What is pressure to you?

[thejuice]

So I was just curious, what type of point or shot is the most pressure-packed for you?

For me, hitting a second serve on match point if I'm losing (especially if it's a close match) is the one shot I HATE!!!

The second most hated shot for me is the sitter forehand volley. I LOVE playing the net but for some reason I have to concentrate like a Jedi on what should be the easiet shot in tennis.

 

[MurrayisBEAST]

For me it's long rallies on important points!

 

[1stVolley]

Returning a drop shot that has spun backwards and is just inches from the net :shock:

 

[Cindysphinx]

For me, there are two answers.

First, it is the pressure of the overhead. It is pretty much the only shot where you are expected to win the point every time. It is the shot that brings the loudest groan from the crowd when you miss.

The second pressure-filled situation is playing against someone where there is some History. Maybe it's the person who turned you down for a spot on the team. Or the person you choked away a match to. Or the lady no one on the team can stand and all are hoping you will beat. I usually play OK under those circumstances, but I don't enjoy it much.

 

[rich s]

p=f/a

..................

 

[pyrokid]

p=f/a

..................

I laughed.



Anyway, the hardest shot for me is the dropper to my backhand. Because I have less touch there than on my FH, and I have to hit it back DTL or else it goes to my opponents FH and I almost never win the point from there.
And going DTL on a dropshot is hard, especially when you're on the run.

I used to be really bad at returning really slow serves too, because I had too much time to think. But I got over that.

 

[TnTBigman]

Overhead smash or responding to a high lob.

 

[Falloutjr]

For me it's usually hitting my opponent's serve return. If it's a first serve, sometimes I over-think and don't take the best approach when I get that short ball or if it's a second serve, sometimes it gets spanked and I don't do anything to get out of that defensive position in the rally.

 

[rich s]

4 serving 5 ......

 

[Angle Queen]

Knowing the team's result comes down to my/our match. Everyone's standing around...watching. Ugh!

 

[Sherlock]

I agree serving at 4-5 and 5-6 are tricky, and probably the only pressure I ever feel in tennis. I've felt "nervous" or "anxious" at times. I'm pretty laid back so I don't let nerves get to me too much. The only other time I've ever felt really anxious, or "felt pressure", was shooting 2 free throws in high school basketball to ice the game for my team. I was the center on the team, but ironically had one of the best free throw percentages...

 

[0d1n]

To me ... pressure is force per unit area.

 

[0d1n]

p=f/a

..................

^ had me beat . That's what happens when one reads the thread title and then hits the reply button without reading the content of the thread

 

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Serving at match point (up) is the only time I have ever thought about it. Serving when down is never a problem.

 

[bodieq]

I don't really feel any pressure hitting any specific shots/strokes in tennis (I think the key is to embed in my own head that I've played tennis a long time, and have hit seemingly millions of these same shots over the years, so it's all committed to muscle-memory....so don't overthink it).

For me, a unique type of pressure is finding myself down 0-3 or 0-4 in a first-set of a match, because at that point, I have no momentum whatsoever...and part of me starts to wonder how am I going to get on the scoreboard?....where's this one-game (or more) going to come from? (i.e the mental pressure of how am I going to dig myself out of this hole I'm in).

 

[r2473]

Playing in my Boris Becker shorts when a "little hottie" walks by. Whew. You talk about pressure.

 

[thejuice]

Playing in my Boris Becker shorts when a "little hottie" walks by. Whew. You talk about pressure.

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!

 

[thehustler]

Pressure to me is putting it on my opponent. I never put pressure on myself because I believe pressure is self created. If I find myself down in a situation I just remind myself that I've been there before and it's time to turn up the heat on my opponent. I've had those matches where I'm down 5-1 or 5-2 in a set and I come back to win 7-5. As I said I just remember I've been there before, I treat it as drawing on that 'championship experience' and that always gets me thru things.

 

[Larrysümmers]

when the other guy is at net.....i freak out

 

[Mike2228]

Getting off to a hot start in a match and then having to continue at that level is pretty taxing.

 

[RogerRacket111]

Getting targeted at the net when I'm having a bad volleying day when I play doubles(rare)

When I play singles I have no pressure I play one point at a time and have a way to forget/note care about the score and just play the point.

 

[Pioneer]

I'm a major headcase and pressure for me is any second serve, any shot that is easy to put away and any smash. I feel that I can play at a very high level if I bring a practice mentality on the court. I'm working on it and *fingers crossed* improving.

 

[RogerRacket111]

Wouldn't it be nice if you guys can reply on how to get over these pressures let me start by replying to one.

I'm a major headcase and pressure for me is any second serve, any shot that is easy to put away and any smash. I feel that I can play at a very high level if I bring a practice mentality on the court. I'm working on it and *fingers crossed* improving.

If you have pressure with your second serve you could try to increase your first serve % by serving second serves on your first. This way you improve your second serve and make it more solid so later you will be able to go for your real first serve. Second serve has to be rock solid one that you don't have to worry.

Other thing when people have bad serving spells they start thinking about "Just get it over" or "Is it going over" you should start thinking about location, spins on every serve its a form of visualization and more you visualize the right serve more you will make it.

 

[polski]

4-6, 4-5 serving...I'd rather be anywhere else in the world than there.

 

[Larrysümmers]

4-6, 4-5 serving...I'd rather be anywhere else in the world than there.

true that :evil:

 

[luvn10is]

A couple of summers ago at City Finals me and my partner were the last pair on the court with the Championship riding on us. There were so many butterflies in my stomach I was ready to barf. Fortunately, my opponents were so tight they could barely move. What I carried away from that match was that everyone gets nervous, but if you can keep your feet moving you'll do okay.

 

[jatmallet]

the second serve on match or break point- I'm a complete headcase with that serve for some reason. I can be up a set and 4-0 in the second but if I'm about to hit a second serve on break point the last though through my head is "don't dump it in the net"...and to me that's pressure, when your first thought is don't screw up instead of executing the shot.

 

[thejuice]

the second serve on match or break point- I'm a complete headcase with that serve for some reason. I can be up a set and 4-0 in the second but if I'm about to hit a second serve on break point the last though through my head is "don't dump it in the net"...and to me that's pressure, when your first thought is don't screw up instead of executing the shot.

I am feeling that!!!