The Secret of Playing Good Tennis

"Playing good tennis" is a very simple idea but very difficult to understand. Of course we all try to play good tennis, don't we? NO, probably not. Most players are not focused on playing good tennis; they are focused on trying to beat their opponent. Isn't that the same? NO.

When you try to beat your opponent you are too focused on him or her instead on tennis demands, statistics and rules. Some of the shots that you may play are very low percentage but if you see that they would bring success against your opponent you go and try them- it is a big mistake. You beat yourself because you play against statistics and the laws of physics. The other problem is that you may try shots that you are not skilled enough. You are trying the right tactic but you are not good enough to do it. Your ego is your biggest problem here.

You don't want to admit that you are not good enough and you have a million excuses why today for some strange and unlucky reason your shot didn't go in. And only if you are totally honest with yourself and accept yourself the way you are at the moment, only then can you realize what your good tennis looks like. And only then will you be able to realistically set your goals and prepare tactics for your best tennis.

There is also the golden middle that you need to find inside your mind: you need to accept your current state--technique, tactical knowledge, physical abilities and mental skills and feel good about them and at the same time have the desire to improve.

Timur Kamilov, focusing on a return

We are so used to being motivated only if something is wrong and we try to fix it. This is not the best approach. Why? Because we begin fixing process in a negative mindset. We are filled with negative energy and we work with it. Only when we feel good about it and are still motivated and enthusiastic about improving it, will the best results happen.

So back to the secret--how to play good tennis. You've probably heard these phrases before: Just play point by point, and Play the ball, not the opponent. If you want to play good tennis and win matches, you need to focus on playing good tennis. A good player is focused 80% on playing good tennis and only about 20% on how to outplay his or her opponent.

Winning the match doesn't mean that one player is a better human than the other player. It means that he or she plays the game of tennis better than the other person. In the long term the one who is more skilled at this wins the match. That person is a better tennis player in that moment. That doesn't mean that the winner is a more worthy person although that's what the whole world is trying to convince us.

Back to the secret--one of the main points about the secret of playing good tennis is to see it separately from you--from your inner self worth. If you can keep the distance between missing an easy shot and feeling anything about yourself, then you have found one of the secrets to good tennis.

The next secret is that you need to focus on the game of tennis. Play the game, not the opponent.

So the next time when you get on the court see if you can play only the tennis game and not compete with your opponent.

Good Luck!