This start of the year, 2024, I feel somewhat lucky that my team won the championship in doubles lawn tennis and in doubles badminton in company tournaments. Just I would like to share why and how it happened.
I started playing tennis far back in high school days. My father introduced me to tennis since he was a tennis player also. Tennis is one of the training I got from my father.
In the past, we always lost in tennis or badminton games but now we won.
In no particular order of importance, I just would like to share why I think it happened:
Skill
Similar to any sports, you have to acquire a level of skill by practice. You can master all aspects of the sport but at least you master one or two of them. In tennis, learn the basics of forehand, backhand, serving, volleying and lob. Also need to learn fast and slow pace, topspin, under spin and flat stroke for tennis. For me, somewhat I master lob and slow pace. Yes, slow pace can win matches. Most young tennis players want fast pace. They lost their timing when they encounter slow pace. It is also beneficial for not so very young age like to me to slow down the pace which young players do not like.
If you have the skill or a certain specialized skill in the sport you are ready to win.
Mindset
You won't believe that during the match what is in my head. In my head I am playing scenarios because a tennis match is a like a story.
This is the story I am playing in my head.
The match start with even, 0-0. Normally it will go to 2-2. After 2-2, if your team managed to think of a winning strategy and apply in successive games it will go to 4-2 in your favor. At this time, the opponents team will figure out some adjustments and it usually go to 4-4 even. After which your team will make last adjustments, and normally will last until the end of the set for the win.
This story happens in a tennis match. A story you need to put in your head to avoid panic. The idea is to avoid putting additional pressure in yourself coming from your mind. Just let the story unfolds or somewhat you can skip the losing part of the story in your mind. This is specially helpful during serving.
You will also wonder why you play good in tennis practice and lose during tournaments. This is one reason of losing, putting additional pressure to yourself during a match.
Your Partner
I am lucky to have good partners in terms of skill and team work. They are top level players that brought also the winning formula in our team. They brought the best in me not by pushing me to play good but by encouraging me to play my game and giving important points for adjustments. It is also beneficial if your partner support your mind setting and not the other way around.
Basics
Specially in the tennis match, in the course of the game I managed to always raise my elbow high. I learned this in one website, to avoid unforced error and to keep power in your stroke to raise your swinging elbow high above your waist. There is a tendency specially in the forehand for the elbow to drop and this usually causes hitting the net.
Strategy
It is always your strength versus opponents weakness. It is not your strength versus opponents strength or in any other way around. One example, if your strength is forehand and opponents weakness is backhand use your forehand going to backhand. If your opponents weakness is slow pace, play the game in a slow pace. For not so very young people (like me), playing in fast pace has two disadvantages. One, even if you play hard and fast against a young opponent, certainly they can catch it easily and return it back to you. And Two, when they return it back to you it will also be hard and fast (or even much more) which is to our disadvantage.
That;s it. Hope this helps to not so very your people like me. I am not a tennis expert but hope this helps.
Feel free to comment. Thanks
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