Why is it so hard to close out sets?

TagUrIt

TagUrIt

Hall of Fame
Today I watched a WTA match between Shelby Rogers and Jelena Ostapenko where in the third set Rogers was up 5-1. So you would think being up 4 games and only needing one game to win the match would be easy? Apparently it's not, and I actually experienced a similar situation today when I had a social tennis match. I was up 5-1 and my opponent managed to win 3 more games and I won 6-4. My next match (different opponent) almost same situation. I went up 5-1 and he won 2 more games before I could close it out at 6-3. I won, both sets, but I still wonder why it's so difficult to close a sets? Does a player get too comfortable with the lead? Is it nerves/pressure? I know this happens on a recreational level, but I've seen this happen on the professional level as well. I'm coining the phrase "Getting Pliskovaed" because she came back from a 5-1 deficit at the AO against SW.
 
I used to regularly "crash" college team practices a while back. (Was actually invited by the team's coach). One exercise was to start a service game with a deficit score. For instance, the server might have to start at 0-30 (or 30-40). Servers were expected to win their serve most of the time -- even tho they started with a deficit. If you get good at that, it should be easier to turn a set around. Or close a set where you are already ahead.
 
Last edited:
TagUrIt said:
Today I watched a WTA match between Shelby Rogers and Jelena Ostapenko where in the third set Rogers was up 5-1. So you would think being up 4 games and only needing one game to win the match would be easy? Apparently it's not, and I actually experienced a similar situation today when I had a social tennis match. I was up 5-1 and my opponent managed to win 3 more games and I won 6-4. My next match (different opponent) almost same situation. I went up 5-1 and he won 2 more games before I could close it out at 6-3. I won, both sets, but I still wonder why it's so difficult to close a sets? Does a player get too comfortable with the lead? Is it nerves/pressure? I know this happens on a recreational level, but I've seen this happen on the professional level as well. I'm coining the phrase "Getting Pliskovaed" because she came back from a 5-1 deficit at the AO against SW.
Click to expand...
Seems there is no answer to your question.
On Tuesday I could experience it.
 
The opponent is on high alert.
They don't want it to end obviously.
You get nervous looking at the end line and more relaxed than you would have been had it been 3 all or you were behind.
These are few of the points that might make closing the sets difficult.
 
TagUrIt said:
Today I watched a WTA match between Shelby Rogers and Jelena Ostapenko where in the third set Rogers was up 5-1. So you would think being up 4 games and only needing one game to win the match would be easy? Apparently it's not, and I actually experienced a similar situation today when I had a social tennis match. I was up 5-1 and my opponent managed to win 3 more games and I won 6-4. My next match (different opponent) almost same situation. I went up 5-1 and he won 2 more games before I could close it out at 6-3. I won, both sets, but I still wonder why it's so difficult to close a sets? Does a player get too comfortable with the lead? Is it nerves/pressure? I know this happens on a recreational level, but I've seen this happen on the professional level as well. I'm coining the phrase "Getting Pliskovaed" because she came back from a 5-1 deficit at the AO against SW.
Click to expand...
Well, you don’t seem to have that problem, considering your two examples!
 
Curious said:
Well, you don’t seem to have that problem, considering your two examples!
Click to expand...

I appreciate the accolades, but I feel that I should have been able to close both sets at 5 games. Instead, I allowed my opponent to get back into the match. I see this happen quite often at the professional level. I really would like to hear genuine thoughts and opinions about this.

user92626 said:
LOL... that's humble bragging that rarely comes by these days. Enjoy it man.
Click to expand...


LOL I assure you, it wasn't, the question was sincere, I just used my most recent experience as the example. That day, I managed to pull my head out of my butt and get it done. I both won and lost sets like that before.
 
TagUrIt said:
I appreciate the accolades, but I feel that I should have been able to close both sets at 5 games. Instead, I allowed my opponent to get back into the match. I see this happen quite often at the professional level. I really would like to hear genuine thoughts and opinions about this.




LOL I assure you, it wasn't, the question was sincere, I just used my most recent experience as the example. That day, I managed to pull my head out of my butt and get it done. I both won and lost sets like that before.
Click to expand...
Yeah but quite obvious isn’t it? You just tense up towards the end because of all the doubts and stuff.
 
The biggest thing I see on these threads is players talking about how they get nervous, they start missing easy shots, the serve goes away, etc.

What I almost never hear is how, at 5-1 40-15 my opponent started playing smarter. Hitting my weak side. Neutralizing my serve and slowly but surely actively chipping away at my confidence, and with it goes my execution.

There are two players out there. Stop looking at only yourself.
 
MisterP said:
The biggest thing I see on these threads is players talking about how they get nervous, they start missing easy shots, the serve goes away, etc.

What I almost never hear is how, at 5-1 40-15 my opponent started playing smarter. Hitting my weak side. Neutralizing my serve and slowly but surely actively chipping away at my confidence, and with it goes my execution.

There are two players out there. Stop looking at only yourself.
Click to expand...

Well Said (racquet clap)
 
TagUrIt said:
Well Said (racquet clap)
Click to expand...

Probably some do get comfortable and the opponent gets inspired. Or sometimes momentum shifts and the opponent ups their level which causes the one with the lead to start becoming nervous.

I guess you have to constantly apply pressure and think its not over until its finally over.
 
SystemicAnomaly said:
I used to regularly "crash" college team practices a while back. (Was actually invited by the team's coach). One exercise was to start a service game with a deficit score. For instance, the server might have to start at 0-30 (or 30-40). Servers were expected to win their serve most of the time -- even they started with a deficit. If you get good at that, it should be easier to turn a set around. Or close a set where you are already ahead.
.
Click to expand...

NuBas said:
Probably some do get comfortable and the opponent gets inspired. Or sometimes momentum shifts and the opponent ups their level which causes the one with the lead to start becoming nervous.

I guess you have to constantly apply pressure and think its not over until its finally over.
Click to expand...


Very similar to what SA said. I may try this. So is it safe to say the pros go through same? Pressure, Nerves, Opponents figuring out strategy to win?
 
So much of this about being able to maintain your focus and intensity. Even if you play at the same level that got your there, your opponent will likely play better because he/she will be able to focus better and will be hard to have an easy point. Thus, having a weapon like a big serve is tremendously helpful in closing it out. For those of us that don't possess a reliable weapon, you have to play smart and find a good balance.

One thing that has helped me lately with this is to tell myself to get to the net. I am not trying to go to the net blindly on a mediocre shot and hope that my opponent will make a mistake. By having a more aggressive mindset, I am trying to create an opportunity that is advantageous to me and be in position to maintain the initiative without taking too much risk. With this mindset, you are more likely be in position where your chance of winning the point and thus the game is greater.

Also, often going up to 5-1 or 5-2 in a deciding set is more dangerous than you might think. You have to guard against relaxing too much and loosing focus.
 
So I had another match today and wouldn’t you believe it same scenario 5-1! I focused and was able to finish the set at 6-1. I was very proud of myself for focusing and remembering (some) of the helpful posts here.
 
Cool that you managed to stay focussed and finished the job.

It has happend to me before too. What i noticed in myself that at 5-1 i'm too relaxed and not completely focussed. But when i lose two games in a row i'm like: "Oh s**t, he's only two games away. This better not happen". Then i got nervous. When the match actually went to 5-5 i got very frustrated by letting the lead slip and made me lose the set.

So basically these are all thoughts that are focussed on everything else than playing the points and came with different emotions. On the other hand your opponent has nothing to lose and is probably swinging freely.
 
TagUrIt said:
So I had another match today and wouldn’t you believe it same scenario 5-1! I focused and was able to finish the set at 6-1. I was very proud of myself for focusing and remembering (some) of the helpful posts here.
Click to expand...

Good deal!! So you closed out this set after you got to 5-1. What did you focus on now compared with what you were thinking about further back in those other sets? Was it a case of getting away from merely trying not to lose after you got the lead?

I came to a new fundamental understanding of a bundle of different things several years back after reading "Mental Tennis" by Vic Braden. I recommend this book to tennis pals all the time and a few of them have enjoyed it, too. He was a great story teller, but Braden was a licensed psychologist on top of also being a long-time tennis guru. His book offers invaluable insight that can probably be useful for absolutely everybody on these boards. So I guess I'm recommending it.

I coach high school teams and something we get talking about all the time is how we decide to perceive what's happening through the course of a match. Whenever one of the kids blows a lead and still manages to win that set or maybe the match, they always get down on themselves about it and think that they almost choked the set (or match) away. I like to offer that they're making a decision there in terms of how to look at it. Instead of dumping on themselves, they could also think that it was a good thing that they got the early lead before their opponents went on a bit of a comeback run.

The root of this issue is about the expectations that we take with us onto the courts - this is a significant topic addressed by Braden in his book. As soon as we think that something "should" happen out there, we're in a trap. If all goes as planned at the outset, we can get complacent and not play with the sharpness we might when the score is even - or when we're behind as offered by Brad Gilbert in "Winning Ugly". If things don't go as planned, we might freak out because what should be happening isn't actually happening.

So with Braden's wisdom in mind, I'm curious about how your focus evolved to work more in your favor. This sort of head management is actually a big deal for players striving to break through to a higher level.
 
fuzz nation said:
Good deal!! So you closed out this set after you got to 5-1. What did you focus on now compared with what you were thinking about further back in those other sets? Was it a case of getting away from merely trying not to lose after you got the lead?

I came to a new fundamental understanding of a bundle of different things several years back after reading "Mental Tennis" by Vic Braden. I recommend this book to tennis pals all the time and a few of them have enjoyed it, too. He was a great story teller, but Braden was a licensed psychologist on top of also being a long-time tennis guru. His book offers invaluable insight that can probably be useful for absolutely everybody on these boards. So I guess I'm recommending it.

I coach high school teams and something we get talking about all the time is how we decide to perceive what's happening through the course of a match. Whenever one of the kids blows a lead and still manages to win that set or maybe the match, they always get down on themselves about it and think that they almost choked the set (or match) away. I like to offer that they're making a decision there in terms of how to look at it. Instead of dumping on themselves, they could also think that it was a good thing that they got the early lead before their opponents went on a bit of a comeback run.

The root of this issue is about the expectations that we take with us onto the courts - this is a significant topic addressed by Braden in his book. As soon as we think that something "should" happen out there, we're in a trap. If all goes as planned at the outset, we can get complacent and not play with the sharpness we might when the score is even - or when we're behind as offered by Brad Gilbert in "Winning Ugly". If things don't go as planned, we might freak out because what should be happening isn't actually happening.

So with Braden's wisdom in mind, I'm curious about how your focus evolved to work more in your favor. This sort of head management is actually a big deal for players striving to break through to a higher level.
Click to expand...

Good stuff. Patrick Cohn states it as having high confidence but no expectations. The ones who tend to get into trouble are those with perfectionist attitudes and very high expectations: when those expectations are not met, their game spirals downward.

Qui Gon Jin stated it succinctly: "Your focus determines your reality."
 
fuzz nation said:
Good deal!! So you closed out this set after you got to 5-1. What did you focus on now compared with what you were thinking about further back in those other sets? Was it a case of getting away from merely trying not to lose after you got the lead?
Click to expand...


It’s going to sound really stupid and silly, but I literally spelled the word F-O-C-U-S out loud while bouncing the ball on my racquet for each letter. I did that a few times coming up to the baseline to serve. Hey don’t laugh it worked. ;-)
 
TagUrIt said:
It’s going to sound really stupid and silly, but I literally spelled the word F-O-C-U-S out loud while bouncing the ball on my racquet for each letter. I did that a few times coming up to the baseline to serve. Hey don’t laugh it worked. ;-)
Click to expand...

Not laughing... it worked, right?

One of the local high school girls who was a singles champ for a couple of years would often use that verbal cue where she would quietly say to herself "bounce" as the ball bounced in her court and "hit" as she stroked the ball. She would routinely do that during practice hits, but she would also do it sometimes in a match. Another method for dialing in on the here and now I guess. She's actually playing in college now.

You really sound like you found your way to what I like to call "counting to one". That's where we plan the upcoming point, play that point, and then do it again for the next one. When you can get familiar with this method of constantly checking on your blueprint before the next point, it can be easier to stay sharp regardless of the set or match score. All you're doing is planning and playing THIS point. The last one and the next one after this point become sort of irrelevant (aside from what you might learn about what your opponent might do with a forehand or backhand through previous points).

If you get used to routinely planning your points, even when you're returning serve, you'll probably find that it's easier to control the action more often during competition. If we don't do that and just play on cruise control, we're only reacting to whatever our opponents hit our way. If you have a simple plan for each point though, you'll have the luxury of already knowing what to do when the ball comes at you.

I'm going to recommend your new technique to the troops this week: F-O-C-U-S (y)
 
TagUrIt said:
It’s going to sound really stupid and silly, but I literally spelled the word F-O-C-U-S out loud while bouncing the ball on my racquet for each letter. I did that a few times coming up to the baseline to serve. Hey don’t laugh it worked. ;-)
Click to expand...

Not silly at all. Murray wrote down stuff on a piece of paper that he referred to during a match that some intrepid fan retrieved after:

- Be good to yourself
- Try your best
- Be intense with your legs
- Be proactive during points
- Focus on each point and the process
 
IMO most of WTA competitors don't serve well enough to rightiously consider their serving as a significant advantage, while majority of them can do some dangerous returning.
If this is so then a lot depends on good/bad streaks/phases in the match as it's hard to rely on serve to pull you through at moments when your opponent is just playing some better baseline tennis. And in tennis it can turn around every while. We know how it works, we play it.
Moments when players in general (not just female) feel big, big pressure is when they see/feel their opponent is playing better than them at particular moment, but they still nevertheless have to hold, anyhow. They feel a pressure to raise their game anyhow, but if it was that easy...only the greatest players can raise the level of their game when they need to (and even them don't succeed in this every time). So if you can't deliver it will more likely smother your game.
Often in the WTA the inversion happens in which both players feel they can more easily break than hold.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

7
how to close out matches
Replies
10
Views
1K
Slazenger
Slazenger
L
How to Close a Match?
Replies
8
Views
801
JHBKLYN
J
3
Closing out matches and sets
Replies
11
Views
2K
mdhubert
mdhubert
S
Mental Block--Can't Close out my Sets!!!
Replies
15
Views
3K
Deleted member 13755
D
T1000
How to close out a set?????
Replies
12
Views
2K
PINENUT
PINENUT
Back
Top