20141226: Singles Play

So I played and lost a set with Suri today and wanted to share the learning from today's defeat

1. My first serve consistency keeps dropping as the games become longer
2. Similarly my first serve percentage decreases profoundly after the second service game. Maybe this is a hint about improving fitness or maybe it's the technique fallout issue when I start to get tired
3. On a positive front, I can decrease the speed of my first serve and use that as my second serve as well
4. I don't attack the ball that often. I'm usually content playing lobs and peddling the ball back. I need to be more assertive with my play and start chasing the baselines.
5. Also need to improve my net play. I need to pick up the balls where I can rush to the net. Also I need to stop just inside the serve line when I'm rushing across
6. I'm struggling with first serve from the backhand side.
7. Missing punch even when I'm taking the racket back on the backhand.

I'll think more about these things and how to improve in these areas before I go for weekend play. Also I'll start early over the weekend - Will reach the court around 6:30 and play till at least 9:30. Will also take the new racket for a spin when I'm concentrating on baseline play.


The coach mentioned something very interesting today. He said that you play the ball and not any specific player. This is a wonderful advice since it cuts through both complacency - when playing lower seeded players and nervousness - when playing higher seeded players. I'll surely take each ball on merit.

Another thing I need to work at is to be chase each and every ball. From now onwards I just refuse to give easy points - either at my serve or the opponent's serve. This is the fundamental mentality I'm going with on each point, on each game, on each set. Basically my tennis belief for life - NO EASY POINTS.

20141220: Sore Loser

I realize that I'm such a sore loser. I don't react kindly to losing in sports. For example I got really all pissed up losing to Tilla today and was throwing all kind of angry tantrums. I was shouting, mouthing obscenities, berating myself and reacting angrily to my strategies not working. I really need to control my anger well. I owe it to myself.
Here's how I'm gonna do that
1. The moment you thing that you're losing control, step back and take a few deep breaths
2. Focus more intently on the game and not the person
3. Be grateful that you're able to play tennis this regularly.

20141215: Practice Perfect

Another great day of tennis. I hoarded the winner side of the court in singles and lost just one game along with Srinath when we were playing doubles. I did lose my serve in the extended session but I was able to break back and hold my second serve game at 40-0. I think the serve drills that I do before going to the tennis court are helping a lot. I just need to work a bit more on the forehand and backhand from the baseline.

An interesting observation today was the wind. The wind was directly on our back. This meant that my first serve wasn't as effective as it usually is. Also our opponents were easily fetching all the lobs. I found a way out by playing longer points and following up the lob with a fast forehand passing shot or a volley at the body. It helped and the match was still on serve when I had to bail out.

20141210: Comeback day

Was an awesome day of tennis today. I and Hyder were playing in the after coaching session and were staying at a certain defeat at 0-5. From that point applied ourselves better and won the match in the tie breaker. Just unbelievable stuff

I started with my new racket today. It is just so well balanced. I'm able to generate more topspin and the balls stay in. I was able to serve a few aces and  body serves as well. I just need a damper and I can totally go to war with this racket.

Didn't practice before going to the court today and it showed. Will make it a point to be regular with that.

20141210: External Factors

A difficult day of tennis today. I was impacted a lot due to external factors like weather and chill in the air and couldn't either serve or play ground strokes properly. I will dress accordingly tomorrow and hopefully I'll be able to regain form.

In other news I'm going out to buy a used racket today. The specs look great. I'll update you if I happen to like and buy the racket.

20141206: Super Serve Saturday

Had an awesome tennis session today. My serve was working like a charm even when I wasn't going full throttle. I was serving in the T on the forehand side and the opponents were having trouble dealing with a fast serve on their backhand. On the backhand side, I was serving to the far corner and opponents were feeling it on their body though I think it could've been attempted on the backhand. When I wasn't getting the first serve, I was getting the second serve around the T and getting aces since the opponents were expecting it in the  corner. I won a lot of serve games.

Forehand still need a bit of work since I wasn't able to be aggressive there. I'll work on forehand and serve tomorrow.

20141209: Splendid Day

Another splendid day of tennis. My first serve working like magic yet again. And this time folks on the other side of the net were telling me that the leg doesn't move. This is awesome

What I'm also doing in the background is that I'm doing a serve, forehand, backhand and overhead drill at home. Do I'm more warmed up than the other folks. Not cheating but tilting the balance in my favor.

I want to keep consolidating this and work at footwork and balance next. I'll take kick serve after that.

20141205: Aggressive forehands and slight serve footwork correction

Back after a quick break..

I'm trying to concentrate on staying aggressive these days. I'm attacking balls on the forehand side and completing the motion fully instead of leaving it in midway. And this seems to be paying a lot! On footwork side, I'm trying to reach the ball early and be steady and balanced (vertical) when hitting the shots. This is making the shots go in the direction I want and adding more pace to these strokes.

On serve side, I'm trying to stay sideways longer. I life the left leg only at the point of impact. I've temporarily lost a bit of pace on the first serve but the control is just awesome. I make it a point to try at least 100 empty serves at home before I step on to the tennis court.

I'll try to stick to these basics for the weekend sessions as well.