The pressure is off!

[ark_28]

Hi Guys,

So the last few years I have made the quarters in my singles tournament never beyond and that’s fine.

This year it’s a 32 draw as usual the top 8 are seeded. I have not played much so didn’t get seeded... I checked out the draw I have a winnable first round but then in round 2 I would play the guy who has won it the last 4 out of 5 years including last year double bageling the number 2 seed Who himself has won it 5 times in the final.

For me if I can win my first round and get a chance to play this guy that will be like my final! Most players are expecting him to cruise to the title, I would love to get a chance to play him and if I do make it somewhat competitive.

I always put pressure on myself but for once I feel the pressure is truly off! Time will tell if they helps.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Hi Guys,

So the last few years I have made the quarters in my singles tournament never beyond and that’s fine.

This year it’s a 32 draw as usual the top 8 are seeded. I have not played much so didn’t get seeded... I checked out the draw I have a winnable first round but then in round 2 I would play the guy who has won it the last 4 out of 5 years including last year double bageling the number 2 seed Who himself has won it 5 times in the final.

For me if I can win my first round and get a chance to play this guy that will be like my final! Most players are expecting him to cruise to the title, I would love to get a chance to play him and if I do make it somewhat competitive.

I always put pressure on myself but for once I feel the pressure is truly off! Time will tell if they helps.

You've got nothing to lose! Have faith in your strokes and all of that practice you've put in and let the chips fall where they may. Have a ball [pun intended].

 

[Bender]

Treat it as a glorified practice match. It basically is anyway.

 

[OnTheLine]

You might be amazed how well you play when there is nothing to lose (pride or otherwise!) ... bring it!

 

[Morch Us]

I am sorry to say, but this is the kind of attitude grants Federer a lot of match wins. What we call the "win before the first ball of the match". If you go into a match to be "competitive", you will just do that. You are more afraid of getting intimidated, and so just want to do OK. The problem is, you may actually be having a good day, and still will loose on a "tight match", since you never targetted a win anyway, and will give up on the "fire" situations. How many matches "Federer" just escapes on a tight tie break or tight sets (6-4). It is not a coincedance, many of those young folks come to the match with the mentality of "want to stand good against Federer", rather than having a self belief of "I will win".

So my advice is not to give up before the first ball of the match. Have a faith that ANYTHING can happen in a match. On your good day and on your opponents bad day, you WILL WIN. You dont want to make it "competitive", you should want to WIN. You don't want to just look OK.

I would love to get a chance to play him and if I do make it somewhat competitive

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

I am sorry to say, but this is the kind of attitude grants Federer a lot of match wins. What we call the "win before the first ball of the match". If you go into a match to be "competitive", you will just do that. You are more afraid of getting intimidated, and so just want to do OK. The problem is, you may actually be having a good day, and still will loose on a "tight match", since you never targetted a win anyway, and will give up on the "fire" situations. How many matches "Federer" just escapes on a tight tie break or tight sets (6-4). It is not a coincedance, many of those young folks come to the match with the mentality of "want to stand good against Federer", rather than having a self belief of "I will win".

So my advice is not to give up before the first ball of the match. Have a faith that ANYTHING can happen in a match. On your good day and on your opponents bad day, you WILL WIN. You dont want to make it "competitive", you should want to WIN. You don't want to just look OK.

While true, the counter-argument is that way more people at the rec level get so tightly wound up because they're concerned about winning that their level drops considerably from what they're capable of. If OP is this type, it makes sense to go in with the "nothing to lose" attitude. Only he knows which type he is.

 

[OnTheLine]

While true, the counter-argument is that way more people at the rec level get so tightly wound up because they're concerned about winning that their level drops considerably from what they're capable of. If OP is this type, it makes sense to go in with the "nothing to lose" attitude. Only he knows which type he is.

Quit describing me in detail on a public forum!

 

[Morch Us]

Agreed. You cannot go too far either way. Easy to choke on match point if you think too much about "what if".

get so tightly wound up because they're concerned about winning that their level drops considerably from what they're capable of

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Quit describing me in detail on a public forum!

Whoops! I forgot about the Non-Disclosure Agreement. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.

 

[OnTheLine]

Whoops! I forgot about the Non-Disclosure Agreement. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.

That will be $100 for this violoation of the NDA ... I will add it to the ongoing invoice.

 

[ByakuFubuki]

While true, the counter-argument is that way more people at the rec level get so tightly wound up because they're concerned about winning that their level drops considerably from what they're capable of. If OP is this type, it makes sense to go in with the "nothing to lose" attitude. Only he knows which type he is.

How I miss my "nothing-to-lose" days when I actually canceled my opponents' Match Points instead of getting tight and putting the ball back in play with no purpose hoping they'll get tighter and miss. Oh, but pushing wins no matter the level, anyone can do it.