Tag Archives: strategy

When Should Tennis Players Learn “Strategy”?

     While watching an Australian Open semifinal match between Andy Murray and David Ferrer, I heard Martina Navratilova make a poignant observation about the training and development of top junior players. Murray had begun to turn the match around and was stringing together rally shots that moved Ferrer “pillar to post” and set up several winning volleys. The effectiveness of  Murray’s match play prompted Martina to comment,  “When are players supposed to learn strategy?  Suddenly when they turn 18 and start playing on the tour?”

Of course, Martina went on to say these lessons must be taught at much younger ages –  it’s not a sudden, mysterious event that will occur when a player needs it most. Learning about strategy development is an integral and essential part of a player’s ongoing “schooling” and doesn’t just happen spontaneously.

 There must be an organized plan to teach match play strategy, a truth which is often ignored to the detriment of otherwise very talented players!

Too many think and teach that great tennis shots and speed will always carry the match. Rarely do you hear of  “skull sessions” anymore where junior players and coaches discuss tactical situations and pre-match mental preparation so players already know what to do in those game situations.

 My Dad has often paraphrased Emerson,  The man who knows how to do something well will always have a job, but the man who also knows why something works will always be his boss.

Knowing how and why to use certain strategies, in certain situations, against certain players will always prove to be a tremendous advantage over the player who just shows up with their bag of great shots and a mentality to just return the ball over the net –  as Andy Roddick so ably stated at the same Aussie Open, simply a “See ball, Hit ball” game plan. Be prepared to be the boss and control the match with your offensive plan rather than be the player who can only react defensively to what’s hit at them.

So how do you get to this point?

TheTennisOrganizer.com Scorebooks are designed to facilitate the training process for the “thinking” player by providing the statistics & point-by-point match description that permits a thorough analysis of themselves and their opponent. Why? So the effectiveness of that match’s strategy can be evaluated and then modified to produce even more success in the future – it is the tennis textbook with the facts that can make you a smarter player. Know definitively which strokes are your weakest and devote the practice time needed to turn that situation around.

 I firmly believe, Start charting your match statistics & stop making the same old match mistakes!!

Don’t be doomed to repeat the same unsatisfactory results because you never change how you prepare for your matches. Tell your coaches & pros that you want to learn the why, not just the how, of playing tennis. “Study to show thyself approved”, and you can expect improved tournament outcomes.

 Don’t fail because you didn’t read your TheTennisOrganizer.com Scorebook – it has the answers to help conquer your next tennis test!

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Get Organized & Chart Your Way to Tennis Tournament Success!

Ban Animal Testing Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your tennis game, and that of your opponents, is the foundation for achieving consistent tournament success. You know what kind of grade to expect if you’re not organized and show up for a major exam without bothering to study the textbook. Why should you expect anything more by not charting and not studying the tennis textbook information that can give you all the answers to the next tennis tournament test!

 Charting is recording the types of shots that win or lose points in a game. It is also extremely valuable to chart when and in what situation these shots were made.  Knowing how you  reacted to your opponent’s shot selection and play strategy will help formulate the training regimen and adjustments that will correct past costly errors – both mental and physical. Understanding the psychology of match play can often be even more revealing than observing the physical skill set a player possesses.

 Patterns of play can be identified that can be exploited for your gain, especially when you begin pinpointing your opponent’s specific habits and tendencies – things they don’t even know they do! They will show up at your next match expecting to play the same opponent. However, you will be prepared to anticipate their habitual shots and repetitive play patterns because you studied the written record of that last match. They will suddenly look back halfway through the match and wonder what happened! You will definitely not be the same player they remembered from that previous tournament.

 Just paying lip service to charting match play point-by-point will never achieve that competitive edge you are seeking. Get coaches, parents, siblings, teammates, girlfriends, boyfriends, other players – people you can trust to chart your matches completely with a scorebook from TheTennisOrganizer.com. Be consistent to regularly record your tournaments and have a plan to really look at the results. Use them to formulate practice drills and new play strategies that will improve your tournament outcomes.

 Don’t be the competitor that just shows up to hit the ball reflexively without any pre-match preparation or play strategy.  Being diligent to do your tennis charting “homework” will almost certainly earn you a higher “grade” in tournament success! Test Result A

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