The End Of An Era by Marco Di Nardo
In the end, it was ultimately a member of the Fab Four who once again prevailed at this year’s Australian Open. However, the tone of Roger Federer’s victory was different. There is no longer the sense of inevitability to each and every Slam, with everyone knowing a member of the Fab Four (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray) will lift the trophy at fortnight’s end. Of course, for many years this was exactly the case. For example, the year that started with the Australian Open in 2011 and ended with the same event in 2012, the Fab Four made up the final four in each and every Slam. The one exception was Wimbledon, when Federer lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals. The other three still went on to the semi-finals though. This is representative of an era when there was absolutely no room at the top for any other players. Things started changing in 2014, when Stan Wawrinka unexpectedly won the Australian Open. Marin Cilic, no doubt emboldened by Stan’s example, triumphed in New York later that year, beating Kei Nishikori in the final. It seemed as if a new group of players was finally ready to start challenging the Fab Four. Unfortunately for these challengers, it didn’t happen quite as quickly as many people had thought it would. The Fab Four was
weakened, but at least one member of the group was always strong enough to make a breakthrough for an outsider almost impossible. In 2015 and the first half of 2016, Djokovic was the one who kept the newcomers at bay. The second half of 2016 saw Murray take over as the keeper of the keys. The only person who had been allowed to interfere with the Fab Four’s plans during this period was Stan Wawrinka, who won the French Open in 2015 and the US Open in 2016. Indeed, he has become such a looming figure that many pundits started talking about the Fab Five.
But the term “Fab Four” is not really accurate anymore. Nadal and Federer have not been
particularly important for him to do Down Under, where he has finished runner-up so
real threats at Slams – well, until now – for many years. Djokovic in particular has
many times. Neither was able to do what they set out to, however.
starting showing some weakness, losing early at Wimbledon and the Olympics last
Djokovic lost in the second round to the
year, and also falling short at the US Open
unheralded Denis Istomin, while Murray was
against Wawrinka.
eliminated by Mischa Zverev in fourth round. Instead of seeing the top two players in the
The 2017 Australian Open was supposed to be a big event for both Djokovic and Murray.
world wrestle for the title, it was two former world number ones who claimed that
The Serb had revenge in his heart after a lackluster finish to 2016, and was looking to retake the initiative early in the year. Murray, on the other hand, was highly motivated to prove he belongs at number one. This was
privilege: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. But both, en route to the final act, were at serious risk of elimination on multiple occasions. Federer needed five sets to get past Kei Nishikori and had his hands full against Wawrinka in the semi-finals, where he also needed five sets to eventually progress to the final. Rafa, on the other hand, had to find his way back from 2 sets to 1 down against Alexander Zverev in the third round, and again needed five sets to beat Grigor Dimitrov in the semis. Zverev and Dimitrov, though they both fell short in Melbourne, showed that they will be serious contenders at the big tournaments this year. So what we thought was happening in 2014 is now really coming true. Federer and Nadal, for all their heroic exploits at the Australian Open, are well past their prime, and with Djokovic and Murray both looking vulnerable, this year might be the one where we finally see the youngsters make real strides. The question ultimately is this: who will be the first to make his mark?
There are many ways to start a story. You can start at the beginning, if you want the whole picture, or you can start a bit later if you want to portray a certain point of view. Or you can focus on a particular event that is so unusual in the larger context of the story that it is worthy of telling in its own right. Such a story unfolded in spectacular fashion on Rod Laver Arena on the 29th of January,
The Perfect Ending by Federico Mariani
2017. It was chapter 35 of the bigger book that makes up the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, but perhaps the most surprising passage of all. In the ideal fairytale world of the ATP Tour, the roles of players locked in rivalry are clearly defined. Roger is the hero: classy, relaxed and a natural talent – the “good” guy. Rafa is, by necessity, the opposite. He is passionate, loud and a works harder than the others because he lacks their natural talent. He is the bad guy.” Of course, the real world is not a fairy tale, and while the two men are very different in many ways, there was no “good guy” or “bad guy” on the court that night. There were just two fantastic tennis players with hunger in their hearts. Each man was looking for his first Slam in many years, knowing that this might be his last chance for glory. As always, the contrast in their styles were on full display, with the unstoppable force trying to break through the immovable object for more than three hours. In the end, the force won. The very idea that these two men would
compete in the final was almost unthinkable just a few weeks before the match. Andy Murray, the newly-crowned world number one, was the favorite, and Novak Djokovic, with revenge in his heart, was seen as a close second. Indeed, Federer and Nadal, both coming off extended injury layoffs from last year, were not really on anyone’s minds as legitimate contenders. But that hardly mattered in the end. Finally, after six long years of having no such glorious encounter, we once again had a Rafa-Roger final. But the most cynical among us turned up their nose at the idea of such a final. Both players are, after all, way beyond their prime, and Nadal had beaten Federer five out of their previous six matches coming into the event. It would be bad tennis and an easy win for Nadal, these cynics figured. Even as late as the fifth set they clung to such notions. Federer was down 3-1, and it seemed as if it would turn out to be a repeat of their previous Australian Open final, which Nadal won 6-2 in the fifth. But after the following five games, nobody could possibly deny what Federer had done. It was glorious, incredible, fantastic. Perhaps his greatest Slam final ever, and one of the best matches the Australian Open has ever seen. In those last five games, Federer showed just how good he still was, both mentally and physically. His backhand was rock solid, his serve perfect when he needed it most. His defense was incredible and his offense even better. This was the Roger Federer that we
have not seen in the better part of a decade. Of course, one could point out that the courts were slightly faster than in previous years, which helped Federer. And Nadal was perhaps getting tired in the fifth set, having played two five-setters in the tournament already. But these are mere details, quickly forgotten in the forging of a myth. During the prize-giving, Federer said he would have accepted a draw on that night. From anyone else, this would have sounded glib and insincere, but it was clear that Federer meant it. He knows as well as anyone else that he could not have written the wonderful story of his career without the Spaniard starring opposite him. Their stories are so intertwined now that they will always have to be told together. And while this might be Federer’s finest chapter, we can only hope that it will not be the last one these two write together.
Rafa Rocks, Ready To Roll by Luigi Gatto
When discussing potential finalists heading into the Australian Open, few pundits mentioned Rafael Nadal, and even fewer picked him as their favorite to reach the Championship round. Indeed, you will be hard pressed to find anyone who genuinely believed he could come out of his half of the draw – a half that included Novak Djokovic – to reach the final. Yet that’s exactly what he did, once again proving that anyone who bets against Nadal
does so at their own peril. Nadal started his year in Brisbane, where he raised a few eyebrows by reaching the quarter-finals. He lost to Milos Raonic, but he seemed to have a little more energy in his step than last season. Nobody took it as a sign that he would immediately return to his glorious former form, but as the Australian Open wore on it became clear that all of his hard work was suddenly coming together. Apart from the
and maintained a very consistently high level of play. If healthy, of course, Rafa is second to none when it comes to five-set matches. Zverev and Dimitrov had this made very clear to them in their marathon encounters, with both players unable to keep up with the perpetual motion machine that is Nadal in full flow. Importantly for Nadal, unlike last year, when he lost such matches to the likes of Pouille and Verdasco, he remained calm and rock-solid
obvious improvements – fewer errors, both mental and of the unforced variety – Nadal also
throughout every challenge that was thrown at him. There were no more unforced errors on set
showed tremendous physical fortitude. He played two tough five-setters en route to the final, and another murderous one to
points, no more forehands that hit the bottom of the net. Nadal’s confidence in himself is clearly very high at the moment, and
end the tournament. Despite this,
growing with each match.
he showed no signs of fatigue,
Tactically speaking, the Spaniard has also made tremendous strides compared to last season. Thanks largely to his work with Carlos Moya, he was able to play aggressively, especially when returning, often playing from within the baseline against Raonic and Dimitrov. In the final, for whatever reason, he abandoned this tactic for a more defensive posture, but it might simply be that he was just doing what has always worked for him against Federer. He played the same way he did in their last Australian Open final, but this time it didn’t pay off. That being said, his play over the fortnight was very encouraging indeed, especially in terms of his serve. He went above 200km/h regularly, and his serve was a bit of a weapon. Federer handled it better than the others, however, and the Spaniard struggled on his own serve throughout most of the final. Interestingly, the fifth set of the final played out very similarly to the one Nadal played in the final against Djokovic in 2012. Then, he lost five of the last six games to lose the set and the match. It was a similar story this year, with Nadal giving up the initiative and losing five games in a row. Of course, Nadal’s is at a very different place in his career now, and Federer is a very different player to Djokovic, so it’s hard to draw too many comparisons to the two matches. Perhaps the only conclusion one can draw is that Nadal finds it harder to close
out Slams on slower hard courts, such as the ones the Australian Open uses.
The big concern for him right now is to be fit, healthy and ready for the clay court season. "I can do great things on the
But winning helps you win, and a lost final cannot erase all that Nadal accomplished in January.
clay," Rafa admitted recently. Of course, winning a second title in Melbourne would have been
What matters most to him and his fans is health. If he can remain injury free for an extended period of time, 2017
nice, but his biggest priority is Roland Garros. With Djokovic in a rut, Murray’s form uncertain and Federer likely too old to
may very well be a very productive year for him. In the coming weeks Nadal will play in Rotterdam, Acapulco, Indian
seriously challenge for the title at the physically grueling French Open, Nadal might even be the favorite to win it at this early
Wells and Miami. This stretch should give us a good indication of how his body will hold up under extreme prolonged pressure.
stage. Much will need to go right for the Spaniard, but he has certainly gotten off to a fantastic start to the year.
Grigor Dimitrov: Winning More With Less by Alex Bisi
The 2016 season was a complicated one for Grigor Dimitrov. He had several bad results and his game appeared to take several steps backwards.
If we compare the 2015 and 2016, it’s clear that the Bulgarian has improved on most statistics. When we look at how the points he won are distributed, an even clearer picture emerges: POINTS WON ON SERVE 2015 = 66.3% 2016 = 65.2% POINTS WON ON RETURN 2015 = 37.7% 2016 = 37.1% As we all know, not all points have the same
Towards the end of the season, however, he did manage to post some positive results, and he entered 2017 more confident than he had been in some time. The calculation of a tennis score can be quite a paradox, with a player winning more points than his opponent but ultimately losing the match.
weight. The statistics below reveal that he has markedly improve when under pressure on his own serve, and that the percentage of points won in each case has gone up for the most part. The Bulgarian struggled mightily with his biggest weapon, his serve, in 2015 and the first half of 2016. The fact that he is doing much better now, especially when his serve is under pressure, is a very good sign for him going forward.
Dimitrov Delivers by Federico Mariani
News headlines in the tennis world have been dominated by the return of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and rightly so. But lost in the shuffle has been the resurgence of Grigor Dimitrov, the talented Bulgarian who has been wandering in the wilderness for the better part of the last two years. In Melbourne he was suddenly sharp and looking for all the world like a Top 5 player. Indeed, he very nearly reached the Australian Open final. It might surprise most people to hear it, but Dimitrov started the season on a ten-game winning streak. He won the title in Brisbane and steamed through the draw in Melbourne before falling to Nadal in the semi-finals. In that match he combined everything we already knew he was capable of (big serving and incredible shot making) with everything that had been woefully lacking for the past two seasons (maturity, grit and mental fortitude). After reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 2014, it was assumed that Dimitrov would be a permanent fixture in the second weeks of Slams going forward. After all, he had been steadily improving for years, and was playing the kind of tennis that can win you Majors. Instead, he inexplicably fell into a slow and steady decline. Embarrassingly, he nearly fell out of the Top 40 entirely towards
the middle of last year, and he was left for dead by many tennis pundits. But just as he hit rock bottom, Dimitrov started working with Dani Vallverdu, determined to finally do justice to his tremendous talent. Slowly but surely, the Bulgarian started playing better. His serve had more pop, he was making fewer errors, and most importantly he seemed more focused than ever before. The second half of 2016 was a relatively productive one for Dimitrov, and he made it to the last eight of a few tournaments. He even reached the final in Beijing, though he lost there to Andy Murray. Following an off-season of extremely hard work, Dimitrov started the year with a bang. He beat three Top 10 opponents in a row in taking the Brisbane title, and firmly put the tennis world on notice. Of course, there is no doubt that he will be thinking about those two break points in the fifth set against Nadal for some time, but he will still take a lot of confidence away from that match and the tournament as a whole. Roger Federer famously also took a while to hone his endless talent into a fine-tuned winning machine, a fact that Dimitrov will no doubt be counting on. He certainly has the talent to be the world number one, it’s just a question of getting that talent to show on the court in the most important moments. Dimitrov has for a while been a member of
the “lost generation,” players who are too old to be up-and-comers but too young to be no-
world’s next number one.
hope veterans. Like Nishikori, Raonic and Tomic, he is now entering the physical prime
For a long time, the answer to that question would have been a resounding “no.” But if
of his career, and will need to make the most of it. The question is whether he will be able
recent events are anything to go by, we will likely be hearing Dimitrov’s name a lot more
to parlay his abilities into taking over from
often in 2017.
Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray as the
The New American Hope by Alex Bisi
In August 2015, Taylor Fritz was 17 years old and ranked 685 in the world. He had just been eliminated by Luca Vanni in the first round of qualifiers at the US Open. Soon afterwards, he won 11 straight matches, a stretch that would see him winning the Challengers in Sacramento and Fairfield, as well as reaching the final at the Challenger in Champaign. A short time later, he would also
add the Challenger in Onkaparinga to his trophy cabinet. All of this pushed his ranking 530 positions higher in a very short period, resulting in him climbing to number 155. The American media started taking notice, especially when he rose to number 76 and then to number 53 in no time. The US has been desperately looking for a new men’s player to carry the country’s tennis flag, a role which has gone unfulfilled since Andy Roddick’s retirement. Fritz’s success relies heavily on his big serve. He is almost in the Top 50 in terms of serving
statistics, winning 73.2% of first serve points and also serving an average of 8.4 aces per match. At Wimbledon, where he was defeated by Stan Wawrinka in four sets, his fastest serve was an impressive 246 km/h. Like all young players, he still has a long way to go, especially when it comes to his return, which remains a bit of a weakness. When compared to other young players, such as Kyle Edmund (No. 45) and Alex Zverev (No. 24), it’s easy to see that his return numbers are not quite as good. On the other side of the equation, his serve helps him neutralize strong returners. He manages to save 64% of break points held against him, good enough to put in 21st in that
category on the Tour. Andy Murray saves 77% of break points against him, while Novak Djokovic saves 74%. These numbers are better than those of the young Fritz, but not by that much. But while his serve is his biggest weapon, there is one instance where he needs to improve more: points won on second serve. He is currently at 47%, while Murray and Djokovic are at 56% and 57% respectively. He needs to push that up above 50% to push his serve to the next level. At 19, there is still much work to be done, but the Californian seems to have laid a strong foundation for a bright future. If he manages to continue improving, it will do wonders for tennis in America.
Why Monfils Just Had His Best Season Ever
to 660 in 2016. However, his percentage of break points converted increased by five percentage points. In 2015, he converted 145/359 (40.6%), while in 2016 he converted 189/416, or 45.4%.
Gael Monfils ended 2016 ranked seventh in the world. He also reached a careerhigh ranking of 6 in November, 17 positions higher than at the start of the season.
Another interesting fact is that he has markedly improved on break points converted on both first and second serves.
by Alex Bisi
Sporting an impressive record of 44 victories and only 17 defeats, the Frenchman enjoyed a marked statistical improvement in his game. If we compare his 2015 and 2016 seasons, we notice that the number of return games he played were roughly equal: 654 in 2015 compared
Break points converted on first serve 2015 = 71 2016 = 87 Break points converted on second serve 2015 = 74 2016 = 102 By the end of the season, Monfils was the third most efficient player on break points on the whole Tour,
and the most efficient of all on clay, with a 53.8% conversion rate. We'll see if in the coming year he will be able to maintain these extraordinary numbers. If he does, he might even knock on the door of the Top 5.
Effective tactics against drops shots
3 The comparatively slow speed of rallies at clubs makes it easier to use drop shots. Since each player has a relatively long time to set up their shot, they can precisely measure their drop shot for maximum effectiveness.
Today we will have a look at something all tennis players need to deal with, especially at club level: the drop shot.
There are three ways of easily countering a drop shot: 1 Pretend that you are going to hit a drop shot in return, but instead hit the ball deep. 2 Hit a straight drop shot. 3 Hit a cross-court drop shot.
by Federico Coppini
Why do I say especially at club level? There are three main reasons:
1 At club level a lot of players are not very athletic, and cannot chase down the majority of drop shots. 2 Drop shots at clubs are often hit off the backhand. The shot is an attempt to end the point quickly, and is often resorted to because the player does not have faith in their regular backhand.
Let's look at the three possibilities in detail:
Pretend to hit a drop shot, but hit deep instead
This is a good tactic, as it can easily fool the opponent and trap them in no man’s land, unable to reach your shot. It is worth noting that you can only do this if you reach the drop shot before the ball has gone too low, else you will not be able to get the elevation required to hit the ball deep.
Hit a straight drop shot
This is the option I strongly discourage my students from using. Playing a drop shot straight back over the net will likely give your opponent a good play on the ball. Unless you hit it perfectly, getting it to barely bounce at all, you will give your opponent a very good opportunity to win the point. If you can’t exercise perfect touch on this shot, it will just sit up and give your opponent a lot of room to work with.
Hit a cross-court drop shot
The vast majority of the time eight out of ten times this is the best way to go. There are three reasons why you should always counter a drop shot with a cross-court drop shot of your own: 1 - You don’t need to have such good touch to hit a decent shot. The ball has to travel a much longer distance when you hit cross-court, meaning that there is more margin for error in
your measure of the shot itself. Even if you hit it slightly too hard or too soft, you will likely still be a in a pretty good position. 2 Unless you underplay the ball significantly, your shot will carry the ball away from the court, meaning your opponent will be out of position when chasing it down. 3 By hitting a cross-court shot, it will be easier to use backspin on your slice, keeping the ball low. If you are close to the net, you can still hit an aggressive cross-court shot, but if you try to hit it straight you will have to hit
upwards, causing the ball to bounce very high. If you keep these few principles in mind, you will find it much easier to counter those pesky drop shots, no matter what level you are competing.
Old Habits Die Hard
a good 2-4 meters behind the net. And guess what? You never practice hitting volleys from this distance, so it’s very difficult to get it right in a match!
Nearly half a century into my life, and a good chunk of that spent teaching tennis, I am still wondering who started it. Trends are a constant, of course, in tennis as in life. In the second half of the 70s, when I started playing, the most important thing to learn was that the ball must line up with your left eye for a forehand, and your right eye for a backhand. It was gospel, and woe unto you if you didn’t follow the law to the letter! In the 80s it was all about different grips and top spin, and the 90s saw an emphasis on racket material.
Of course, there are occasions that you hit a wonderful approach shot which drags your opponent completely out of position, allowing you to get to the net and await an easy volley. But for the most part you need to be ready to
by Marco Mencaglia
Things are constantly changing in the tennis world, yet for some reason this technique has remained stubbornly engrained in the minds of tennis coaches around the world. What am I moaning about, you ask? Volleys! Well, not volleys as such, but more the way they are taught and practiced. How many hours have you stood right on top of the net, patiently practicing your volleys, racket arm stretched out and waiting for the ball? Have you ever wondered why in training you are great at volleys, but in matches you struggle with them? Well, the answer is very simple. So simple, in fact, that you will wonder why it has never occurred to you before. You are almost never that close to the net when playing volleys in a real match! Modern tennis is a fast-paced sport, and for the most part you will not get close to the net by the time your opponent gets to your approach shot. That means that you will be hitting your volleys
hit volleys from much further back. I cannot understand why this trend continues in modern coaching circles, but it does! The only way to combat it, of course is to tell your coach that you want to practice all kinds of volleys, not just those close to the net! Once you start doing so, you will be surprised how much easier it is dealing with these kinds of shots in matches.
As with everything in tennis, practice makes perfect, and if you want to be able to hit volleys from a spot other than right on top of the net, just practice!
Mechanics and dynamics: "The chain of sensations" by Federico Coppini
To communicate with the ball, we must internalise some elements of the immediate situation. For example, our orientation in space and time, the trajectory of the ball as well as the mechanics of the shot we are about to hit. However, thinking about our technique too much makes our movements mechanical and ineffective. Technique is important, don't get me wrong, but we must try and "communicate" with the ball instead of just "talking at it." "True" contact with the ball needs to be smooth and controlled. In fact, we should make contact with the ball in a manner that relates "controlled aggression." The ball, of course, remains in contact with the strings as long as is necessary to send it in the desired direction. During contact, we almost "hold" the ball in our power, and it is here where our communication with it must be at its height. Controlling the impact phase of a shot is extremely difficult, however, and we must practice and refine our communication if we are going to achieve anything. Every time we hit the ball, we put a part of ourselves in the shot and, by extension, into the ball. This "message" eventually
reaches our opponent, who sends a message back to us through the ball. This continues until someone decides to end communication by making an error or hitting a winner. If we are at peace and in harmony with ourselves and with our body, we are also in harmony with what surrounds us, and we can consciously transfer a part of ourselves into an object. I have spoken before about the kinetic chain, which runs from the ground through every part of our body and eventually ends up with us hitting a shot. Every little action we take is connected to others, and we must strive to be in touch with each of
these sensations. This includes both the physical movements we make as we play, as well as the mental sensations we experience in our sport. According to Maslow's "hierarchy of needs," our first level of desire has to do with our physiological needs. Safety comes after that, and then love, self-esteem and finally self-fulfilment. Each of these needs is connected, and by visualising elements of one (for example, our physical performance) we can influence how another of our needs is fulfilled. Positive attitudes produce positive feelings.
Motivation and Self Confidence in Sports Dott.ssa Marina Gerin Birsa
Motivation is an “inner engine" that activates when someone wants to achieve a certain objective. It helps to spurs them on to reach that goal. Motivations and interests change with age this is important to keep in mind. During infancy, what interests us above anything else is having fun. This pushes us to move, play, run and enjoy our running. Children do not think about
the future they are totally immersed in the present, in the “here and now.” Children can’t yet imagine that their efforts in sport could offer them some opportunities. For the moment this does not interest them. They are only interested in their own evolution: in socialising with others and playing in a group, and in taking pleasure from simple motion. Sometimes at this age parents are far more motivated than their children to practice a particular sport. They may enrol them in a ski or swimming course, or force them to play soccer or another sport. The parents focus only on what
resonates with their own interests, thus neglecting their children’s natural physical and psychological inclinations. As children learn the fundamental principles of a certain sport, they will often turn towards their parents to check if they are watching. They seek their parents’ approval, and will likely think "if I play well dad and mom will love me even more and will be proud of me." This could be the beginning of a happy sports career if the child, over the following years, is able to find some personal motivation to continue their efforts and improve their results. Naturally, parental
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motivation alone will not be sufficient to justify all the sacrifices that the children need to make during training and matches. Hopefully, they will begin to develop a healthy competitive spirit which will push them to measure themselves against their friends. Like the parents, the coach will become a major point of reference. Things change during adolescence. The motivations of the early years will fall away, making way for new incentives to continue playing sports. If the motivation to play doesn’t remain high, the children will in all likelihood abandon the sport due to a lack of interest. Young athletes establish deeper relationships with their peers, and start taking interest in their physical form. Their bodies are changing, and they are likely to become disorientated by these new elements that are vying for their attention. They will also start discovering their own potential, and realise what it could mean for their future. As children’s sense of competition develops in adolescence, their sporting results will likely become more important to them. They will still be interested
in what others think of them not only their parents, but also their coach and peers. However, their own views will also become increasingly important. Motivation becomes increasingly complex and diversified during adolescence. Teenagers will begin thinking about possible earnings, fame, and success. They will start feeling the desire to make a name for themselves.
The connection between motivation and self confidence
According to the latest psychological research, the most frequent motivating factors for athletes are: Social aspect of sports practice Physical well
lbeing Passion for a particular sport Need to be active and exercise Attraction of competitive sports and desire to compete Access to a different environment Enjoyment Self-fulfilment through success in sports Family pressure (chiefly from parents) Opportunity to be among friends Desire to stand out and become famous Athletes do not compete in order to prove to themselves that they are the person they need to be. Instead,
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they compete hoping to better understand themselves to know their limits and potential. Gaining confidence in oneself is the true key to motivation: if I have confidence in myself and what I am able to do, not only am I highly motivated, but I increase my chances of success. As long as an athlete looks outside of themselves for security, confidence and acceptance, victory will elude them. This is because their personal identity will rely too heavily on external factors. An athlete needs to discover these qualities within themselves in order to be happy and successful. Instead of seeking external approval, athletes must pursue a sense of self worth. The confidence that results from a strong sense of self worth will help them understand that they can still succeed even if they make mistakes. The acceptance and acknowledgement of one’s own ability is the key to sporting success. Sport must become a vehicle through which one can express oneself.
Strategies to increase self confidence
Give yourself a chance to win before the competition begins. Winning starts with believing that victory is possible. Focus on p revious successes and forget former failures. Reward yourself each time you achieve a goal or improve your performance in some way. Do not worry that your opponent is stronger than you. Focu s instead on your own abilities.
. This doesn’t mean you must ignore your opponent (this would be a big mistake), but focusing on your abilities will help put th em into perspective in your own mind. Always remember your motivation why you are here and where we want to go. Trust yourse lf throughout every match or competition. It will help you remai n calm and composed in the diffi cult mom
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ments. The following visualisation technique will help you increase your motivation and confidence. Relax, get comfortable, close your eyes and then begin to visualise: Imagine yourself as you are about to step onto the court. It is a beautiful day and you can feel the warmth of the sun on your face. Carefully observe the scene. Look carefully at what surrounds you. Listen to t
the sounds around you and feel the ground beneath your feet. Start playing with your best serve: don’t give the ball too much s pin, just hit it as hard as you can. Focus on every movement and what its role is in the shot from the position of your feet to the bending of your knees and the position of your racquet. Everything is going well, and you are hitting the ball perfectly. You are happy and can feel yo
our entire body, especially the strength of your arm. Focus on the keywords: confidence, satisfaction, motivation, strength. Th is is not a time to hold back it is a time to attack. You can feel this way any time you wish, any time you need it, any time you are in trouble during the match. You have an image of your best serve in your mind and you can use it whenever you want. S