Tip of the Week: Measure Your Level On An Average Day
Almost everyone who has played tennis competitively has experienced that time on the court when everything seems to go right. You are serving great, reading your opponent’s serve and returning well, your forehand is clicking and it feels like you can do almost anything you want and be successful. Even if you are a high level player, this type of day is likely to happen once or twice a year. Players should not expect to be able to achieve this feeling each time they walk out on the court.
Tennis is a constant battle and a lot of what happens is not controllable. Your opponent can do things that make it extremely difficult for you to execute the shots and strategy that you would like. The conditions may affect how well you hit the ball. An injury or a day when you just don’t feel 100 percent physically can also be a major factor. Your goal when you step on the court should be to use what you have on that day and try to put together a few good shots, a few good points, and a workable strategy. Staying calm and resetting when things don’t go right is an extremely important aspect of being a good player.
Even the best players in the world need to feel that they can win most of their matches by playing average. Human nature tends to make us believe that we are as good as our best day and that we should play like this all of the time. This is totally unrealistic. Our best approach is to try to play well enough (average) to give ourselves a chance to win the match. If you can beat some good players when you are not at your best, you are a good player. Try not to rely on the idea that if you hit the ball well, you will win. Obviously, hitting your shots well can make things easier and help you win the point. However, forcing the other player to do things that they are uncomfortable with and attacking their weaknesses can also give you the ammunition to win the match. Execute the basics well-serving, returning serve, and a couple of good shots will go a long way over the course of the match.
Raising the level of your “average day” is a quality we should all strive for in practice. There will always be ups and downs in a match and if you can stay at a reasonable level even when you do not feel like you are hitting the ball great, you will give yourself an excellent chance to be successful. Hit the ball more to the middle of the court, keep the pace of your shots somewhere in the midrange, and figure out some things that are giving your opponent problems. Measure yourself on your results when you have an average day rather than searching for that amazing once or twice a year experience when it feels like nothing can go wrong.
Steve Annacone, USPTA Elite Pro, is the Director of Annacone Tennis, www.annaconetennis.com and MyHamptonsPro, www.myhamptonspro.com throughout the Hamptons, NY. He is also the Team Strategist for the University of Arizona Women’s Tennis Team. Please contact Steve at sannacone@aol.com or 865-300-7323
