But being in the present is not something you can automatically do. Thats the problem. Probably the best strategy is practice under duress building some confidence and mentally reminding yourself what procedures to follow -- eye on ball, head still, brush up contact point ect. Don't worry about the result but rehearse the procedures in which through practice you've developed confidence. I've struggled with this problem. Kevin is a great teacher though.
It is important to take a training match very seriously to be used to the pressure. Actually we should worry about the results, I mean, we should really give everything to win most points, but “worry” here means playing smart and not careless. If you take every training match seriously you will relax more in a tournament. Actually I think I play slightly more relaxed in a tournament because I think I did everything needed to win in practice, and if I nevertheless lose it is okay, as my opponent is playing good tennis. I can enjoy the battle doing the best I can at this day - the result of the match will be the result of the practice.
Kevin thank you so much for sharing your insights here! Really helps me as I wonder sometimes why I practice even though a lot of times my serve and/or my strokes disappear in match play. Growth mindset is just who I am..I love practicing, I love tinkering and trying to improve my strokes. I will just need to be patient and work on the mental stuff during matches...stay in the moment stay in the moment...what?! A butterfly?! 😆 Great advice!
Great video on a sensitive and challenging topic. I started playing tennis just about 2 years ago. I had the good fortune to have been in many multi sport challenges and long distance triathlons. I learned there that I had to stay in my bubble. Inside the bubble, I had to get real intimate with my body and to stay in the moment and be present to whatever shows up; especially challenges - weather, colleagues in trouble, near crashes...etc.. My tennis mates think don't understand my psychology. My efforts when I warm up, stretch is begin to clear my mind so I can be present. Often I am so in my bubble, I lose sight of the score.... I have learned to not fear the score but love the battle ... Win or lose. I hate the feeling ( and memory in the clubhouse ) of mentally quitting. Your channel followers might enjoy the movie The Peaceful Warrior. The kernel of the movie is great things can happen when we surrender to the moment... A great flick....
Sound advice. TBH I've had issues with this recently. The best way to play is to try to empty your head of ALL THE STUFF that is happening in yr life. Leave it off the tennis court. 2nd, remind yourself that this match is NOT IMPORTANT. No one will suffer if you lose this match - it is simply not important. 3rd, remind yourself that you are lucky to be alive and physically able to play tennis. When yr older, you won't be able to play singles matches. I lost an uptight terrible match recently. When I played a few days ago and tried to shake off the ego bullshit aspect, I played superbly. As you Americans say - Go Figure!
So basically, you need to just play your game without caring about the results too much. Otherwise you will probably get stuck on thinking about the terrible shot and continue that process which can make you more and more stressed. I had a discussion with my coach considering I have a temper and get nervous before a tournament. Because I think if I play bad the people won't expect good things from me, especially when I play against people who I've beat. Because if I lose against that person all my negativity comes in and postivity just vanishes. Also because I think that the opponent will think I've got a worse. So, can you make a video on how to stop getting nervous against someone you know or beaten before. #GreatVideo But make the suggestion about how to not get nervous before you play with someone you know or have beaten.
Against opponents you lost in the past try to remember what happened in these matches. I was losing often against a guy in my tennis club. I thought I was better but he won the final against me, and also in the practice. I changed the club and we had to play against each other in an inter club. They could chose who would play against me and everybody was sure he would beat me again. But in the meantime I knew exactly I was doing wrong: I was playing too many drop shots. He was able to ge most of these balls and make the point points. So I decided to avoid drop shots until he forgot about it, and then use it, but sporadically. I destroyed him in two sets. He didn’t understand what went wrong. The same thing you should do when you lose the first set. Two years ago I played against a very strong player in the club tournament. He was younger and much better than me, and the first set was finished very quickly, I didn’t got any break ball and could break me at anytime. If my ball was not deep enough he would simply play a winner with the forehand and backhand, and he was killing me with his return. So I decided to play the most aggressive services I could manage, first and second. I preferred to make a double fault than to give him the opportunity to return aggressively. And I was playing my shots deeper, so he couldn’t play his winners. It worked, he didn’t break me once in the second set and I won clearly in the tiebreak, and he gave up because his knees. So, try understand what you can change in your game. Perhaps you should adjust something in your game, like playing more consistently, or placing the balls deeper. If he he has a great forehand don’t play only at his backhand. Show him you are not afraid to play against his best shot, this can come to a surprise to him. Some guys play better the forehand when they play it after trying to avoid the backhand, and they are less used to get the ball often to the forehand. And so on.
Thank you! I loved this I've lost my last three matches from mental things from a tiebreak. I have a tournament this weekend, and now I'm much more confident. Thank you again
Yeah, I used to have nerves, but #1; I became immersed in the process, and # 2; I changed my mind from a “play hard n try to win,” to a “take dat challenge, and beat his @$$ mindset!!”
But being in the present is not something you can automatically do. Thats the problem. Probably the best strategy is practice under duress building some confidence and mentally reminding yourself what procedures to follow -- eye on ball, head still, brush up contact point ect. Don't worry about the result but rehearse the procedures in which through practice you've developed confidence. I've struggled with this problem. Kevin is a great teacher though.
It is important to take a training match very seriously to be used to the pressure. Actually we should worry about the results, I mean, we should really give everything to win most points, but “worry” here means playing smart and not careless. If you take every training match seriously you will relax more in a tournament. Actually I think I play slightly more relaxed in a tournament because I think I did everything needed to win in practice, and if I nevertheless lose it is okay, as my opponent is playing good tennis. I can enjoy the battle doing the best I can at this day - the result of the match will be the result of the practice.
SO HELPFUL OH MY GOSH YOU READ MY MIND THANK YOU!
Brilliant! I live by that book by Gallwey! You explained a lot wonderfully too! Thanks!
Great advice!
Kevin thank you so much for sharing your insights here! Really helps me as I wonder sometimes why I practice even though a lot of times my serve and/or my strokes disappear in match play. Growth mindset is just who I am..I love practicing, I love tinkering and trying to improve my strokes. I will just need to be patient and work on the mental stuff during matches...stay in the moment stay in the moment...what?! A butterfly?! 😆
Great advice!
This helps a lot! Thanks so much for your help.
Great video on a sensitive and challenging topic. I started playing tennis just about 2 years ago. I had the good fortune to have been in many multi sport challenges and long distance triathlons. I learned there that I had to stay in my bubble. Inside the bubble, I had to get real intimate with my body and to stay in the moment and be present to whatever shows up; especially challenges - weather, colleagues in trouble, near crashes...etc.. My tennis mates think don't understand my psychology. My efforts when I warm up, stretch is begin to clear my mind so I can be present. Often I am so in my bubble, I lose sight of the score.... I have learned to not fear the score but love the battle ... Win or lose. I hate the feeling ( and memory in the clubhouse ) of mentally quitting.
Your channel followers might enjoy the movie The Peaceful Warrior. The kernel of the movie is great things can happen when we surrender to the moment... A great flick....
Thanks, I'll check it out. I've heard a lot of good things about it.
Favourite tennis channel!
Thanks Kai!
Guys I read this book aswell and it's really good! Kevin is right.
Great tips by the way :) Keep it going!
Thanks King!
Nice! Good advice!
Great tips, dude! Thanks!
Sound advice. TBH I've had issues with this recently. The best way to play is to try to empty your head of ALL THE STUFF that is happening in yr life. Leave it off the tennis court. 2nd, remind yourself that this match is NOT IMPORTANT. No one will suffer if you lose this match - it is simply not important. 3rd, remind yourself that you are lucky to be alive and physically able to play tennis. When yr older, you won't be able to play singles matches. I lost an uptight terrible match recently. When I played a few days ago and tried to shake off the ego bullshit aspect, I played superbly. As you Americans say - Go Figure!
"When you play your best match..... What's in your mind?... Nothing.. " THANK YOU for the reminder... Zen. Great advice, and great content.
Omg thank you I play at Gulf coast community college and I have a match today and I am really nervous 🙂🙌🏾💯
Excellent video, thanks!
So basically, you need to just play your game without caring about the results too much. Otherwise you will probably get stuck on thinking about the terrible shot and continue that process which can make you more and more stressed. I had a discussion with my coach considering I have a temper and get nervous before a tournament. Because I think if I play bad the people won't expect good things from me, especially when I play against people who I've beat. Because if I lose against that person all my negativity comes in and postivity just vanishes. Also because I think that the opponent will think I've got a worse. So, can you make a video on how to stop getting nervous against someone you know or beaten before. #GreatVideo But make the suggestion about how to not get nervous before you play with someone you know or have beaten.
Against opponents you lost in the past try to remember what happened in these matches. I was losing often against a guy in my tennis club. I thought I was better but he won the final against me, and also in the practice.
I changed the club and we had to play against each other in an inter club. They could chose who would play against me and everybody was sure he would beat me again. But in the meantime I knew exactly I was doing wrong: I was playing too many drop shots. He was able to ge most of these balls and make the point points. So I decided to avoid drop shots until he forgot about it, and then use it, but sporadically.
I destroyed him in two sets. He didn’t understand what went wrong.
The same thing you should do when you lose the first set.
Two years ago I played against a very strong player in the club tournament. He was younger and much better than me, and the first set was finished very quickly, I didn’t got any break ball and could break me at anytime. If my ball was not deep enough he would simply play a winner with the forehand and backhand, and he was killing me with his return. So I decided to play the most aggressive services I could manage, first and second. I preferred to make a double fault than to give him the opportunity to return aggressively. And I was playing my shots deeper, so he couldn’t play his winners.
It worked, he didn’t break me once in the second set and I won clearly in the tiebreak, and he gave up because his knees.
So, try understand what you can change in your game. Perhaps you should adjust something in your game, like playing more consistently, or placing the balls deeper. If he he has a great forehand don’t play only at his backhand. Show him you are not afraid to play against his best shot, this can come to a surprise to him. Some guys play better the forehand when they play it after trying to avoid the backhand, and they are less used to get the ball often to the forehand. And so on.
Thank u very very much mr Kevin
Thank you! I loved this I've lost my last three matches from mental things from a tiebreak. I have a tournament this weekend, and now I'm much more confident. Thank you again
thank you!!!
Thank you bro
Bless you Kevin.
Thank you so much for this insight!
Struggle with nerves, will take on board your advice Kev. Have to practice, just like groundstrokes, volleys etc. Part of the tennis journey.
Yes, That's a great point! Thanks for watching.
This helped me so much!! Thanks
But I have a problem I can't control my shelf when I am nerves
Yeah, I used to have nerves, but #1; I became immersed in the process, and # 2; I changed my mind from a “play hard n try to win,” to a “take dat challenge, and beat his @$$ mindset!!”
Followed these tips in a challenge match today and came back from a 5-1 deficit and won
Who would dislike this?
first :)
tfs !!
You're #1! Thanks
It's great to see that Weedborn has new CBD products that will save me money and energy to treat myself.