Okay, so today I wanted to get better at tennis, specifically the tie-break part. It’s always been a bit of a weak spot for me, I tend to get nervous and make silly mistakes.
First, I watched some videos online. Just regular folks playing tie-breaks, nothing fancy. I just wanted to see how other people handled the pressure.
Practice Time
Then, I grabbed my racket and a bucket of balls and headed to the court. I didn’t have anyone to play with, so I just practiced serving. I focused on getting my first serve in, since that’s super important in a tie-break.
- I started by serving to the deuce side, aiming for the corners.
- Then I switched to the advantage side, trying to mix things up with some slice serves.
- I kept track of how many serves I got in, just to see if I was improving.
After that, I practiced my returns. I imagined my opponent was serving bombs at me, and I just focused on getting the ball back in play, deep and to their backhand. It’s tough without an actual opponent, but I tried my best to simulate the pressure.
I did this for about an hour, just serving and returning, serving and returning. It got a bit boring, to be honest, but I know it’s important to drill these basics.
Mental Game
I think the mental game is most important for tie-break, So, I also spent some time visualizing myself playing a tie-break. I imagined myself staying calm, making good decisions, and hitting winners. I know it sounds corny, but I think it helps.
It wasn’t the most exciting practice session, but I feel like I made some progress. It is still difficult for me, but It’s all about repetition and building confidence. I’ll keep at it, and hopefully, next time I’m in a tie-break, I’ll be ready to crush it!
