Antonio - ladder match

A really close match this morning...but came out the wrong side 5-7, 4-6. Antonio is very similar to me, good retriever, solid on both sides, happy at the net, and not too aggressive. I think he's faster around the court than most opponents, and doesn't know when to give up! - Respect! Some long long rallies, which I won 50% of, but pretty energy sapping, and tested my mental resolve against someone 10 years younger. This may have influenced my decision to get to the net when I earned the short ball. Unfortunately on 2 or 3 key points I didn't put the ball away when I had the chance.

What I did well

• Hit through consistently on both sides, combined with depth and topspin, dealing well with his high deep topspin.
• Varied my serve and got some wide angles, earning some cheap points.
• Stayed positive to be in a position to win some critical points from the net.......
• Some good backhands down the line that wrong-footed him as he ran around his backhand

To improve.........

• Get sharper at the net, especially overhead, to put away mid court hanging balls first time. (* Needs dedicated practice and lesson input).
• Stay loose and rotate more as I get more tired, and on big points, and on short balls without pace