It’s a fact: tennis matches are usually decided by errors. Even the world’s top players can make more mistakes than winners.
The player who makes the most mistakes will lose the match, whether in a league match or a Grand Slam final.
The big difference between you and the more experienced pro is that you tend to lose more points due to a single mistake.
- You become frustrated.
- You get “tight.”
- You lose concentration.
One or all of the above can lead to more errors and sometimes cause you to give up on the match entirely.
Can you now see how vital it is that you learn about managing your errors?
Think about this – you are playing in a match and miss an easy forehand to win a point. Does the following sound familiar?
- “That was so easy! How could you miss it?”
- “You idiot!”
- “What’s wrong with you?!”
This is what we call negative self-talk.
Negative self-talk leads to destructive negative energy and more mistakes, and your chances of winning the match are dramatically reduced.
My grandma used to say, “Practice makes perfect,” and she was right because what you do on the practice court will transfer to the match court.
So, start managing your errors better during practice, and you will have a better chance of managing your errors during a match.
Here’s how to do it!
• Realize that everybody makes mistakes, and after all, you have only lost one point (matches are NOT won and lost because of one point!)
• Treat mistakes as positive feedback and learn from them so that you will know how to deal with them and execute them much better when the situation comes up again.
• Get real! You cannot play a match without making an error. Also, sometimes your opponent will force you to make an error through their good play.
• If you make an error, replay the ideal stroke (volley, forehand, etc.) as you move to get into position for the next point so you get the “feel” of doing it correctly.
• Take deep breaths to help you relax.
• Take the racquet out of your playing hand (because that’s your racquet-slamming hand, lol!)
• Talk to yourself positively – “I’ll get the next one!”
• Use all of the above – in practice and in your matches – to form a “coping” routine.
If you don’t learn to control your emotions and manage your errors, they will manage and control you!
Learn to keep yourself under control, and you will always be one step ahead of your opponents!
Image by Freepik
