"Back to basics... Breathe, relax the hand, have a plan of action, pick out your target, slow everything down by watching the flight and bounce of the ball into the strike zone, and breathe out again and watch the results unfold..."
Let's look at each one of those dynamics that Andy mentioned (who by the way was a top national junior player back in the day with just about the silkiest smooth game around).
- Back to basics - It's really easy to panic or get ticked off that you've just coughed up that big lead and want to make it all up with a couple of big shots.
That is the kiss of the death.
As tough as it is mentally to accept the fact that your lead has dried up, it's vital that you stay true to the basics of being able to play high percentage shots that put you and your partner into a position to win the next point. - Breathe - When something is not going my way or everything is going my way and the least thing I want to do is to consider why for either one of those situations, I focus on my my breathing between points, especially my 4 part routine (in my lesson on mental skills) to help me stay emotionally in control.
If you lose emotional control betwen points, the next point is likely to not go your way. - Relax The Hand - The most important thing you can do is to focus on the tension in your racket hand.
Can you relax it, can you release the tension that your brain is forcing your hand to squeeze the racket handle to death?
When I return serve, the only thing in my mind as that opponent's toss goes up is to release the tension in my racket hand. - Have A Plan Of Action - For me, the plan of action is the process of being able to either serve or return serve.
The last thing I want in my mind is thinking about the possible outcome of the point and any consequences.
For my serve it's a reminder of where I want to serve and to make sure I hit up slightly to insure I don't pull down my head too early.
And for my return of serve, it's the relax the hand. - Pick Out Your Target - Commit.
Whatever is the first target that comes into your mind, no matter what.
You don't want choices. I do this with the serve and all other shots other than the return of serve.
But with the return of serve, I'm not in control with where my opponent is going to serve, so to pick out a target prior to the incoming serve just might be asking me to do something that the incoming serve just doesn't work.
Instead, I try to commit to my process on that return, soft hands, take what they give you, head and eyes down through contact, and tons of footwork. - Slow Everything Down - You can perceive whatever you want, it's totally up to you.
I can choose to tell myself that the incoming ball is slower than it really is. That doesn't mean that my prep is lower, but with soft hands and a still head, you can visually slow that incoming ball where you feel you have time to do what you want to do.
It's a belief, a perception, and it takes a lot of practice. - Breathe Back Out - Time your contact with the incoming ball with a breath going out.
If you breathe in at contact, your body tightens, your swing loses its freedom, and bad things happen. Whooooosh... - Watch The Results Unfold - This is the mother of all dynamics for playing your best tennis no matter what the score and no matter what brought you to this score.
We all tend to want something so badly that we don't allow the old cliche in sports to happen, and that is "Let it come to you...".
The biggest mistake we make is to rush the finish of a swing, a point, a set, and the match.
The biggest challenge I faced last year at the National 60 Hardcourts when I beat the #3 seed was to make sure between points that I continued to tell myself to take just a little more time to start the next point.
I knew that any rushing would mean I didn't have the guts to stay in there and let the result come to me on its own time.
Thanks Mr. Webb for your insights. Back to basics. There is no magic bullet. Stay true to the fundamentals and good things will come your way in these close matches.
One more thing... Closing out a match successfully requires you to live in the immediate moment and nowhere in the future.
Brent
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