Tennis Strategy- "I am losing."

Victoria Azarenka uset about her game.

I don't know about you but I absolutely hate losing a tennis match. I am one of the most competitive players I know and when I do not come out on top I sometimes do not think straight enough to be able to appreciate the match for what it was. So what is so bad about losing? I have lost matches in every situation, tournaments, leagues, finals, school matches and matches against my friends.

Whenever you play a tennis player that is better than you there is a lot to be learned. I often tell players not to just play people all the time that they know they can beat. To improve your tennis game you must play against better players! When I left for college I met tennis players that were much better than I was. By playing these better players day in and day out my game improved by astronomical amounts, and I was losing every day.

When you play stronger players you get to see a variety of tougher tennis. You quickly learn that you cannot get lazy or lose focus. They will hit better passing shots, deeper ground strokes, better volleys, faster serves and execute their overheads better. They will wrong foot you more often and possibly just out-power you.. Playing better players is a great motivator to help you play better tennis. If you are beating players that you play every day there is little motivation to get any better.

Serena Williams is crying on the court.

I will admit, losing to someone you know you can beat, and maybe regularly beat, really sucks! However, maybe you need to look at why you lost, look at what you need to improve, look at where you fell short, and most importantly, think about how you can do better next time. Losing is a motivator to play better tennis plain and simple.

"As soon as I step on the court I just try to play tennis and don't find excuses. You know, I just lost because I lost, not because my arm was sore." - Goran Ivanisevic.

Losing a tennis match means you that you were not the better tennis player that day. That is OK, take it for what it is worth, let it motivate you, and keep on trying. To me, allowing my tennis game to improve is more important than winning a weekly match against the same group of players.

Rafael Nadal, losing to David Ferer at Australian Open 2010

You learn a lot more by losing then you do by winning. We learn more when we are down and going through trials and tribulations. This is sports, and losing is part of it.
You analyze what you did wrong and take defeat humbly. Everyone in sports has these days. It is not always going to go your way, but next time you might win and u will have your good days.

“I am losing” Tips from Timur Kamilov:

1. A match is a marathon- not a sprint, just because I’m losing doesn’t mean that I will lose the match.
2.  Collect yourself and pump yourself up.
3. Say “good shot,” it will take pressure off.
4. Do not think about the score.
5. Play your way back into the match, do not blast the balls.
6. Slow down, take your time between points, and control the pace of the match.
7. Concentrate on each point and stay focused.
8. Have positive body language on the court.
9. Do not stop competing, fight for every point.
10. You can get back into this match.

Tennis Serve

“Some people say I have attitude — maybe I do — but I think you have to. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does – that makes you a winner right there.” Venus Williams

Andy Roddick, fastest serve ever, 155 mph

The tennis serve is the stroke that puts the ball in play and is often the most important stroke in the game of tennis. It has become a principle weapon of attack and is used to place the opponent on the defensive by forcing a return from the weak side or by moving the receiver out of position. A good strong serve can sometimes be the basis of winning a game of tennis.

The most important ways to get maximum power in your first serve include:

1. Keep your arm completely relaxed throughout the serve, this is particularly important when you want to impart pace to the serve.
2. Try to develop a smooth movement in your serve motion.  The idea is to serve in an even, continuous manner that allows for body weight transfer (from back foot to front foot).  This is what we mean by putting your weight into the serve.
3. Bending your knees and moving (or even jumping) upward will  help to give you power.

Before you actually get to the technique of hitting the first serve, it is important to review the tennis priority ladder- Pace and Spin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0dldQUtRbo&feature=related 

On important points which equal all points, it is important to keep the pressure on your opponent. The initial way to do this on serve is to get the first serve in. It is psychologically very important in practice to warm up and maintain consistency on first serve. It is quite intimidating to face a player that hits relaxed first serves in five or six times in a row. You are consciously aware that you will not get free points. It is important for you as well to hit your practice returns in and get a real feel for the shot now as well.

The serve is a unique shot in tennis because you have two chances. There seems to be no pressure on the first but inordinate pressure on the second. The odds are still the same it will go in or out but the psychological pressure is weighted against you in that you have just failed at your first attempt. If you have a good serve you are still in total control of the point even though you feel defensive on the second.

James Blake on the serve

I cannot get in my serve in!  Tips from Timur Kamilov

1. Relax.
2. Do not hit bad tosses; catch the toes as many times as necessary.
3. Hit second serves as first serves; it is the percentage that is important.
4. Know where the sun is and do not toss the ball directly into it.
5. Placement not power.
6. Before you start your serve motion, visualize yourself hitting a serve.
7. Do not just walk up to the baseline and hit a serve. Know what you want to do with each serve, hit it wide,  up the middle, at your opponent, slice, top spin, flat
8. Do not pull down. Hit up.

Tennis Strategy- "I am Winning."

“You live during the match, and you have strong emotions, but you don't want to get too overexcited. My body's totally flat now. I cannot move anymore. I'm totally exhausted, just because of the tension out there.”  Roger Federer

Winning a tennis match feels more important than it is because players are genetically wired to compete for position on the social hierarchy. The emotions of a tennis match resemble those of a fight. Players may realize that winning a match doesn’t really matter, but they will always want to win anyway.

No matter what level of tennis competition you are, you'll fare best if you focus on having fun and improving your game, not on whether you win. Part of improving is learning how to win, but you should be happier about losing a match in which you played well against a better opponent than winning a match in which you played poorly.

1. Stick with the same game plan that got you the lead; however be aware of your opponent strategy.
2. Do not let your mind wander. Tennis is more difficult mentally than most other sports. Because of its one-on-one personal nature, it feels more important than it is. Competitive matches can become highly stressful, and losing is painful.
3. “I am winning, doesn’t mean, “I won,” keep fighting. Your emotions will dramatically affect your tennis performance.
4. Do not argue over line calls.
5. Do not think about the score. Most players become nervous and stressed when they are ahead and face the finishing the match against a dangerous opponent. The closer players get to winning, the greater the stress.
6. Play one point at a time, stay in the present.
7. Take nothing for granted.
8. Do not argue or make your opponent mad.
9. Get a high percentage of first serves; this will keep the pressure on.
10. Being optimistic is always helpful during competition. If it does not occur naturally you can become more optimistic by focusing on the real positives that exist in every situation.

Tips when you are playing so badly during the match

Tennis Frustration on the court.

“When you lose a couple of times, it makes you realize how difficult it is to win.” Steffi Graf. 

It happened with all the players when they up and down during the match, meaning they are playing badly or they are winning. Fight- you may not be playing well, however you can control how well you compete. Everyone has frustration problems with anything they take seriously. But the main thing you can do is when you hit a bad shot or a double fault, whatever, you have to have a really short memory and just put it out of your head. All of the good pros learn to manage their anger, disappointment and frustration.

Here are some tips from me what to do when you are playing so badly on during the match:

-It is OK that does not mean that you are going to lose the match.

-You have to be more focus on watching the ball hit your strings.

Flavia Penetta of Italy shows her frustration.

-Move, as long as the ball is in play.

-Keep your feet moving all the time.

-Slow down, take your time and go to your towel between points.

-Relax, take deep breathes, keep your head in the match and play one point at a time.

-Do not think about the score, just play point; between points and change-over visualize you hitting good shots.

-Believe that your hard work will pay off and don't worry too much.

-You absolutely cannot be mentally weak when you play a sport seriously. If you beat yourself mentally, you will never beat anyone physically.

-Meditation before you play, yoga, do your own routines, can help you. But your main problem is focus if you are getting angry at yourself.