Spend more time, not more money to improve your tennis

If not to be Competitive, Why Compete?

Over the winter months, I had been approached by two-maybe three players, who were members of the USTA, and invited me to play on their team.  Super Seniors it was called.

I am somewhat at odds with the USTA and the affect it has had on America's Tennis, from it's late arrival towards the younger player, and their silence on the instructional community, such that the USTA doesn't take a stand on "open stance" "Looped backswing" "two-hand versus one-hand backhand, so I had been reluctant to join the USTA, which was a requirement to play.

Further, the warm-up on the courts that I'm seeing called: "Short Ball," in my opinion is a waste of time, because when players are ten to fifteen feet from the net their goal and need is to be volleying "on the fly," not looping forehands and backhands at the net.

When I heard Super Seniors, I thought maybe someone had already taken my idea of demonstrating what tennis should look like, and was running with it, thus I was expecting I would have to work to establish myself, and my game to play with the team.  Man was I wrong!

I had earlier attempted to recruit skilled talented players for a team that would go around locally and demonstrate at local clubs what tennis could be like.  No explanation has been given about why these players I asked didn't desire to commit, so I expect someone will see the possibility.

But the Super Seniors I referred to refers not to the skill level, but the age level of the player.  That has thrown me for a loop.  Players commit to play, but they have other engagements that prevent their availability for practice and matches, so it becomes difficult for a player, let alone a coach, to establish enough camaraderie between players or with the players, to form a compatible team willing to work at tennis and make the sacrifices that create winners.

There are players who use unorthodox strokes, i.e, no backhand; but a lefthand forehand, and a right hand forehand; then there are others who switch because of the difficulty of the shot they are attempting, and though they are competitive at times, there tennis style will always relegate them as someone who plays tennis; but not a Tennis Player per se.

There's a big difference.

Practice, and practice matches, regardless of when and where they are played, or against whom, in preparation for league play, should always  carry over to game day; and when it does not;  Hey! it can affect play,  team morale, and player confidence.

It's competence, confidence and "can do" attitude that makes teams winners.

That's the Talk of the Town from my perspective on Tennis.

The Psychology of Tennis

It's been brought to my attention that a different image of me has emerged on the courts that suggest that I might not be the gentleman on the court that I envisioned myself to be! 

This came as a sort of surprise, because I have made it a point to give my opponents the benefit of close line calls, the benefit of the score when the game score has been forgotten; and in addition, I try to make the teams as competitive as possible by partnering with players others avoid, or with whom they would prefer not to play, or who might be considered the weaker player.

I will often ask a player whom I might consider a weaker player than myself, and ask them to chose the receiving side they prefer.  If I know I'm the stronger player, and they know I'm the stronger player, and they chose the backhand side, Iv'e learned a lot about their knowledge of tennis, and their knowledge of what it takes to win.

I have often invited players to play, whom I have not seen play in order that they may have a go on the courts.  I make it a point to hit [stroke the ball] with anyone who asks me to do so--at least once--with whom I have never played. 

Hey, I remember how hard it is to get a match sometimes in a new place.  Some refuse to hit with me because I don't hit everything hard like they do. 

For that reason, I often will invite those players who  I see practicing on the wall into a match, or to play,  because Ithink it's important to work at your game, and I admire those dedicated to improving their game.

However, when the gauntlet is thrown, and I'm engrossed in playing a match, my attitude might appear to change only because I have a new motivation.  I want to win!  Short of taking away my opponent's racquet, or tying his shoe laces together on the crossover, I do whatever I think will be necessary to win.

I would not deliberately attempt to hinder your stroke production in anyway.  However, I might attempt to intimidate you by standing in closer to receive your serve.  I would surely lob to you when you are facing the Sun. 

Or, I might even move my receiving position as you toss the ball to serve, just to distract your concentration. What I do will be within the rules of the game, and those rules you should know too.

If not, you can bet, if you serve a let, and don't clear the ball from your path to the court, I will try to make my return hit the ball you left on the court.

Whether playing singles or doubles,  I prefer to concentrate on my strengths, not my weaknesses; but instead the weaknesses of my opponent, such that I might take advantage of to win.  Smart tournament players will often engage their opponents into relaxing during the crossover, and disrupt their concentration.

Basic Tennis is not difficult, it's the ability to stay focused while during the heat of competition that throws you off your game.  Everybody makes errors.  Understanding when you make errors and why you are making them, and more importantly how to correct them during the match, can--if you're losing--get you back into contention.

So, with that in mind, I hope you won't be to harsh on me with my smack talking, it's just to remind you that it's just a game.  I'm only here for a short time, but I'm there having fun, and hope you are too, because the better you play, the more fun I'll have.

That's the Talk of the Town.