Should I go back to competitive tennis?

[hewittfan3]

I am struggling on a decision to join a usta team. I graduated last year from high school and i played 3 singles.. we had a very good team and overall it was pretty fun cuz i always won my matches...but i would get so nervous before a match that it was overwhelming. I really like to hit around with just my friends but people are telling me that I should really play competitively...my high school tennis coach is trying to recruit me for his 4.0 team and i just am not sure im ready to go back...Have any suggestions?

 

[raiden031]

Do it. I reget the years wasted that I was playing as a weekend warrior and not competitively. I'm sure you'll get over the nervousness before a match since its different as an adult on their leagues. Teammates and opponents usually seem pretty well composed on a match day so you'll realize its not that big a deal and there's not much to get nervous about. Maybe in a playoff match it might be different, but I haven't played one yet so I don't know.

 

[saram]

I would definitely do it. I would use the first year at USTA league tennis as a building block. You may find that there is too much politics in the USTA and that playing doubles sucks as well--but you will make a while lot of friends, get the nerves out of the way and if you are a singles player--you'll develop your volleys for singles play in tournaments down the road.

 

[hewittfan3]

Yeah..I see where your coming from saying that its not as nervewrecking in the adult leagues...i know half the teams just do it for fun and could care less if they lose...thats actually kind of what im looking for...its kind of weird though cuz i do well under pressure but i also suck under pressure...

for example: i play my best tennis when a lot of people are watching me

but i play my worst tennis when closing out a match...i was up 5-0 in a third set against someone last year and barely won the set 7-5...that was horrible and i dont ever want to do that again

 

[saram]

^^This comes down to time playing competitive matches. Pressure builds character in any realm of life. In time, you will find yourself able to close out matches under pressure. Believe it or not, it is a time in a match when you really have to talk to yourself less or the negative talk will come in. You probably find yourself saying things like this right now:

"Don't double fault"

When you should be saying

"First serve in to his backhand and then I'll come in behind it".

It is all about staying positive and thinking positive in critical times.

 

[hewittfan3]

yeah..thats pretty much what everybody keeps telling me...but even with the adult league atmosphere i know i will still get nervous just because of my competitiveness....but i do know the guys on the team and they are all very nice...so yeah idk still not sure yet

 

[Cindysphinx]

Aw, go on.

It will build character. It will be challenging.

But best of all, you *will* win some matches. You will at times hit just the right shot at just the right time, even though your opponent was giving 100% to stop you. You will at times hold at triple set point down.

There is simply no better feeling than that.

Oh, and your opponent is nervous too. Trust me.

 

[dgrave2]

I'm always nervous the first few points.. after that the adrenaline takes over and im out to win it! :twisted:

 

[cak]

It won't hurt you to wait a few years until you really want to go back and play competitively, if ever. No point in doing it if it's not fun for you.

That said, USTA league tennis is much less intense than high school tennis. The teams are loosely formed, most of the time you are playing for yourself, not the team, and certainly not something as big as your school. If you happen to belong to a club you might actually have fans, but they are pretty much happy if you hit a few good shots, and are sparkling at the end of the year party. In other words, chances of you being the goat if you choke in USTA tennis is pretty much nil. It's hard to tell from this particular board, but in general people have much more important things going on in their lives, and are using competitive tennis as an athletic outlet rather than a reason for being. So there is much less pressure. You do occasionally run into the folks who play the headgames discussed on this board, but the vast majority of people playing USTA are fun to play with. And despite the talk of sandbaggers, most your matches will likely be with people that are close to your level, so they'll be competitive matches that are really filled with those amazing points you remember a week later. I've met many a lovely opponent I've turned into a friend. So it's a good way to fill your tennis rolodex with hitting partners you want to be on the court with.

 

[JavierLW]

Yeah..I see where your coming from saying that its not as nervewrecking in the adult leagues...i know half the teams just do it for fun and could care less if they lose...thats actually kind of what im looking for...its kind of weird though cuz i do well under pressure but i also suck under pressure...

for example: i play my best tennis when a lot of people are watching me

but i play my worst tennis when closing out a match...i was up 5-0 in a third set against someone last year and barely won the set 7-5...that was horrible and i dont ever want to do that again

Closing out matches is one of the hardest things for some people to get used to when they are getting into playing competitively.

The main problem is you are probally worried about the score out there and you are losing focus on what you've been doing successfully for 5 games. I think we've all been there.

It's the same in other sport as well. It's like star players in the NBA who can make the last second basket to win the game. If they asked them how they manage to do that, the successful ones are the ones who can block out the situation and just do what they are good at, rather than let the situation overwelm them.

The same with playing competitively. Whether you are playing for fun or competitively, you still have to go out there and hit the ball and you probally want to play well in either event. So that's all you really need to focus on just picture yourself playing good tennis and the rest will take care of itself.

I always notice that the better tennis players (the ones that everyone considers to be the "best" at any level you are in because they win all the time) out there are not getting nervous and they are never in the least bit worried about whether they are going to win or not.

They either are convinced already that they are going to win, or they just dont pay much attention to it because they are just focused on playing their best.

Im not saying it's easy to have that mindset, but the point is if they dont have to worry that much and they still manage to win, then there isnt any reason for anyone else to either.

 

[hewittfan3]

yeah i actually would be playing for a club. My high school tennis coach actually just bought a tennis facility and now hes making a team for it and he wants me too play.. I want to try match play again but to step right back into a usta league might be tough. I think I would like it though

 

[goober]

Well I will take a different view. Personally if you don't enjoy competitive tennis, I don't see why you should push yourself into it. Just because other people are telling you that you should do it, doesn't it mean you should. Obviously something is holding you back or you wouldn't be asking. This is my 3rd year of USTA tennis and sometimes I wonder if it is really worth it. Last year I played a lot of tourneys and leagues. There is a lot of driving and time commitments especially at tourneys. This year I am having a lot more fun just playing social doubles and nonUSTA leagues.

 

[JavierLW]

yeah i actually would be playing for a club. My high school tennis coach actually just bought a tennis facility and now hes making a team for it and he wants me too play.. I want to try match play again but to step right back into a usta league might be tough. I think I would like it though

If you think you would like it then you should do it, dont be scared of it.

But if you dont think you'll get anything out of it and you have something else to do to meet your tennis needs, then dont. (I would agree that you shouldnt do it just because someone else wants you to)

I played high school tennis and adult league tennis, and while Im probally not even as close to being as good as you, I know about the pressures associated with it and how it can affect play. Just mainly being out there and thinking about how others look at you or how you look, to the point where it sometimes affects play.

I was on someone else's adult team in 2002 and they had a habit of telling us how we HAD to win 4-1, or 3-2, or 5-0 in some particular situation, which put a lot of pressure on some players.

But when I took over I decided to never discuss anything like that with my players, because once they get on their own court and the match starts, it's really all them because they only have control over ONE match. It shouldnt be any different then if they were trying to win against their friends, or just out on their own (if they want to do well).

So that's how you have to approach team tennis. If you feel that you can still go out there and focus on your own game and enjoy it, then it's always worth playing. But if the environment doesnt allow you to do that, or you cant handle it, then you may not like it.

When I first started playing tennis in high school, that's the whole reason I thought I would love the sport. In baseball you could be the best in the world and if the other 8 guys stink, you'll still lose. Or you could be really bad and everyone else will be mad at you.

But in tennis, it's your match. You can do really well or not, and you are really the only one who has control over that (except in doubles).

Team tennis sort of takes away from that sometimes, especially if there is a lot of pressure.

 

[hewittfan3]

yeah i guess i dont really know what to expect....i dont want to get the nervous like let down the team feeling...but like u guys say its not usually like that in the adult league and its more of a "fun" atmosphere. I have only a week to make my decision though so idk..haha i hate making decisions

 

[JavierLW]

yeah i guess i dont really know what to expect....i dont want to get the nervous like let down the team feeling...but like u guys say its not usually like that in the adult league and its more of a "fun" atmosphere. I have only a week to make my decision though so idk..haha i hate making decisions

Well that's life for most people. You get into things and you'll never quite know what to expect until you do it. Sometimes you are pleasantly surprised and sometimes you are disapointed, that's the way it goes.

At least if you do it you'll know for the future, if you dont do it just because you are scared, you'll never know, you might be depriving yourself of a fun time.

 

[junbug]

i'm 45 now and wasted a lot of years not even touching a racquet. it's something i regret. if i were you, keep playing. if coaching appeals to you, get certified. the list goes on.

 

[ndtennis]

yeah i guess i dont really know what to expect....i dont want to get the nervous like let down the team feeling...but like u guys say its not usually like that in the adult league and its more of a "fun" atmosphere. I have only a week to make my decision though so idk..haha i hate making decisions

You should at least do it for a year. If you dont like it, dont continue, but it will be a lot harder trying to make a comeback after a few years.

 

[randomname]

hewittfan, to me it kinda sounds like you dont actually enjoy tennis (atleast right now), do you? I would reccomend trying usta for a season, and see if the relaxed atmosphere works for you, if not then just take a break until coming back and playing actually sounds like fun

 

[hewittfan3]

hewittfan, to me it kinda sounds like you dont actually enjoy tennis (atleast right now), do you? I would reccomend trying usta for a season, and see if the relaxed atmosphere works for you, if not then just take a break until coming back and playing actually sounds like fun

I actually havnt found anybody that likes tennis as much as i do.. If i could i would play every hour of every day...and pretty much do in the summer. However, I am not sure if i like competitive tennis. But as I have learned from this thread, adult leagues are much different type of competitive tennis than high school tennis.

 

[randomname]

I actually havnt found anybody that likes tennis as much as i do.. If i could i would play every hour of every day...and pretty much do in the summer. However, I am not sure if i like competitive tennis. But as I have learned from this thread, adult leagues are much different type of competitive tennis than high school tennis.

well, in that case I say go for it, I used to completely break down in any match type situation, but eventually I learned to compete and love playing leagues and tournaments

 

[saram]

I actually havnt found anybody that likes tennis as much as i do.. If i could i would play every hour of every day...and pretty much do in the summer. However, I am not sure if i like competitive tennis. But as I have learned from this thread, adult leagues are much different type of competitive tennis than high school tennis.

High school tennis sucks ***. Remember that. Remember that.

And, look at the bloke in your avatar--what would he say????

 

[hewittfan3]

haha...not sure what bloke means...but im guessing it means fierce competitor...and he would tell me to c'mon mate just do it

 

[hewittfan3]

Well I signed up for the league tonight...i hope that it all turns out for the best considering i just paid $40 to renew my membership and then $26 to join the team

 

[tigg2109]

playing competitive tennis is great for me, i am a super competitive person. i graduated high school 2 yrs ago and i started playing usta leagues and tournaments, lots of fun. i use to get nervous before matches and during the first part of matches a lot too. but all of that passes as you gain more experience and get more confidence. deff do it, and the best of luck to ya

 

[hewittfan3]

So I thought I would just give a little update:

I had to sit out the first 4 or 5 matches because I sprained my ankle badly. I have played 2 matches since I have been back. I played 1 singles and lost and then I played 1 doubles and won.

I can definitely notice the difference between this league play and like high school tennis. It is much more fun and not nearly as nervewrecking. I am glad that I decided to play

 

[Cindysphinx]

So I thought I would just give a little update:

I had to sit out the first 4 or 5 matches because I sprained my ankle badly. I have played 2 matches since I have been back. I played 1 singles and lost and then I played 1 doubles and won.

I can definitely notice the difference between this league play and like high school tennis. It is much more fun and not nearly as nervewrecking. I am glad that I decided to play

Good on you!!

Care to tell us what happened in your two matches? What was your doubles partner like? What was the singles player like and how did he beat you?