The preparation for a tennis match begins way before a person walks on the court. These tennis tips to win a tennis match are for tennis players that want better results on the tennis court.
Tennis playing tip #1 – Early preparation
Early preparation in tennis does not just apply to tennis technique and strokes. It also applies in the preparation for a tennis match. This tennis playing tip is essential for success. Brad Gilbert, in his book Winning Ugly says that, “The preparation should begin two weeks before the start of the match.” When I first read that line, I was taken aback because nobody I knew began their preparation that early. Brad Gilbert went on to say that the tennis tips to win a tennis match was the same ones he instructed Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick to do at the professional level. Of course, nobody can question Gilbert’s tennis playing tips because of his long track record of success with top professional players.
When I looked at myself and my own preparation, there was no way I was preparing two weeks prior to my tennis match. In reality, I began my true tennis match preparation minutes before the tennis match. Frequently, I would walk on court for a tennis match and just several minutes before the start of the tournament.
I was always rushed for time and I never got into a good warm up for a tennis match. As soon as I arrived to the tennis tournament site, I would have to hurry on to start the tennis match with no time to spare. Reading Brad Gilbert’s book on tennis playing tips opened my eyes as to why my tournament results were sporadic – especially when I had little time to prepare for a tennis match.
If I were to teach tennis players the best tennis playing tips, I would advise them to listen to Brad Gilbert’s advice and his tennis tips on winning a match.
Tennis playing tip #2 Calm your Emotions
So you’ve realized that the best tennis tip for winning a tennis match is something entirely inside the bounds of your control. It’s simply early preparation. Starting the mental, physical and emotional preparation earlier on at least the day before the tennis match. On the tennis match day, likely there will be a lot of different emotions inside your mind. Your mind might be fluttering with different thoughts.
Many of these thoughts will be about the past or future. Your head may be foggy and unclear at the match day, either worrying about past thoughts or nervous about your future performance during the tennis match that day. It’s important to learn to calm your emotions. You may be feeling nervous, your stomach jittery and your muscles tensed. All of these emotions and feelings can easily become out of control and take over during a tennis match if they are not properly maintained.
For this tennis playing tips, I advise you to develop what I call “emotional detachment.” In order to win a tennis match, a person should be relatively focused and clear of overwhelming thoughts.
Tennis Playing tip #3 Reduce the “Fight or Flight” Syndrome
This tennis playing tip is important for every tennis player competing at the tournament level. Being nervous and anxious is entirely natural. It is the body’s “flight or fight” syndrome kicking into gear. As primitive animals, humans were designed to protect themselves from danger by developing this attribute. As soon as danger is sensed, the human body would become extra aroused. The heartbeats may become rapid, palms sweaty, muscles tighten up and become tensed and the mind becomes foggy. The most primitive stages of a human being are then introduced, but these symptoms are not ideal for a competitive tennis match situation.
Humans have evolved since then, but the same “flight or fight” from what is perceived as fear or danger is still inside our nature. This can be detrimental a tennis match. In a tennis match, the body performs best in the zone – with little to no tension and anxiety.
Watch Roger Federer play a tennis match. Even though Federer’s reputation and money is at stake every time he plays a grand slam he looks cool, calm and collected. His tennis technique and strokes are hit with full comfort and his appearance is relaxed. This is the same characteristics that tennis players at all levels should strive to develop.
Tennis Playing tip #4 Develop a ritual
Developing a ritual prior and during a tennis match is a crucial tennis playing tip. A ritual can be anything that serves to relax a person and take their mind off of the tennis match. A ritual should be performed on a consistent basis so the mind and body begins to associate the ritual with a positive and calming aspect.
Rituals can be anything from verbal cues, mental visualizations, thoughts or actions that pertain to the tennis match and will make the person increase their focus and concentration. Tennis is a game that requires a large amount of mental and physical concentration, any break in concentration can cause the person to lose games, sets and then matches.
A coach of mine told me one of his tennis playing tips that worked for him. He would stare up at the trees in the distance in between change overs and this would take his mind off of the negative points in the match. I found it unusual, but at least it shows that everyone can develop their own personal ritual. Rituals and tennis tips to win a tennis match are the determining factors that will make the difference between winning and losing.
Tennis Playing tip #5 Take Time in between points
Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic are known for their adept uses of time and mental capacity in between points. It is said that a large amount of time in a tennis match is spent in the idle time in between each point. It’s necessary to solidify a person’s routine in between points.
Tennis Playing tip #6 Gear up the Tennis Equipment
This tennis playing tip is likely the most important tennis tip of all time. Making sure the tennis equipment is in tip top shape and in order is one of the most important tennis tips for winning a match.
This means rackets must be in good shape and freshly strung if possible, tennis shoes with good soles and atleast one backup shoe, a supply of tennis over grips, bandages, wraps, tapes, sweat band, extra shirt and shorts are just a few examples.
This tennis playing tip goes out to all the tennis players out there. I cannot recount how many times I thought I would never need something for a tennis match and I ended up in desperate need of it feverishly going through my tennis bag, I realize I forgot to bring.
This tennis tip for winning a match is insurmountable, because it has happened to me more than a few times than I would like. Being toe to toe with my opponent for two long tiebreaker sets in an OPEN tennis tournament, I had a great chance to close off the match with a victory. But late in the tiebreaker, I broke out with a blister on my finger. Looking through my tennis bag with sweat pouring down my face, I discover that I forgot bandages. Needless to say, it was not an ideal outcome.
A teaching pro that I know recently shared his tennis playing tips for playing a tournament in regards to tennis equipment. For a tennis match he said, “I bring about five or six rackets freshly strung from the shop, bunch of new clothes, lots of grips, bandages, drinks, protein bars and a couple hundred dollars, cash.” He showed me his huge tennis bag, and I was astounded. Everything in there was brand new, he had rolls of brand new strings, grips and other accessories that looked fresh out of the sports store.
I realized that great tennis players understand this tennis playing tip more than anyone else. Seemingly minor aspects such as tennis equipment can spell the difference between a win or loss.
Tennis Playing Tips From The Warm-Up to the End of the Tennis Match
Use these tennis playing tips the next time you get on the court. Over time, these tennis tips for winning a match will become a natural routine that you can use to obtain more positive and consistent results in a match.
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