Special Mental Tips Every Tennis Player Needs for Success
In 2019, the news that All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club raised the price money for Wimbledon Championship to $49.4 million, was the most captivating. So, when Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in the epic final, one is left with one central question: “How do you become successful in success?”
To be successful in tennis, you need essential attributes such s strength, endurance, and fast reflexes. But there is another factor, the right attitude. In this post, we take a closer look at mental tennis tips that you need for success in the court.
Maintaining Focus
Most tennis games indeed come with a lot of drama, especially in court and the media. You need to stay focused and always ask yourself two questions:
- What are your tennis goals?
- How will you achieve the goals?
When you break the above two questions down, you set off on a no-fail mission that will culminate in a huge success. Make sure to integrate the focus into your daily life so that everything you do pushes you closer to the ultimate goal.
Develop Good Habits
Success in tennis is a process that is full of ups and downs. So, when you play tennis in the court, the goal is to win, but you need to be prepared to lose others. When you lose, it is important to have a good fall back plan that allows you to see the challenge as a learning point. Therefore, every lost game will be used to help you play more and strategize for success.
Read the Mind of Your Opponent and Adjust Promptly
When a match gets started, you must learn to be versatile, depending on the nature of the competition. Particularly, you have to learn the opponent’s tennis playing style and adjust appropriately to counter him or her.
Remember that even when you understand the style used by the opponent, it is not enough. Some pro players know how to change their tennis playing tactics during the game in order to beat the opponent quickly. So, be as agile as possible to note when the opponent changes tactic so that you also adopt the right tennis counter-strategy.
Be Positive All the Time
One thing you must be prepared for when playing tennis is a lot of criticism. From your close friends to media, you are likely to become a subject of discussion, which can easily sway you away. For example, many are those who will troll you after a loss. But because you have prepared well, you must stay positive all the time. Here is how to do it:
- Consider staying away from those who negatively criticize you.
- Surround yourself with positive friends.
- Craft a good tennis strategy based on your training and opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.
To succeed in tennis, you need to look at the game broadly and adjust your lifestyle to help drive success. Furthermore, you need to stay positive and every challenge as a stepping stone to achieve success in tennis. Well, everything you do, from daily chores to training in the field, should, in one way or another, help you to become the champion you desire.
Understanding Tennis Rules
Tennis originated in England around the 19th Century and has grown to become one of the most popular sports in the world. Since its discovery, tennis has developed into four major global tournaments, including the US Open, Wimbledon, French pen, and Australia Tournament.
Now, whether you target playing in the four major global tournaments, locally in your country, or as a recreational activity, the first step is understanding the tennis rules. So, here are the main rules that you need to understand.
The Object of the Game
A tennis game is played on a rectangular court that has a net running across the center. The primary goal of the game is hitting the ball over the net and landing it in your opponent’s margins in a way that he/she will not be able to return the ball. Every time that the opponent is unable to return your shot, you earn a point.
Tennis Players and Equipment
Tennis matches can either ne singles (played by two people – one on each side) or doubles (played by four people – two on each side). The tennis court is marked with a base line (positioned at the back), the service areas, and two tram lines on each side. So, when you are playing singles, you should use the inner side tram line. But if you are playing doubles, you use the outer tram line.
Every tournament chooses the nature of the surface type and sticks with it permanently. The main surfaces include carpet, hard surface, clay and grass.
When it comes to equipment, all which is required is a good tennis racket for every player and tennis balls.
Scoring
To win a tennis game, you have to score four points. And in tennis, the points are looked at differently when compared to other sports such as soccer. In tennis, points are referred to as 15 (1 point), 30 (2 points), and 40 (3 points). The last one, fourth, gives you the winning point and marks the end of the game. Note that if the score ended at 40-40, which is referred to as deuce (tie), a player MUST win by two points.
Other Rules of Tennis Game
- A tennis game is started by tossing a coin to establish the player that will serve first.
- Then, the server has to serve each point from opposing sides from the base line. When a player is serving, his/her feet should be behind the baseline.
- If the server fails in the first serve, he has the opportunity to take advantage of the second one. But if he fails the second serve, he will lose a point.
- The receiver is allowed to stand at any point after receiving the serve.
- After a tennis serve is made, the number of shots between the competing players can be unlimited. To win a point, you need to hit a ball so that the opponent is unable to return it.
- If you touch the net and distract/impede the opponent in any way, you lose a point.
When you decide to become a tennis player, understanding the rules helps to ensure you enjoy every minute of the game. So, master the rules we have highlighted above and keep learning others as you enjoy this beautiful game.
4 Life-Changing Benefits of Playing Tennis
Tennis is one of the most enjoyable and life-changing games in the world. Although most people only associate tennis with the trophies that champions win, the truth is that there are many benefits associated with playing tennis. In this post, we are going to look at the top six life-changing benefits of playing tennis.
Tennis is a Great Social Activity
Tennis games are plated as singles or doubles, but either way, you get the opportunity to be and play with another person. Being around people who you share interests and goals is psychologically rewarding. You can discuss the challenges of the game, look at new tennis strategies, and move ahead together.
With time you will start interacting with pro-players who will tell you their secrets of success. Whether you meet them in the tennis clubs, training sessions, or during competitions, you can only be sure of one thing: growing into a better tennis player.
A Great Way to Boost Your Brain Power
When you start playing tennis, it serves like brain food. Every bit of playing tennis involves a lot of critical thinking. Simply put, you need to be smart to succeed in tennis. It has been linked with the regulation of serotonin that helps to regulate functions such as sleep cycle, emotions and appetite.
Before getting into the field, you have to start by drawing a good strategy. This is a plan that requires you to determine the best tennis practice schedule, how to eat well and studying your opponents. Soon, you become critical of the things you do, which means you are likely to enjoy greater success in all areas of your life.
Weight Loss
Tennis is one of the best cardio workouts. When you decide to play tennis regularly, both practice and competitions offer you great cardio opportunities to run, stretch, and move every part of your body. If you have a problem such as diabetes or overweight, tennis offers you an opportunity to burn the extra calories steadily until you hit the right BMI.
According to the American Diabetic Association, a two-hour training session can help recreational players to burn 600-1,300 calories. But competitive players can burn up to 1,728 calories. So, do not let the problem of overweight harass you anymore; it is time to join and start practicing tennis.
A Perfect Lifetime Support
Today, you do not see a lot of people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s playing soccer. But it is different when it comes to tennis. Because a tennis game requires a smaller space and a minimum of two people, it is relatively easy to set up a tennis court in the backyard and enjoy an afternoon, weekend, or holiday. So, whether you are a retiree with grandchildren, relaxing on the weekend with your wife, or enjoying a good time with friends, you can always play tennis and enjoy the moment.
Tennis is a unique game that comes with excellent benefits that cut across all spheres of life. From helping you to socialize to staying fit, tennis is all that you need. And if you decide to play tennis as a competitive sport, you could end up becoming a champion.