Tip of the Week: Practice Your Thinking In Between Points

Things always seem to happen faster in the heat of a tennis match. This makes it extremely important to organize your thoughts in between points. Start with a clean slate. Anything that has already happened is beyond your control. Remind yourself of a few basic technique ideas: watch the ball, take your normal swing whenever possible and recover towards the open court with your feet.

If there is one thought that helps you focus (watching the ball is always a good one) and get you hitting the ball well and playing the point the way you want to, stick with that idea. I believe it is best to keep things simple between points (watch the ball, go after every shot, expect the ball to come back, etc.) and do the things that you do best.

If you feel the need for a more complicated strategy adjustment or a change in your game plan, use the time on the changeover between games. More often than not, it is best to stick with your original ideas and concentrate on executing a little better.

Executing the basics well and limiting negative thoughts during the match can go a long way towards success. Make sure to work on your thinking between points, just like you practice your footwork and swings, when preparing to play a match.

Steve Annacone, USPTA Elite Pro, is the Director of Annacone Tennis,  www.annaconetennis.com and MyHamptonsPro, www.myhamptonspro.com throughout the Hamptons, NY. Sam Alexander, Steve, and Gill Gross run the TOP (Tennis Optimization Players-Top Team) program at the Tucson Jewish Community Center (Tucson, AZ) for high level players ages 8-18. Please contact Steve at sannacone@tucsonjcc.org or 865-300-7323