4 WAYS TO START FASTER IN MATCHES

I attended a tennis event during the weekend with a team of college players. On the first day of matches, we had some disastrous starts. In several matches, we went down by 5 games before we began playing at our normal level, but often it was too late to save the game.

Here are 4 ways you can avoid slow starts in your matches:

THE WARM-UP IS 90% MENTAL

The most significant difference I see between the top professionals and college players is players at the top only have one mental "gear". They're always focused. Whereas college-level players think it's ok to warm up in a different mental "gear" than the one they use in the match.

Your body and your mind like doing things habitually, meaning anything you repeat enough times will become the norm. If you ask more from yourself in practice and matches, your body and mind will adapt to that new normal. 

This matters most during the morning warm-up before matches. If you're not focused or you’re clowning around during the warm-up, you'll go into the game under-prepared.

The top players approach everything focused, especially the warm-up. They understand that there is only one gear for the introduction if you want to start matches well.

DON'T LEAK POINTS

"There's no strategy in a match that involves leaking points". Whatever you are trying to do in a match, leaking points is unexceptionable.

At the college level, I see players leaking points all the time. It's like they are bleeding to death but don't want to do anything to stop it. 

I've watched a lot of matches like this and have tried to understand why players can be so stubborn when it's evident that without changing anything, they'll lose the game.

No match strategy involves "leaking"
points. Take swift action to stem the flow of points quickly.

I believe players are so stubborn because they want to play the way they imagine the game should be played, with flowing strokes and robust finishes. That's the way the pros play, so isn't it the goal of every player to play that way?

The answer is no. The pros play based on a foundation of what will work best during different situations. They adapt to what's in front of them. They choose the ideal shot selection options for specific conditions, and oh, one more thing, they avoid making errors like their life depended on it.

The pros adapt to a live situation, while lesser players seek a predictable script. Tennis is seldom predictable.

If you're leaking points early in the match, make changes.

START WITH A STRATEGY

When I mention strategy, I mean having a separate and specific plan for every opponent. 
If you enter the court with a simple strategy consisting of 2-3 ideas, you will be much more focused than going into the match clueless.

Having a strategy will keep you grounded and confident as you start the match, making you more likely to get off to a more solid start.

If you've seen your opponent before, you'll have some basic ideas for starting the match against them. 

Get in the habit of using a notebook
to record the likes and dislikes of your opponent

It's a good idea to take notes on your opponent soon after finishing each match. Take note of the things that worked or didn't work against them while the game is still fresh in your mind. And be sure to always take your notebook on your tennis trips so that it's always available for reference.

If you've never played against your opponent before, I recommend you play a conservative game based on the 5 Elements of Match-play until you get a feel for their game.

THE 5 ELEMENTS OF MATCH-PLAY

I've explained my 5 Elements of Match-play here in a previous article. As soon as you start a match, your mind should be aware of each element and ready to adjust if needed.

During the first few games of any match, some red flags may become apparent.

• Are you missing too many first serves and making yourself vulnerable?
• Are you failing to get enough of your Returns back in court to give yourself a chance of breaking your opponent's serve?
• Are you being dominated in the ground-stroke rally. The rally is one of the critical pillars of your game, and you'll need to find a way to create pressure on your opponent during the rally to have a chance of winning the match.
• Are you making too many unforced errors early in the match? Those early games will slip away quickly if you're being careless.
• Are you letting small things distract you, or perhaps you can feel that you're not confident about your game or in beating your opponent? Poor mental beliefs or too emotional can hurt your chances of winning more than strokes and strategy. Ensure you are mentally stable during the early part of matches; this will also set the tone for the remainder of the game.

These 5 elements should be in your mind from the first ball of your match.

Starting slowly in matches can become habitual unless you take steps to stop it. Please let me know in the comments section if this has been helpful.