āIn tennis, 90% is mentalā¦ and the other 10% is in your head.ā
ā Jimmy Connors
Have you ever found yourself starting a match late?
Needing a few games to get goingā¦ only to already be down 3ā0?
When that happens, you end up chasing the score, playing under more pressure, and giving your opponent confidence.
And in tennis, confidence is contagiousā¦ but only for the one who has it.
āThe moment you stop believing, you always find a way to lose.ā
ā Venus Williams
š„ 1. Warm Up the Body, Warm Up the Mind
The pre-match warm-up isnāt a formality ā itās your first weapon.
There are two sides to warming up:
1ļøā£ Tennis warm-up ā Adjust your shots to the surface, balls, and weather conditions.
2ļøā£ Physical warm-up ā Dynamic, intense, enough to break a sweat. You must step on court already ready to sprint.
š Imagine: you start at 100%, your opponent is still at 60%. In the first few points, the physical and psychological advantage is huge.
āSuccess is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing.ā
ā PelĆ© (and it applies to tennis too)
šÆ 2. Step on Court With a Plan
If you know your opponent, work with your coach to analyze their weaknesses.
If you donāt, use the 5 minutes of pre-match hitting to figure out:
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Where theyāre solid
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Where theyāre vulnerable
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How they react to changes in pace, height, and spin
Thenā¦ strike where it hurts most ā right away.
āIāve always believed that the next point is more important than the last.ā
ā Novak Djokovic
š The Secret Weapon of the Greats
āGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.ā
ā Abraham Lincoln
In tennis, āsharpening the axeā means being ready from the very first point.
Those who start strong, control the match.
Those who come in lateā¦ are always chasing.
šŖ Train yourself to start at full speed.
Because in tennis, the one who takes control early writes the script of the match.
by Federico Coppini
https://coppinitennisacademy.com/
