Alright, let me share a bit about my time trying out the stuff from that Brad Gilbert book, “Winning Ugly”. It was quite the ride, honestly.
Getting Started – Why This Book?
So, picture this: I was getting seriously stuck with my tennis game. Week in, week out, hitting the courts, doing the drills, you know the drill. But when it came to actual matches, especially against certain guys I felt I should be beating, I just kept falling short. It was driving me nuts. I wasn’t getting any younger, my big shots weren’t always landing, and I needed something different. A friend casually mentioned Brad Gilbert’s book, saying it was less about technique and more about the gritty side of winning. That caught my ear.
Reading and First Thoughts
I picked up a copy and dove in. The way Gilbert wrote, it wasn’t like reading a textbook. It felt more like listening to a coach who’s seen it all, just telling you how it is. No fancy talk. What really hit home was his whole philosophy: stop worrying about looking perfect, just figure out how to win points, even if it’s messy. He talked about stuff like:
- Really watching your opponent, even in the warm-up, looking for tells and weak spots.
- Not just having one way to play, but multiple plans depending on how things are going.
- Keeping your head straight, not letting mistakes snowball.
- Making life difficult for the other guy. Dictate with your strengths against their weaknesses.
It sounded almost too straightforward, but also like common sense I’d somehow forgotten on the court.
Trying Things Out on Court
Theory is one thing, right? Putting it into action was the real challenge. I decided to consciously try applying these ideas. First, the scouting. During warm-ups and the first few games, I really started observing. Hates low balls? Struggles moving forward? Gets mad easily? I started making mental notes.
Then came trying to exploit those things. This wasn’t smooth sailing at first! I remember identifying an opponent’s weaker backhand. My brilliant plan? Hit everything there. Problem was, I got so focused on hitting to that spot that my shots became predictable and often missed. Big learning moment: knowing the weakness isn’t enough; you gotta have the shots and the right moments to actually use that knowledge without messing up yourself.
The mental game part was maybe the biggest change for me. Gilbert hammers on about staying cool, managing bad patches. I used to get so visibly pissed off after errors. I started actively working on it. Double fault? Okay, deep breath, walk it off, focus only on the next point. Didn’t magically make me zen, but I definitely started recovering quicker from bad points instead of letting them ruin the next three games.
I also began mixing things up more, even when it felt unnatural. Instead of always trying for pace, I’d deliberately throw in slower, high-looping balls. Annoying slices. Maybe a cheeky drop shot (that sometimes barely cleared the net, haha). The point wasn’t always to hit a winner, but just to break the opponent’s rhythm, give them a different look. It felt kinda scrappy, definitely ‘ugly’ at times, but it stopped them from just grooving on their shots.
So, What Happened? The Outcome
Look, I didn’t suddenly start playing like Agassi (who Gilbert coached, ironically). But did things change? Yeah, they did. I started nicking those tight matches that used to slip away. Matches where I was maybe technically outgunned but managed to hang tough and play smarter.
There was this one guy I played regularly, always lost close ones. Good player, solid all around. This time, I noticed he got impatient if rallies went long. So, I just focused on getting one more ball back. Didn’t try anything fancy. Just kept the ball deep, made him hit extra shots. It wasn’t pretty. I was probably running like crazy. But you could see his frustration build. He started going for too much, making errors he usually wouldn’t. I ended up winning. It wasn’t a flashy win, but man, it felt good.
It’s not like a secret weapon that wins every time. You still gotta have the basic skills. Some days, the other person is just on fire, and nothing works. But incorporating Gilbert’s mindset – the scouting, the mental discipline, the willingness to win ugly – it definitely added a layer to my game. It made me feel more like a competitor, not just someone hitting tennis balls. It’s still a work in progress, always refining, but trying out the ‘Winning Ugly’ way? Yeah, totally worth it for me.
