UP MY Opponents with my tricky skills...

 

[kelawai]

Control my temper (getting better each year)
Protect my racquets
At 45+, watch my weight

Happy New Year!

 

[jaggy]

I have eye issues related to diabetes so hopefully get that fixed, lose some weight and just play

 

[sureshs]

Run faster

 

[Bergboy123]

1. Seriously devote myself to weight training
2. Beef up my serve (1st power, 2nd consistency)
3. Finish turning my forehand into a legitimate weapon
4. Win a tournament?

 

[Kurte954]

1. Increase fitness and flexibility and lose 50 lbs by June.

2. Improve offensive shots on short balls and put-aways

3. Win my local 3.0 flex league

 

[Sentinel]

Get out of house.

 

[DaynaDawn]

As a life-long fan and total beginner player, I resolve this Spring to be the year I have the guts to join my local league!

 

[jedd]

Play every day

 

[West Coast Ace]

Hit with more of the So Cal guys on these boards.

 

[Shaolin]

Lose weight. Not eating sweets (candy,cookies, ice cream etc) for a whole year.

Wish I was in the LA area more often to hit with you, WCA.

 

[g4driver]

1) Gain ten pounds...bionic metabolisms are a $itch.

2) Transform my 2HBH overhead into a pure weapon...make opponents think twice about lobbing me in any direction.

3) Illicit the response "How does he get to the net so damn fast?" at least once in the first set.

Happy New Year guys!

 

[mmk]

Strengthen my hamstrings so I don't pull them so often

Try to play more than once in the 11 weeks I'll be out of the country

Develop a better 2nd serve

 

[chollyred]

Lose a bunch of weight.

Strengthen leg muscles to stabilize the knees.

Work real hard on my net game. I'm entirely too timid at the net.

 

[stoo]

My New Year's resolution is that I've decided I'm going to give up my club membership for this coming season, which eliminates playing any club tournaments, leagues and matches. I'm also going to give up playing matches period, even with our pick up group that goes out week nights.

My only intention this year when I step on the court is to hit with no points. Rally with no goal other than to hit the ball across the net and experience tennis in it purest form. No stress of break points, no worrying about missed calls, and no double faults. The competitive desire has left me and already it feels good. Even with 4" of snow on the ground.

 

[leech]

1) Join the 40-person singles ladder at my club and reach #20

2) Get some USTA league experience playing mixed doubles and get invited to a men's league this spring

 

[precision2b]

1. Improve fitness: I need to lose a few pounds…
2. Become more aggressive at the net in doubles: I mainly play singles…
3. Play more doubles: As it is now I can’t play singles at all because of pain…

I hope I will be able to play any at all this year. I started having problems with my hip and lower back a few weeks ago. Had an X ray done and the report states: Degenerative Arthritis in lower back and hip. I have a MRI set up for the 19th and a Physical Therapy consult for the 23rd.

Man this is killing me. I was playing singles 3 to 4 times a week, now am only playing doubles on Saturday. If anybody has any advice it would be greatly appreciated …

 

[skiracer55]

Great, another convert...

win an open tournament this year.

...my goal, too, good luck ta ya...

 

[GRANITECHIEF]

Hit with more of the So Cal guys on these boards.

Great idea, same here. Also to extend unbeaten record of playing TT guys.

 

[maleyoyo]

1. Get the Sport Silent Partner ball machine
2. Get 150 Tretorn tennis balls
3. Use them twice a week one hour each time, weather permitted
4. Hit 150 serves after each session

 

[westside]

1) Go the whole year without thinking about trying a new racquet (10 days in and i'm struggling )

2) Control my temper more. I seem to be getting real ticked off, even in a friendly hit with mates. They can't believe what they're seeing since i'm usually the care free one of the group.

3) Look for more power on my first serve and greater consistency on my second.

 

[SlapShot]

1. Get more fit - both in general and on the court. To that end, I bought myself an indoor trainer for my road bike, and am getting up 3-4 mornings a week an hour early to ride. Also doing more drills that are more stressful on the body than a real tennis match.

2. Win at least 5 4.5 singles matches, either in tourneys or league. I'm a relatively experienced doubles player, and my singles tends to lag a half a level behind, despite having all of the weapons to succeed, and at some point it just comes down to getting the job done. Going to learn how to do that this year.

3. Turn my movement into a weapon. Goes along with #1 (getting more fit), but I'm way too athletic to be as slow on the court as I am right now. I have lazy feet, and they cost me lots of points. Going to change that - still trying to figure out exactly how.

 

[MrCLEAN]

1. Get back in the gym

2. Qualify for the year end championships

 

[MrCLEAN]

My New Year's resolution is that I've decided I'm going to give up my club membership for this coming season, which eliminates playing any club tournaments, leagues and matches. I'm also going to give up playing matches period, even with our pick up group that goes out week nights.

My only intention this year when I step on the court is to hit with no points. Rally with no goal other than to hit the ball across the net and experience tennis in it purest form. No stress of break points, no worrying about missed calls, and no double faults. The competitive desire has left me and already it feels good. Even with 4" of snow on the ground.

Been there. Just hitting balls is very theraputic, but I've been down that road enough to know that the fire always returns.

Enjoy your year off!

 

[Angle Queen]

1. Get more fit - both in general and on the court. To that end, I bought myself an indoor trainer for my road bike, and am getting up 3-4 mornings a week an hour early to ride. Also doing more drills that are more stressful on the body than a real tennis match.

2. Win at least 5 4.5 singles matches, either in tourneys or league. I'm a relatively experienced doubles player, and my singles tends to lag a half a level behind, despite having all of the weapons to succeed, and at some point it just comes down to getting the job done. Going to learn how to do that this year.

3. Turn my movement into a weapon. Goes along with #1 (getting more fit), but I'm way too athletic to be as slow on the court as I am right now. I have lazy feet, and they cost me lots of points. Going to change that - still trying to figure out exactly how.

Me and thee, SlapShot. I'm still doing well in my AquaAerobics class and will add another land-based Zumba class on the last two weeks of each month (logistics keep it from being more frequent).

And, like you, I do more doubles and have been ramping up my singles game. I'll amend my resolutions to provide a concrete goal: win 2 4.0 singles matches (preferably USTA but I'll take a social-but-serious engagement too).

And I have a suggestion for you on the footwork side. Might ye be married or attached? Might the SO be interested in a couples dance class? Fox Trot or Waltz maybe even some Latin; it'll all help the footwork...and give you some Major Brownie Points. Seriously, many athletes can benefit from some formal (but fun) dance training.

 

[SlapShot]

And I have a suggestion for you on the footwork side. Might ye be married or attached? Might the SO be interested in a couples dance class? Fox Trot or Waltz maybe even some Latin; it'll all help the footwork...and give you some Major Brownie Points. Seriously, many athletes can benefit from some formal (but fun) dance training.

I am not currently married, and may soon be unattached on the whole, but maybe that would give me some incentive to learn to dance anyway....

I had somewhat formal dancing training in HS (my band director played in wedding bands on the wide, and he loathed seeing a new husband and wife who couldn't dance properly at their own wedding), but could use a brush up.

 

[heftylefty]

1. Get into better shape. Need to lose more than a few lbs.

2. Enter more USTA events. Only played Long Beach Seniors 45s in 2011 and got humbled.

3. Find a practice partern that like to drill at least 2x week.

ps: WestCoast, lets hit.

 

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

1. Improve fitness (I spend too much time standing around feeding balls)

2. Work harder to get in position to hit my TS BH rather than slicing everything just because a) I can b) I'm lazy

3. Play more Open tournaments (while I can still compete)

4. Play doubles with my sons more.

5. Convince my wife (a former Open player who still hits the ball beautifully) to play an age tournament or something intead of just hitting with me all the time!

6. Make the most of every day I'm given...

 

[gameboy]

Manage my rotator cuff tear...

 

[CityTennis22]

Beef up my forehand
Step into my ROS more often
Work a flat serve into the rotation with my kicker and slice
Obtain fortune and glory

 

[Angle Queen]

^^

Bump...mostly for comparison (maybe...OrangePower, you could modify the title so as to not confuse with the current year's thread).

As for my personal update, I only played 3 USTA singles matches against 4.0s (I was a 3.5). I went 1-2...but I liked both "loss" results. One was a relative beatdown (scorewise), albeit from a top-end 4.0 who went to the National finals last year (and didn't get bumped up). Still, I took 3 games and was "in" most of the others. Her experience clearly shone through, playing the big points BIG.

The second loss was a hard-fought one that I lost 10-7 in the 3rd-set TB.

And, FWIW, all three of my opponents were 50+ (read: even older than me!), very delightful ladies and we had not the slightest drip-drop of drama.

 

[OrangePower]

^^

Bump...mostly for comparison (maybe...OrangePower, you could modify the title so as to not confuse with the current year's thread).

Good idea; updated title and orig post.

My top three from last year:
1. Improve fitness / movement / agility.
2. Develop 1HBH to use when pulled out wide (usually use 2HBH)
3. Work on service placement

I have actually become significantly more effective with serve placement, so #3 is achieved.

#2 is a partial. I'm hitting that shot better but it is still not where it needs to be.

Unfortunately I'm no better off re my top goal
So that's still what I need to work on most.

To misquote Angle Queen... Just another singles player looking to age well

 

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Lose 50 pounds ....

Play more singles ....

Become more aggressive at the net in doubles ....

2 Out of 3 aint bad

50 Pounds .... Check

More Singles .... Nope

More Aggressive in Dubs ... Check

 

[Mike Y]

I hope to have a winning record next year. I had a losing record last year in my 1st year at 4.5, but it was all in singles and I had a very tough schedule. I plan on making my 1st and 2nd serve more effective, and making my forehand more automatic in hitting winners on short balls. I worked on perfecting my backhand so much last year that I missed too many easy forehands, which is usually my strength. I also plan on being more of a force in doubles, I am joining a better team than I was on last year and I may not be needed as much in singles and may get more doubles playing time, so I hope to show myself as a top doubles option, instead of being considered as only a singles option. I also hope to maintain my fitness level. Especially since I feel like I have gained weight during these holidays.