In the last post, we covered how intimidating your opponent with smiling is a much more effective strategy then shouting or swearing. In today’s post we will cover how to take away time and space from your opponent by applying pressure.
The Test of a Good Player
Ask yourself the following questions to measure your progress toward becoming a great player.
- Covering the Court
- Hit the ball
- Control my shots
- Setting up the points
- Control my nerves
- Learn from my mistakes
- Intimidate my opponents
- Pressure my opponent
- Enjoy the battle
- Handle the outcome
Putting Pressure on your opponent with Confidence.
Due to the scoring system in tennis, the ability to “close out” matches, sets, games and even points will give you a huge advantage. One key to “closing out” is confidence. Lacking confidence at the important points in a match can be costly.
One way to build confidence is to master a strategy in practice. Whether it is serving wide and stroking the return to the opposite corner, or serving and volleying, or attacking the opponent’s second serve, plan it ahead and practice it. Then, when the match starts, try these strategies early in the match so you will use them with confidence on the big points.
If you can master these patterns during practice and starting using them during a match, your opponent will have to adjust his game. This will usually result in them being out of rhythm.