Court Surfaces

"Show me the mark"
"But we're on a hard court, there are no marks"
"No, if you hit it hard enough, there will be a mark, and I hit it hard enough"
"But we're on a hard court."
"On clay you would have showed me the mark"
"But we're on a hard court."

Daily life as a coach has it's funny moments; I should write a blog on "What tennis kids say" and I bet you'd be laughing the whole time. But in all seriousness, let's chat about court surfaces. I could probably write a whole novel on the court surface. You may ask-- what, will there be four chapters? Grass, hard, clay, and carpet (yes, there is such thing as a carpet court)? While I could technically write four chapters, I could also write four chapters just on the hard court. Hard courts, while all faster than clay, bouncier than grass, and slower than carpet, vary greatly from one to the other, probably more so than any other surface. There are hard courts that have just recently been resurfaced, which is a conversation I've had recently with one of my players, that are slower than courts that haven't been resurfaced in a while. A lot of times, players shift from courts that are public to country club courts that are better taken care of and notice a big difference in how the ball bounces and the quickness of the court. This is why I always tell players to head to a tournament a day early to get used to the court. Courts change, the atmosphere and weather change the way the ball bounces as well as it's speed (don't believe me? Go play in Costa Rica, where high altitude makes the ball speed so fast that you'll whiff the first few balls hitting completely). Notice right away the height of the ball when it bounces as well as the speed with which it bounces, and you'll be able to adjust your timing accordingly.

Clay varies less than hard court, but still varies. Similar to how the hard courts need to be resurfaced every once in a while, clay courts need to be watered. Yes, watered. They don't sprout growth, but the clay needs to remain fairly moist or else the wind will dry out the clay and a.) make it resemble ice and b.) blow it away, leaving a court that is essentially a hard court with sand on it. The wetter the clay, the slower the bounce. Red clay is usually slower than green clay, but very seldom will a junior player compete on red clay in the states. Unlike hard, contrary to some players I see, sliding is meant for clay, not hard. Our tennis shoes, unlike basketball shoes that cover the ankle, make it very easy to twist and sprain an ankle if we are not careful sliding on hard court. Clay court, on the contrary, works well with sliding. Growing up on clay, I would practice sliding when I would sprint to ensure I was able to coordinate my slide. Not playing on clay? Don't practice sliding. :)

Grass court is another surface very seldom played on by junior tennis players, but when or if you do have a chance to do so, grass is really fun to play on, and roll around in. But seriously, grass is a surface that you need to play smart on. Because the ball doesn't bounce high, hitting slices or softer shots actually works better than hitting through the shot sometimes on grass, because the ball digs into the grass and stops completely, forcing either an uncomfortable bounce or a very low ball that is hard to get back without hitting high, an easy put away volley. Net players thrive on grass. Grass also wears down throughout a tournament, hence the more "hard courty" feel of the court once Wimbledon gets down to the last matches of the tournament.

Carpet I've played on once in my life. It's an interesting experience. The carpet typically is placed over a wooden surface, making the court very slick without the carpet on top. Regardless, the ball skids like crazy, and with a large backswing, it's impossible to not catch the ball late. The chance that you hit on carpet? Not likely. Play a tournament on carpet? I haven't even heard of carpet tournaments in the US. If you end up traveling, then perhaps, but otherwise you'll stick with the green clay and hard court that you are familiar with.

Adjust accordingly! Be smart and play with the court surface, not against it.

Doubles Strategies

It’s been a while since I’ve gotten technical, so I thought I’d talk about doubles prior to the State Closed Doubles championships this upcoming weekend that Seminole HP will be representing deeply in. We have at least four doubles teams going, and we wish them the best of luck at this tournament. We’ve been working on doubles this week, and I’ve noticed some doubles strategies that can be useful for players that they don’t incorporate. The Seminole HP coaches always talk about the three most important things in doubles (I would hope that our players would be able to recite them in their sleep by now):

1.) First serve percentage: Without a first serve, you are instantly on the defensive, which is the opposite of what you want to be. 

2.) Communication: Doubles is just that: if you play as a team, you can be double the trouble. Players that complement each other in their tennis styles especially need to talk to each other, from where to stand to how one expects the other to play. Always call where the serve is going and where the volleyer is going to move. When you are deciding whether or not to drill a return of serve at the net player down the line, let your partner know so they aren’t blindsided if you pop an easy shot to the volley and they end up a sit and duck. Communication during the point is also important; “Up” signals both players to move into the net, while “You” or “Got it” signifies who moves where, usually with one player crossing the court to hold the other side down. 

3.) Keeping it simple: Everyone wants the ESPN shot. Well, news flash—ESPN isn’t there at your tennis match to broadcast your fancy little volley dropshot. Usually teams that end up at the net being aggressive are the victors in doubles. There are some teams, however, that hold down the court while both on the baseline outstandingly. It really depends on who you’re playing with and how you and your partner normally play. Whatever you do, keep it simple. First serve percentage is high, the volleyer and the baseliner move but aren’t trying to do too much, moving and poaching on shots that are realistic, and are keeping the ball play through the middle rather than trying to thread a needle by attempting to pass the volleyer through the doubles alley (unlike alligators and dinosaurs, humans do have arms that can reach out the length of the doubles alley) . 

As for strategies, the go-to strategy, whether boys or girls tennis, is keeping it consistently crosscourt between the two baselines until a.) one of the baseliners moves in or b.) the volleyer poaches. When both your opponents are at the net, be ready for a drop shot, and, depending on where they are standing, incorporate lobs or low, off-pace shots that dip at their feet. Make them volley! If you are hitting at them, (ideally you should hit through the middle), make sure it’s at their hips rather than a higher volley that is easy to put away. When both opponents are on the baseline, instead of patty-caking it back and forth, be aggressive and move up to the net when you can, and use the drop shots or shorter balls to move your opponents across the court. A strategy that makes a big difference in my eyes is movement and where you are standing. I played a tournament last weekend and noticed that all the people stood practically in the doubles alley when I was returning. Because they lacked presence, I didn’t even see them in my peripheral vision, making it easy to hit my shots. I also had more room to move the baseliner around. When I played in college and girls were standing in the middle of the box, I felt pressure to really get it crosscourt, and missed more often. Do that to your opponent. Make yourself visible to the opponents. 

Doubles is all about teamwork and footwork. Some people think that it is easier than singles, but it is a bit more complex and still requires a lot of effort even if you are technically covering only half the court. Doubles is intense but fun, so the best advice I can give always is to enjoy it!

When Plan A Isn't Working

                We talk about plan A all the time. What kind of player are you? I ask my players when we sit down and chat. Most of the time, the answer is clear—I’m a hitter; I love to be aggressive and go for the lines, or, I’m really fast and can grind anyone down by getting to every ball. Sometimes, though, when you are out on the court already and that plan A game isn’t working, you need to come up with something to do. Maybe you aren’t hitting well; maybe you’re sore and can’t move as well. Sometimes your plan A fits the opponent’s game perfectly; there is nothing worse than playing a grinder when you’re an aggressive player that goes for shots that, naturally, the grinder will get to and get back. Sometimes plan A needs to change, and sometimes, plan B and plan C have to change too. It is important at this point to realize you have to be in a state of mind to be able to think clearly about these plans on your own on the court instead of silently (or not so silently) cursing your luck that day. I used to be that plan A and only plan A player. I would go out, close my eyes, hit every ball mock ten, and either come off of the court with an easy win or an easy loss. Only when I got older and a bit more steady mentally I realized hey, maybe against this aggressive player I need to do something that will be uncomfortable for them, say, grind it out a bit. This doesn’t mean that you have to change your plan A. Plan A should always be what you start off with, but plan A sometimes changes to plan B, and plan B to C, and so on and so forth. 

                Then comes the question, what, exactly, is plan B? Or C? Or D? Plan A is always your game—you start off with it no matter what. If something isn’t working, or if you feel like your opponent is getting the best out of your plan A, then it is time to switch to plan B. Plan B is usually a game that you are slightly uncomfortable playing, but will still be able to do. For example, my plan A was always being the aggressor; mock ten it is. But sometimes, I wasn’t firing on all cylinders. Sometimes my opponent loved getting the ball flat. My B plan was to grind a bit more. I was still being aggressive, but adding top spin and height enough to ensure longer points and a slightly different game plan. My plan C was running to the net more often; plan D was giving a different ball each time. Your different lettered plans depend on one thing—you. It is good to sit down with your coach from Seminole High Performance and strategize about your different game plans, that way, when you are on court yourself in the cage of the court, you don’t have to look over to your mom or your dad or your coach with the look a deer in headlights silently communicating “I’m panicking EVER so slightly!” You can grab your towel, slow your breathes down, and think—I’m going to go ahead and change my game plan. Sometimes it can be as simple as “I’m going to hit every ball from now on crosscourt” or “I’m going to add some slices to see if this guy/girl can handle a lower, slower paced shot.” Sometimes it’s a complete overhaul—I’m down 5-0, I need to change something, I’m going to go from grinding to hitting the ball and see if my opponent can keep up (hopefully, by the way, you’re thinking about changing something prior to the 5-0 point, but…), ect., ect. 

                Game plans are important, but I cannot emphasize enough that first and foremost your game plan is the one you start with and is the most important. Molding to each player individually is smart, but strengthening your own game that you are comfortable with makes your game a weapon, rather than yourself a silly putty that shapes to whatever your opponent throws at you, hoping that you can figure something out when you get on court. Plan A is always your priority, but you have to remain flexible enough to incorporate the other letters if you need to also.  

A Day in the Life of a Collegiate Athlete

I was reminiscing about my experiences as a collegiate athlete the other day. Perhaps it was sparked by the incredulous looks of fellow doc students who walked in my office and saw the poster of me hitting a backhand, or perhaps it was driving by the track and seeing the women’s tennis team gearing up for their mile run. Perhaps I’m getting old and am looking forward to saying to my kids one day “When I was your age…” 

Whatever it is that sparked my trip down memory lane, I thank it. Sometimes we get too worked up about what’s going on in the future that we don’t take the time to appreciate what has helped shaped us today from the past. Sometimes it’s bad to look back, but sometimes reflection really makes you appreciate the strides you’ve made in your life, whether it be school related, tennis related, or anything really. Sometimes it takes a coach or a parents or just a friend to say hey, you lost first round, I know it is unfortunate. But really, look at where you are at right now; you’re playing a tournament, a chance that so many people won’t ever have in their life. That is the same way I see my experience as a collegiate athlete. So many people would have dreamed to be in the spot I was, and sometimes I took that for granted. Sometimes I hated waking up in the morning to go work out at six am and then trudge to class and then trudge to study and then trudge to practice and then trudge, slowly, home to eat and sleep, exhausted. But then there are moments like clinching an ACC match, to feel the arms of your teammates surround you with not only a desire to share in the moment but also to be there 100% emotionally for you, whether it is the shining moment of a win or a heartbreaking moment of a loss, your head buried in a towel, wet with tears and frustration and sweat, saying over and over again I’m sorry, I let you guys down, only to hear the soothing sounds of it’s okay, only to feel the love and energy of teammates that become your fellow soldiers, your family. 

The emotional highs and lows of college tennis are hard to compare to anything other than life itself. It is the day by day that I get asked a lot about. What is it like to be a college athlete, an interviewer once asked me. I bit my tongue before I could respond—hard. It is hard, but it is both challenging and rewarding, the mixture of sweat, blood, and tears, and moments of highs so high that it takes days to float down from such successes, such moments where you are so proud of yourself and your team that you wish you could, as some songs capture in lyrics, “Have this moment for life.” 

Day by day your schedule is packed as a college athlete. Day by day it is hard to encapsulate the emotion of being part of a team and fighting for a mascot, for a school, for a spirit of some sort. Yes, there are days that you’ll wake up to run the mile run under a really fast time at seven in the morning in barely thirty degree weather. There are times where you’ll run stadiums, then work out, then go play tennis, and get an ice bath, then get athletic training or physical therapy for the aches and pains that sometimes torment your body. There are times where you’ll walk to class, sit down, and not be able to get back up when class is over. You’ll be tired. But regardless of how jam packed your day is, that is what makes days off or moments with the team just for lunch or for dinner, or at home as roommates just to sit and chat and relax so much more rewarding and fun and, well, amazing. It makes road trips filled with laughter and deep questions and dialogue and friendship that much more exciting, moments where you can look at a teammate and know exactly what is running through their minds at the moment on the court next to  you, and be able to talk, even with a body gesture, to that teammates, to say I’m here, I’m here for you, and I’m not going anywhere, you can do this. Tennis was always an individual sport for me, where I fought my own battles emotionally and physically, where my support came from the love and respect of my parents, but when I joined the team at FSU I learned to let people in, to let my teammates help me with those battles, to let my coaches help me, to put trust into people and allow myself the pleasure to look at my teammate when it’s five all in the third set and for that teammate to nod in a way that communicates I’m here. I’m here for you. I’ve always been, and I always will. You can do this. So a day in the life of a collegiate athlete can be hard sometimes. You’ll have multiple hours of practice, like the article that the interviewer published said. You’ll also have class responsibilities, and papers to write, and study hall to attend, and athlete training and physical therapy and cold tub and gym and fitness and court time and coach time and locker prep and match analysis. It’s hard to be an athlete, the article expressed. But I feel like that article didn’t encompass what college tennis is really about. It’s really about the people who go through everything with you, those friends that you make that you can call on a Wednesday evening after months of not talking and talk as if you were having lunch with them just the other day, the coaches that will forever wish the best for you, the memories that send chills down your arms and make you smile, perhaps even wipe away a tear of reminiscence that you are glad was sparked by something, something in your present that reminded you of your past.

Bag check! Equipment Interview with Coach Eddie Matthews

Thanks to my awesome interview skills, and for Coach Eddie Mathews time to answer my awesome questions, I give to you all you need to know about the stuff I don't know much about, ironically, such as racquets and stringing and such. Come on, I've been playing with the same racquet for all my life! 

You want some stringing done? It's $15 for stringing; email eddie.mathews@hotmail.com or call 863-280-5728 and Eddie with take care of it, Seminole HP style!

1.) When it comes to tennis racquets, is there a "perfect fit" for everyone?

It's tough to really say there's a "perfect fit" for everyone, but there are definitely plenty of different racquets available to suit everyone's unique playing style. I do feel that many players become too technical when choosing a racquet to use, meaning focusing too much on the racquet's specs (swing weight, stiffness, balance, etc). These specs are good to know, but only if you are a competitive player looking to switch racquets and want to have a similar feeling frame. For those starting on a blank slate with no preference of the above mentioned specs, my advice is to test out multiple frames and simply choose the one that feels the best hitting each shot. There are also many ways to customize racquets with lead weighting that can bring you one step closer to your "perfect fit". Keep in mind that finding the best racquet for you can elevate your game some, but at the end of the day it all comes down to you as a player doing the work and not the equipment.

2.) What would you suggest for each age group? Beginners? Intermediate? Competitive?

In the beginning stages of learning how to play tennis, the focus needs to be more on the length and weight of the racquet rather than the more technical specs and brands. Good thing tennis racquets are now made at multiple lengths so there is a fit for everyone. If you are in elementary school, you should be using a racquet anywhere from 19" to 23" in length and it should be very light. For middle schoolers, 23" to 26" in length with a little more weight, and anyone older than 14 should be using a regular sized racquet which is either 27" or 27 1/2".  Keep in mind, this is all dependent on the height and strength of the child. At the intermediate level, the player can begin to look more into brands of racquets they would like to use, but still with the focus on the proper length and weight as mentioned above to fit the person playing. At this level you will begin to see if a racquet is too short, too long, too light, or too heavy for the player. At the competitive level, you should already know what length and weight of racquet works for you, but now should focus on stiffness ratings, string patterns, the balance of the racquet, and swing weight. At this level, the player should demo and test multiple types of racquets to find which one suits them the best. From there you can get into customizing the weight and balance with lead type to really make the racquet feel just right in your hand.

3.) What is tension on the racquet all about? How do you know what tension your racquet is? What happens to the ball when the tension gets higher or lower?

After choosing the racquet that best suits you, next you need to find the right string and tension that you like. On each racquet there is a recommended string tension range the manufacturer prints on the frame, usually in the throat of the racquet. A tighter tension, let's say 56 lbs and higher, will give a stiffer feel and more control by not allowing the string to create as much of a trampoline effect, which is what sends the ball across the net. A looser tension, 55 lbs and lower, will give a softer feel and more power by creating more of the trampoline effect. The tension you choose should always come down what feels the best to you as a player, but you can make a good guess at what tension suits you best based on your swing style. For example, if you are a big hitter with lots of racquet head speed and use your power to win points, a higher tension would help by giving a little extra control. On the other hand, if you don't swing as hard and focus more on feel shots and placement to win points, a lower tension would help by giving you a little extra power and feel around the net. Finding a string tension the accents your game will definitely boost your confidence on court.

4.) Some racquets have labels on them-- more spin! More power! More everything! How do we know what is right for us?

Tennis racquets are not all the same because no tennis player is the exact same. That's why racquet manufacturers use labels like "more power" and "more spin" to appeal to a wide variety of people so they can sell racquets. Tennis is such a feel sport that you can never know what racquet is right for you until you try several out, but these labels can definitely help you in the right direction. If a racquet is said to give you more power, all the manufacturer is saying is the frame of the racquet is thicker and stiffer than others. This is to make the racquet play more lively and give you extra pop. A thicker frame is like trying to hit a ball with a piece of wood compared to a pool noodle, obviously the ball will travel further and harder using the piece of wood. Racquets advertised to provide more spin to the player refers to the string pattern and weight of the racket. These racquets will be more head light so you can accelerate through the ball with greater speed. More racquet head speed means more spin, and a more head light racquet will give you the extra head speed. Then it comes down to what string pattern is in the racquet. There are multiple pattern types, but the most common are closed patterns with 18 mains x 20 crosses, and more open patterns with 16 mains x 20 crosses, and 16 mains by 18 crosses. The more open the string pattern, the more your strings can grab the ball, which will create more spin for your shots. Again, the only way to know what combination of stiffness, weight, and string pattern that's right for you is to test out as many rackets as possible and choose whatever one feels the best while playing.

5.) I always tell junior tennis players that your racquets are equivalent to having five children that you need to take care of. What would you say is a good way to "take care" of your racquets?

Do not leave your racquets or tennis bag in a vehicle! Vehicles act as ovens and by consistently leaving your equipment in an environment where temperatures fluctuate to very high levels you are affecting the integrity of your equipment. A couple things that happen if you do this are that the material your racquet is made of will begin to break down causing your frames to become dead so you lose feel and power, and strings will lose their tension faster and break quicker. All this can be avoided by simply bringing your equipment into your residence with air conditioning. Another way to take care of your racquets is by not banging them on the ground when you hit a bad shot. I know I have been guilty of doing that but it is terrible for your racquets' integrity. Banging your racquet on the ground leads to cracks and chips which completely changes how your racquet feels and plays. One thing that all tennis players need to do is to check your racquets' head guard and grommets. Far too often I see racquets worn down on the top of the frame because the heard guard got scraped away. Grommet and head guard sets are very inexpensive, around $6, and easy for anyone to replace. You can save yourself lots of trouble and money by simply doing an equipment check once a month.

6.) Share a "horror story" regarding equipment with us (or two, or three!).

I was stringing a racquet for a customer of mine. I put the racquet on the stringer and began like any other racquet. I finished stringing the mains of the racquet and had just pulled tension on the first couple cross strings when all of a sudden the string snapped while pulling tension on the next cross string. I had to cut and trash all the string that was being used. Thinking I made a mistake and pinched the string, I started to string the racquet again being a little more careful this time. I got to the same spot as before on the cross strings when the string broke again while pulling tension. Again I had to cut and trash the string that was being used, but this time I decided to look at the racquet to see if there was anything wrong. Sure enough a grommet was warped where the string kept breaking and would get cut by the frame whenever I pulled tension. Long story short, I did my best to fix the grommet but ended up wasting 2 more string sets before I was able to make it work. Instead of making money I lost quite a bit because of using extra string. I was not a happy camper.

7.) What's your fastest stringing record?

So far my fastest tennis racquet stringing record is 10 minutes. I've been trying to break into the single digits but have come just shy. Hopefully I will be under 10 minutes in the next few months.

Burn out

The engine sputters and dies. The weary, rusty wheels forcefully push themselves to their limit, shaking with tension and weight from the heavy weight of the old, sad engine. This isn’t the little engine that thought “I think I can.” This is the weary engine that has had enough. Welcome to the burn out world.

Yes, a bit of a gloomy start to the usually cheerful blog you find here at Seminole HP tennis. But, still an important topic that touches junior players and professional players all the time; burn out does not discriminate. Something that is important to define right off the bat is the difference between burn out and tiredness. Yes, everyone is going to feel tired. Most competitive tennis players rarely go a day without playing through some sort of pain, whether it be simply sore muscles or tendonitis or more dilapidating injures like stress factures or nerve impingement. Often one of the most resilient of athletes, tennis players have to deal with no offseason; while the basketball team is resting, we’re still on the court. Time for football? Still time for tennis. So, it’s easy to see how, much like the engine analogy in the beginning, a tennis player can grow weary, of, well, tennis. Burn out is completely different from tiredness. It is a more mental aspect of tennis that comes with being on the court day in and day out. Sometimes burn out strikes when you play too often; your body gives in and so does your mentality. Sometimes burn out strikes with tournament losses and wins. You can feel burnt out if you feel like your working hard on the court but the results are not translating yet. Sometimes everything outside of tennis affects you, bringing you into a tailspin of emotion.

Burn out is tough, but you are tougher. It takes a team of support to get out of it, though. Family support, coach support, and most importantly, self-support, helps you get into tennis again and out of the burn out stage. Oftentimes the best remedy to burn out is rest. Finding something different in the game also helps; play with a new partner—go to a tournament alone to gain perspective as to how much your support system does behind the sidelines to help you with your game.  Focus on the positives (hard to do, and easy to say, I know), and slowly but surely, the wheels on the train will start to churn with their normal power and strength as before.   

Remember, your emotions are the slave to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions (Elizabeth Gilbert). 

The Hibby-Jibbies; Aka Winning when Up

Once you get into the intricacies of tennis, there are a lot of questions you can ask that don’t involve technicalities. You already know how to hit a forehand. You already have an awesome backhand, approach shot, volley, overhead, and serve. And yet, whenever you are up in a match, you get the hibby-jibbies (yes, google it, great word) and can’t pull out a match. Been there, done that. I have, I unfortunately admit, lost off of match points (more than one, I may add), and not once but multiple times. Every tennis player goes through those heart-breaking losses that make you question why you love this game and why you’re even playing it.

But once you cool off, and I’m assuming you have if you’re onto the next paragraph in this blog and not crying in a corner somewhere or smashing up all your racquets (don’t do that!), you’ll perhaps start to ponder—what on earth got me to that point?

As a teacher and coach, self-reflection is part of my job. But as an athlete, as much as it may hurt, self-reflection is an important task for you as well. Everyone can reflect on wins. How awesome they played, how the opponent was frustrated and upset and you owned them, but thinking about losses, especially close losses, can feel like pulling teeth. However, it’s crucial for the development of your game.

My parents/coaches always told me that losses are more important than wins. I always gaffed at the fact; winning is winning, after all. But now I realize that losses is where the true learning takes place—not only of the game, but of yourself in the game. Because, as much as we can coach the way that we approach the game, tennis is a very individual sport; there is no “cure-all,” no right answer. If there was, the people who had that answer would be making a whole heap of amount of money. Every player needs to reflect and see what exactly happened in that moment. So rather than prescribing a way of dealing with losses and not letting the “I was up but then I lost” conversation happen, I’ll tell you what I have done as a tennis player myself to combat those feelings.

I don’t think I’ll forget the match that I’m going to talk about; Washington State, regional qualifier match, clinching point. I had match points, but then I lost. It happened in slow motion, and I was wrecked after, primarily because I let my teammates down. But sad weepy stuff aside, I learned something important that day; I needed to elevate my game on match points so that it would not happen again. I had a tough time at it coming back from that match; my emotions and the thoughts of that loss creeped in every time I was up; I was up 5-2 in the second and I would think “Don’t lose, don’t lose.” Of course, I don’t have to tell you that that’s not the right mentality to approach a potentially final game of the match. While I’d love to take you through the rest of my season battling this one loss, I’ll skip forward to what I changed to help me change; I serve and volleyed at match point, every match, even if I was crazy terrified to do so. Yeah, I’m not much of a serve and volleyer—correct that, I am NOT a serve and volleyer. So, you can imagine my opponent’s surprise as I rush to the net at match point, eyes blazing, the single point of the match where I even come close, willingly, to the net. It worked. Simple, easy, but it helped me focus on something other than “Don’t lose.” I realized that I could control my thoughts by forcing myself to focus on something tangible, something that I can control; bend your knees, hit crosscourt, hit at least ten balls in this next point before you attack. My matches did get smoother, and I got calmer.

Now, you may have a specific situation in mind. Like I said before, I don’t have a fix-all for you in this blog, because I don’t believe there is one. I think every individual has their own path to figuring out themselves and what they can do for themselves on the court to make them a calmer, more level-headed player. Self-reflection, while it has “self” in front of it, doesn’t necessarily have to be an individual journey. I do suggest you talk to a coach at Seminole High Performance, all of whom have gone through matches at the highest level, to help you get started in the process; even for some advice as to where to start.