Everybody knows that tennis is a physical game that uses stamina, muscles, balance and hand to eye coordination.
To perfect your game you must concentrate on perfecting your technique and developing the relevant muscle groups as part of your training to avoid injury and strains.
However, the mental part of tennis is just as important as the physical side. How to outwit your opponent and disguise your top shots is just as likely to win you a match than your speed across the court.
Don’t Play Against Yourself
Some players get impatient if they are playing with an opponent who likes to play safe tennis. Safe tennis is often played at club level and some people call them “moonballers.” These are players who sit back and wait for the opponent to make a mistake.
If you are playing against a player who uses this tactic do not get impatient. If you do this you will tend to play shots that you have not practiced before the match. This can result in errors and an advantage to your opponent.
Safe or Aggressive?
Participating in tennis you can opt for being an aggressive sort of player or one who plays safe tennis.
When you actually play tennis, you can’t play safe all the time because your aggressive opponent will find the best shot to defeat you. Your opponent can vary his shots to move you around the court resulting in tiredness and errors.
However, it is not correct to try and hit winners all the time, this will bring your percentage of error risk higher up.
Game Plan
A game plan is your overall strategy to winning the game. This will encompass all the shots you intend to play against your opponent. So before the game you need to evaluate your opponent and work out your strengths to beat them.
For example, if an opponent has very good footwork and groundstrokes on the baseline, then the best tactic is one of baseline defensive. If your player is aggressive on the baseline, then you should select more short balls forcing him to commit errors.
It does not mean that you have all the weapons to win. All you need to do is have some sort of game plan to counteract your opponent’s weapons and at the same time play to your strengths.
Play to Win
Adjust your mental game of playing to win. This situation will be to your advantage as it will give your opponents less chance to play aggressive shots.
Use your skills against your opponent and not yourself. Choose your skills appropriately, if you are a net player but your opponent is a player with good passing shots, then your net skill will not work on him.
If you are good in hitting big groundstrokes, but your opponent has very powerful groundstrokes and very good in baseline plays, then your powerful weapon becomes neutralised.
Don’t change your tactic, the most important thing is that you can adjust and counteract your opponent’s play as well as his weapons.
Winning at tennis takes mental as well as physical strength. If you are looking to improve your game then why not organise private coaching from our team of experts.
For more information on how Tennis World North Sydney can help your game, or to book your court, contact our friendly team today!