Quantcast
nodot nodot
Mortal Tennis
October 2005 Article

Contact Greg Moran

Mortal Tennis/Circle Game Archive

Get Greg Moran's book Tennis Beyond Big Shots at Amazon.com

Tennis Server
HOME PAGE

Do You Want To Be A Better Tennis Player?

Then Sign Up For A Free Subscription to the Tennis Server INTERACTIVE
E-mail Newsletter!

Tom Veneziano You will join 13,000 other subscribers in receiving news of updates to the Tennis Server along with monthly tennis tips from tennis pro Tom Veneziano.
 
Best of all, it is free!

Tennis Features Icon TENNIS FEATURES:

TENNIS ANYONE? - USPTA Pro John Mills' quick player tip.
 
TENNIS WARRIOR - Tom Veneziano's Tennis Warrior archive.
 
TURBO TENNIS - Ron Waite turbocharges your tennis game with tennis tips, strategic considerations, training and practice regimens, and mental mindsets and exercises.
 
WILD CARDS - Each month a guest column by a new writer.
 
BETWEEN THE LINES - Ray Bowers takes an analytical and sometimes controversial look at the ATP/WTA professional tour.
 
PRO TENNIS SHOWCASE - Tennis match reports and photography from around the world.
 
TENNIS SET - Jani Macari Pallis, Ph.D. looks at tennis science, engineering and technology.
 
MORTAL TENNIS - Greg Moran's tennis archive on how regular humans can play better tennis.
 
HARDSCRABBLE SCRAMBLE - USPTA pro Mike Whittington's player tip archive.
 
TENNIS EQUIPMENT TIPS.

Tennis Community Icon TENNIS COMMUNITY:


Tennis Book, DVD, and Video Index
 
Tennis Server Match Reports
 
Editor's Letter
 
Become a Tennis Server Sponsor

Explore The Tennis Net Icon EXPLORE THE TENNIS NET:

Tennis News and Live Tennis Scores
 
Tennis Links on the Web
 
nodot
Mortal Tennis By Greg Moran


 

Green Dot
 
Tennis Warehouse Logo
 
Green Dot

 
nodot
Help Yourself

Greg Moran Photo
Greg Moran

Everything flows when you're on the court with your coach. Your movements are graceful and your strokes fluid. The tennis ball seems the size of a balloon, and the court seems as big as an ocean. For those 30 to 60 minutes each week when you hit with your coach, you feel as if tennis is a game and you are its master.

Then you play a real match, and the klutz replaces the master. "Why do I play so much better in my lessons than I do in an actual game?" you wonder. It's because your pro can, to a large degree, ensure your success. By hitting the ball to your comfort zone and immediately correcting your mistakes, he or she can make you feel like a champ.

Unfortunately, this feeling usually disappears when you step into the real world of match play. A tennis court can be a very lonely place when it's just you between the lines. Your opponent isn't obliging you by hitting his or her shots where you want them, and he or she certainly isn't telling you what you're doing wrong.

"I wish you could be on the court with me when I play." Teaching pros hear this plea from their students almost every day. As much as we wish we could, we can't. During match play you must learn to cut the tennis umbilical cord and become your own coach.

The key to freeing yourself from your dependence on your coach is to develop an understanding of your game and an awareness of what's happening on the court. From a technical standpoint, players generally make the same mistakes over and over again. Yet many players have no idea what mistakes they are making. As international tennis teacher Peter Burwash says, "Most players only look closely at a shot if it's good. They bask in the glory of their great shots. If they flub one, they close their eyes in agony before the ball has even landed. The key to correcting your game, however, is watching what happens on your own errors."

Take my game, for example. I know that in tense situations I tend to rush my serve and begin to hit it into the net. So when the pressure builds, I remind myself to slow down, take a deep breath and let my toss reach its peak. It always helps. On the forehand side, I know that I tend to get lazy with my footwork and let the ball get behind me. So when my forehands start flying over the baseline, I remind myself to get up on my toes and prepare sooner. At the net, I have a tendency to let the balls come to me instead of going forward to meet them.

None of these corrections are highly technical, but by being aware of my tendencies, I'm able to give myself a quick reminder when one of my shots goes off. Usually that's enough to get myself back on track.

Another part of knowing your game is to recognize which strengths you have and which you don't. If you don't have a reliable topspin backhand, trying to rip one past your opponent at 30-40 probably isn't a great idea. If your serve seldom goes above 60 mph, don't try to hit aces. Above all, be realistic. Many players doom themselves from the start of a match because they believe their strokes are better than they are. Then they wonder why their game plans never work.

From a strategic standpoint you simply need to use your head. It's funny, but many players really have no idea of what's happening on the court. For example, if you come to the net four times in a row, and each time your opponent lobs over your head, you need to make an adjustment. Perhaps your approach shot is not deep or forcing enough. Or perhaps you should stay back unless you get a very short ball. The solution may be extremely simple. For example, if you serve to your opponent's forehand six times in a row and lose five of those points, serve to his or her backhand.

It's easy to get into a trance on the tennis court and just go with the flow. But if the flow is going against you, you need to figure out a way to stem the tide. When I work with players, I feed the balls quickly and talk virtually nonstop--often to the irritation of the players on the next court. When we practice match play, I frequently ask why my students won or lost a point. I do these things for two reasons. First, it keeps their energy level up, and second it teaches them to think and react quickly.

Often my players say that they hear my voice in their heads when they are playing. I love to hear that because it means that that their minds are working, and they're learning. Eventually my voice will fade and their own will surface.

Develop that voice in your head. Ask yourself why you won or lost the last point. Examine what is working and what's not. Take note of your opponent's strengths, weaknesses and tendencies. If you miss a few forehands in a row, remind yourself of the simple corrections you've worked on with your coach.

Learn from your mistakes.

That will enable you to become an aware, thinking player. And the only coach you'll need is yourself.

Green DotGreen DotGreen Dot

Mortal Tennis/Circle Game Archive

If you have not already signed up to receive our free e-mail newsletter Tennis Server INTERACTIVE, you can sign up here. You will receive notification each month of changes at the Tennis Server and news of new columns posted on our site.

This column is copyrighted by Greg Moran, all rights reserved.

Greg Moran is the Head Professional at the Four Seasons Racquet Club in Wilton, Connecticut. He is a former ranked junior and college player and certified by both the USPTA and USPTR. Greg has written on a wide variety of tennis-related subjects for numerous newspapers and tennis publications including Tennis, Tennis Match and Court Time magazines. He is also a member of the FILA and WILSON Advisory Staffs.

Questions and comments about these columns can be directed to Greg by using this form.


 

nodot
nodot
Google
Web tennisserver.com
nodot nodot
The Tennis Server
Ticket Exchange

Your Source for tickets to professional tennis & golf events.
 
SAI Team Tennis Tournament Tickets
 
Dallas Open Tickets
 
Delray Beach Open Tickets
 
ATX Open Tickets
 
BNP Paribas Open Tickets
 
Miami Open Tickets
 
Credit One Charleston Open Tickets
 
US Men's Clay Court Championships Tickets
 
Wimbledon Tickets
 
Infosys Hall of Fame Open Tickets
 
Atlanta Open Tickets
 
Mubadala Citi Open Tennis Tournament Tickets
 
National Bank Open Women's Tennis Canada Tickets
 
National Bank Open Men's Tennis Canada Tickets
 
Western & Southern Open Tickets
 
Winston-Salem Open Tickets
 
US Open Tennis Championship Tickets
 

 

Popular Tennis books:
 
Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis-Lessons from a Master by Brad Gilbert, Steve Jamison
 
The Best Tennis of Your Life: 50 Mental Strategies for Fearless Performance by Jeff Greenwald
 
The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey
 
Most Recent Articles:
 
October 2022 Tennis Anyone: Patterns in Doubles by John Mills.
 
September 2022 Tennis Anyone: Short Court by John Mills.
 

 

 

 

"Tennis Server" is a registered trademark and "Tennis Server INTERACTIVE" is a trademark of Tennis Server. All original material and graphics on the Tennis Server are copyrighted 1994 - by Tennis Server and its sponsors and contributors. Please do not reproduce without permission.

The Tennis Server receives a commission on all items sold through links to Amazon.com.

 

Tennis Server
Cliff Kurtzman
Editor-in-chief
791 Price Street #144
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Phone: (281) 480-6300
Online Contact Form
How to support Tennis Server as a Sponsor/Advertiser
Tennis Server Privacy Policy