I was having a conversation with a friend and tennis partner last week and it dawned on me that tennis is the only sport where you get criticized for winning, and , specifically for how you win. If I hear one more person say “my son lost to someone he was much better than” or “we only lost to them because they hit soft,” I am going to scream. The definition of being a better player or a better team is the players that wins! Period, end of discussion. It’s the same in lessons. Many times a parent wants their child moved up because they feel they are “better” than the other kids in the group. If we explain to them that their child can’t beat the other children we usually get the response that they play better against harder hitters or better players so that’s why they don’t win. They aren’t being challenged in this group.
I really want my response to this syndrome to be helpful, not critical but I had to vent a little first. Here is a recipe for success for adults and children when it comes to competitive play.
1.) Play everyone. You need to learn how to beat alll styles and types of players.
2.) Never underestimate your opponent. You don’t know what the person you’re playing has inside them. Competitiveness, smarts, and the ability to adjust are not things you can easily read in the lobby or the locker room. Expect every match to be a challenge and play smart, consistent tennis against everyone.
3.) The main thing you need to do to beat ( or compete against) better players is the same thing you need to beat players at or below your level. You need to keep your unforced errors to a minimum. If you play mistake free tennis against a weaker player you will always win and if you do it against a stronger player you will have a chance to be in the match. Stronger players won’t give you free points so you can’t afford to give them any either.
4.) Practice, practice ,practice. Take clinics, go out and hit, practice serves, play sets. Basically do everything you can to be a better player.
I have been playing with the same group of people for the last 25 years but I have still improved my game. I always play as if I am playing someone stronger than I am and I work hard on learning and implementing new things so that when I play a tournament I am confident I can use these things effectively. If I only played better players I would never have time to work on my game.
It’s up to you to get better, not your coaches or opponents.