The tension of being the favourite.......

Just played a club league singles match against Richard R who is very steady and has the reach of an octopus. I know that when I play loosely and well, he will have a very tough time. But if I get tentative, as at times I did today, then life gets a lot harder.

My main learning from today's game was that when I get tight and nervous, I start trying harder..I hold the racket tighter and I start hitting the ball hard, instead of just letting myself flow. Or I get more careful and push the ball around without any conviction. Its a paradox....when I hit the ball hard I hit out more and actually with less pop and spin. When I let it flow, my body is much more efficient and the ball travels faster with more spin, especially on the serve.

Thankfully I found the right balance at points throughout the match, and most importantly when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set. No effort, no technical focus, just clarity on where I wanted to aim resulting in 80% first serves in with two unreturned. Game over.

I know that when I play a more aggressive, 'stronger' opponent, I relax more and focus more on what I have to do....anything else will mean I'll let them dominate me. Against less strong opponents I can be tempted into the counterpuncher's trap of waiting for them to make a mistake (Andy Murray). At my level that can mean not using my attacking game, and getting caught in tense indecision. In the end this is about making sure that I play my game, and stay committed to being the player I want to become. Aggressive, with flair and variation as well as tactical nowse. This way, even if I loose some matches, I stay improving, and longer term I win more matches. Today, whilst I got tense, I stayed aggressive, and many of my mistakes were 'good' ones, just long, when hitting through.

Keeping it simple and keeping the effort level at the right setting, are central areas for me. To get more consistent at doing this under pressure, I need to make sure I practice enough, and have practice at increasing levels of intensity. No points but structured practice. Points with a hitting partner but nothing at stake. Practice sets. Proper matches. How do you keep the balance right?

Awesome Kimiko Date-Krumm

40 year old youngster Kimiko Date-Krumm showed that age need not be a barrier in giving Venus one hell of a scare. Match time 2hours 55 minutes. Intense. Impressive.

Doubles Matters More

What is it about doubles matches that they replay in my mind long into the night? Especially last night. The tie break set point where I didn't intercept on James' second serve.......and it was the closest we came to winning a set all night. My service game we dropped at 5-6 down, which included an edgy double (despite serving really well much of the evening). My struggle to return serve well. All of these sped through my mind in the early hours, gradually slowing down to sleep.

There's something about doubles. Its one of the few teams I'm a part of each year. It's succeeding together and falling together. There's a built in audience of players on the court, which at times unhelpfully raises my self consciousness, whereas in singles its just you and me.

Last night rankles more than most.......pouring rain, do we or don't we play? More rain........off we come and lets go home........no its stopped. 3 sets where it was absolutely nip and tuck.......but left with nothing.  

Defeat but no disgrace

Well after a few delays we took to the Brookside dirt. I used to coach Connor, my opponent at Bush Hill Park, so whatever the result it was great to see him again after 4 years, now 15 but looking like 18! 


Connor hits the ball with plenty of zip, a great forehand and a serve with good variety and at times pace. One of his most successful ploys was the high kicking ball wide to my backhand, from serve and in rallies. Federer doesn't like it, and neither do I! He was always looking to get onto his forehand, and anything short he managed to attack. 


First set
4-0 down wasn't looking good....not much better at 1-5, and then 1-6. I was playing well, enjoying it and yet it was one way on the scoreboard. In the rallies I had to be at my best just to get points, and getting 2 or 3 points most games without getting on top.


Second set
Continued much as the first set, quickly going 0-3 down. Well what to change? What's the B game here? I felt I was playing my own game but it wasn't good enough. The main change was getting more aggressive on returning his serve by only 10%, but it worked, meaning I could dictate at times and actually give him more to think about. Secondly I hit a very high percentage of good first serves, which meant I held serve every time from then onwards. Finally some success targeting his backhand, then the odd backhand down the line caught him off guard.


The key was in my focus.....on my serve I was even more in the moment, clear about where I wanted it to go, and then right in the present as I executed. Not thinking "I hope this goes........" or  having technical thoughts. Main development point is developing my poise and composure in staying in the zone to serve better throughout a match. 


So this is one of my best matches for staying in the present and not getting technical. Shame about the result.   

Pre Highgate Ratings

I'm playing my first round of the Highgate Ratings....its an open event which means no over 35's or 45's. So I'm going to have to work even harder than normal! But I'm excited and ready to get stuck in. There's a chance that I'll be playing someone I used to coach at BHP....which will be fun. 


I'm continuing to develop my mindfulness skills... meaning the ability to stay in the present, the ability to switch back to the task in hand, whatever I'm feeling or thinking. This is the most powerful approach to sport psych that I've discovered in many years. In the last few weeks I've found myself staying more focused and more able to be with each shot mentally as I play it.  The biggest learning has been letting go of my old belief that most of my thoughts were somehow important! It's been a revelation that many of them are just thoughts......and most of them are certainly not pearls of wisdom. This then frees me to focus on what I really want to do. Meditation has been at the heart of how I am now much more able to let go. So just as I practice bringing my focus back onto my breathing in meditation, I practice bringing my attention back to the ball and the task in hand as I play.


I'll keep you posted.