Mind
Training for Tennis -
Tip 18
Handling
Those Big Match Occasions
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There
are 3 golden rules to playing tough
matches. The
first is to
ensure you always make a good start.
Two
- ensure you are not intimidated
and that you focus throughout the
match.
Three
- ensure you take every opportunity
when it comes along by
remaining mentally strong and competitive
throughout even the toughest matches.
In
big matches remember that your opponent
is always just as nervous
as you are, and possibly even more
so - so don't worry about your nerves
because a) they are natural, and b)
they will go away with the longer you
play.
So
knowing that you are probably going
to be nervous when you are beginning
the match, it is absolutely crucial
to play a particularly consistent and
intelligent brand of tennis in
the first game or two that will
help you to get over your nerves,
while at the same time also giving
your opponent's nerves maximum opportunity to
de-rail their game in the early stages.
The
way to do this is virtually make
no errors whatsoever in the early
games of the match (or as
little as possible).
Simply
keep the ball going and play
yourself into the match,
as this will also allow your opponent
to have more chances to make errors
and get upset with themselves
- which can be their undoing as the
match wears on.
Once
you have the first few games under
your belt, you can relax and go for
more shots and increase the tempo as
the match progresses.
They
used to say this about the great
Ivan Lendl in the 80's - that his
opponents would get to two-games-all
with him in the first set and feeling
like they were doing well, and they
were surprised that Lendl wasn't
hitting the ball as hard as he was
renowned for.
Thirty
minutes later they were walking off
the court dazed, having lost 6-2 6-0 - as Lendl, after initially warming
his game up "through
the gears" in the first four
games as he always did, then stepped
it up and played the enormously aggressive,
controlled power game he was well
known to play.
So
the first rule is - don't try and peak
too early. Instead, warm your game
up through the gears and play yourself
into the match.
Secondly,
focus only on the ball - not on your
opponent, their reputation, the score,
or the crowd. All you are ever playing
is a ball that is down your end of
the court - always remember that you
are not playing an opponent, you are
playing a ball!
This
helps a lot of players overcome the
intimidation factor when they suddenly realize that
the reputation of their opponent actually
means nothing - as it is still only
a ball you need to deal with,
not your opponent.
This
is why your focus on the ball is highly
important - because that is your
opponent.
Last
of all, always hang tough and
never give up, no matter how hard it
may get - as you simply never know just
what is going on in your opponent's
mind.
They
might be worried about a niggling injury
you don't know about, may be
getting hot or tired, or not
feeling as confident as you
think they are, or even worrying
about something or someone off the
court, etc etc.
You
just don't know what's going on in
their head - they may be about to roll
over and hand you the match, and you
may not even know it.
Opportunities
tend to strike very quickly so you
must be mentally alert, eager, and
ready to seize them whenever they
arrive. This is what separates
the great players from the good players
- they always take their opportunities.
These
three golden rules will ensure you
will always make a strong, solid and
consistent start to all your matches, and
that you remain focused and immersed
in the match all the way through (and
no longer worried about reputations).
They
will ensure that
you remain tough and fiercely
competitive right until you shake hands
as a winner at the end of the match. This is a
formula for success - try it and see
how it works in your game.
