7 TIPS HOW TO WIN TENNIS MATCH

There is no simple answer to “How to win a tennis match?” question. I played a lot of tennis matches and I watched even more matches than I played. Sometimes I put my observation in the form of notes on the paper to summarize my thoughts and to have something I can look later. It is a good way how to analyze the reasons for your losses and wins.

In the end, I come to a statement many find surprising. You can talk a lot about the tactics and your and opponent fitness, but the key to the win is usually in your head. Here are my tips on how to win a tennis match.

Content:
Mind decides
7 Tips how to win a tennis match
– 1. Positive thinking
– 2. Focus on the actual point
– 3. Watch the ball
– 4. Believe in yourself
– 5. Stay with your tactics
– 6. Be Patient
– 7. Enjoy the game

 

Mind decides

You can always learn something new by watching professional tennis players. If you have a chance, go to the practice session of ATP or WTA player. You will find out that their tennis hits – forehand, backhand or serve – is perfect. I am not joking, the level of performance is incredible. Every player out of the top hundred can serve or hit at an extraordinary level.

It is impossible to pick who is the best tennis player in terms of pure overall tennis skills. You can hardly say that Nadal is not so good at tennis plays as Federer. One has a better forehand, one has a better ability to get everywhere on the court at the right time. However, it is hard to decide who is a better player. Generally, we can say that all top ten or twenty players are playing great tennis. Then, what decides their matches? What does Djokovic make differently than Klizan?

It is their attitude and mind. What do they think about during the game, how they focus on every ball and how they respond to any event happening during the game.

7 Tips how to win a tennis match

1. Positive thinking

You should never think about the loss when going to court. You have to always believe in the win, no matter who the opponent is. Even if you play against a better-skilled player, you have to think positively. There a lot of stories in history about how underdog beat the favorite. The only scenario you project in your mind before the game is the winning one. You will prepare your tactics to win not to lose. And you have to stay positive no matter what happens during the match. Negativity never brings a positive result.

2. Keep your focus on the actual point

You should never think about things beyond the actual point you are going to play. Any thoughts about the overall result or past game are strictly forbidden. It will not help to think about what went wrong in the previous rally. And vice versa thinking about the result, even when you are holding the match point is useless. It will distract your attention and you still can lose. You have to always fully focus just on actual play.

3. Always watch the ball

This is a thing you learn when you start with tennis. Always follow and watch the ball until you hit it with a racket. Leaving aside the fact it really helps your actual tennis play, it also helps to focus on the actual point. Let your mind fully concentrate on the actual point and the ball you are playing right now.

4. Believe in yourself

You have to believe in your skills even when you are losing. Nothing else, just your tennis skills can help you to turn the match around. You have to believe in your forehand, backhand and serve. You know your winning set of hits and you should not be afraid to use.

Believing in yourself means that you will not wait until your opponent makes a mistake. It means you will play winners and you will keep attacking. Nobody wins a tennis game with pure defensive and waiting mode.

5. Stay with your tactics

You prepared your tactics and you should believe in it. Even if it does not work in the first few games, you prepared it with a reason and you should keep it.

The same is valid when playing a ball. You should not change the hit you choose at the last moment. The sudden change increase the probability you will make an error.

6. Be patient

Do not try to hurry up a point. The time for a winner will come, but you need to stay in a game till that moment. But do not mistake patience and defensive play. Patience means you are waiting for the right moment to attack. Defensive play means you are waiting for an unforced error of your opponent.

7. Enjoy the game

Enjoy the game is the last but not the least tip on how to win a tennis match. You play tennis because you like it, not because you have to. You go to the court to enjoy the game and the sports itself, so go and enjoy every minute of it.

Posted in BLOG, How to ..., Tennis Column and tagged , , .

Tennis Pro Guru

Simon is the leading editor of TennisProGuru.com from 2015. He is an avid tennis player from age of 5, however, he never reached the pro level. Still, he likes playing tennis on different courts, with different rackets, and against different opponents. In his free time, you can find him watching all possible tennis matches he can find on the web or tv. Challenger or Grand Slam? It does not matter, just tennis matters.

He currently plays with:
Racket: Wilson Shift 99 V1
Strings: Babolat RPM Blast
Grip: Head Xtreme Soft
Shoes: Asics Gel Dedicate 7 (for hard outdoor and indoor courts) & Asics Gel-Game 5 Clay (for clay courts),
Balls: Dunlop Fort All Courts and Head Championship
Bag: Axiom Backpack

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