Have you ever had opponents that you had trouble outsmarting? I have been there a few times and although I may not won the match, I did learn something about them and tried to apply it the next time. Here's a few tips on these troublesome opponents.
- The Cheater- Don’t come out hating cheaters, thinking you always lose to them. This will give you negative emotion, causing you to lose control of your feelings and your game plan. The common response is to try and get even with your own bad calls or try to blow her off the court. You hit the ball at her and get upset and scream. This only lets the cheater know that she is winning. The best response is to play steadier tennis, making few if any mistakes. Don’t act surprised by anything that the cheater does, don’t give her the satisfaction of knowing that she is getting away with anything. If necessary and available, have someone call the lines for your court.
- The Player You’ve Never Beaten- The first mistake you make is walking onto the court believing you have no chance to win. That no matter what you do, you’re going to lose, so why even try. The feeling of intimidation may have you trying to raise your game to a level that you cannot maintain for very long. Realize that your opponent does have weaknesses and is not invincible. The best response is to tell yourself, “I do have a chance to win.” Develop a game plan tailored around your strengths and follow it. Seek to exploit your opponents weaknesses, this will raise your own confidence in winning. Understand your opponent is supposed to win all the pressure is really on them.
- The Player You Always Beat- Don’t take the victory for granted. If your game is off and your opponent is playing well, you may not be able to get serious enough to pull out the win. Fight the temptation to lower your intensity, no matter how easy the match appears. If you start to run away with the match, look at it as a great way to get match experience and iron out some kinks in your game.
- The Player You Have Never Played Before- Resist thinking “I don’t need to know anything about my opponent, so I’ll just go out there and play my own game.” Another mistake is to draw conclusions too quickly and overrate her skills after two or three good shots. If it is impossible to ask others about your opponent’s game or watch her play beforehand, use the warm-up to profile her strengths and weaknesses. Remember not to be overwhelmed by a few spectacular shots. Search for flaws because she will have some.
- The Player Whose Game Drives You Nuts- This opponent is usually a pusher, dinker, lobber or junk-ball artist. You have already decided that there is no way you can play well against this style. The feeling is to punish this player for all the pain she has caused you. Playing this opponent is both a physical and emotional battle. Vow that this player will never beat you by taking you apart emotionally. Picture how you want to play before the match begins. If past strategies have not worked, come up with a new one. You know she drives you crazy; now decide to deal with it once and for all. Get excited about the challenge. Tell yourself, “If I can handle this opponent, I can handle anyone. This time I won’t let her throw my game off course.” Always keep your cool to get through this match.
Last but certainly not least, remember you cannot have a positive and negative thought in your head at the same time. Err on the positive side and learn from each match to become a better player. Good luck in your next match and hopefully this tips will guide you to a win. See you on court.
