12 Steps to Becoming A Tennis Match Play Specialist
Content
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Introduction
3
Rules & Etiquette
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Shots
4
Serving
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Position on court
5
Tactics
5
Practice
6
Team work
6
Mindset
6
Focus/Zone
7
Fitness
7
Goal setting
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Controlling the game
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Conclusion
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Copyright 2012 Sean’s Tennis Academy
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12 Steps to Becoming A Tennis Match Play Specialist
Introduction Becoming a match play specialist in any sport requires a number of skills to be mastered. In this report I will be describing 12 skills you will need to master to enable you to become a Tennis Match Play Specialist. The key is to master all of these skills to the highest level possible. At the moment you may be a master of some of them, our goal at Sean’s Tennis Academy is to show you and teach you how to Master them all. These skills are in no particular order of priority because unless you master them all you will not achieve your ultimate goal. Rules & Etiquette This is obvious I know, but you will be surprised how many people do not know all the rules of the game and even if they do often miss use those rules to their own advantage. This means it is absolutely essential that you know the rules and are able to refer to them when you feel they have been misused or broken. As you progress to matches where there is an Umpire new rules come into play. You no longer challenge your opponents when you feel a rule is broken, now you have to consult the person in the chair and establish their view and the view of the line judges. It is not just the rules which are important, etiquette or fair play is as important when playing a match. The result of a match can change very quickly if there is some form of dispute. Make sure you know the rules and the etiquette of the game and ensure you remain in control of you and your emotions when an issue arises.
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12 Steps to Becoming A Tennis Match Play Specialist
Shots The player who is able to play the best shots in a game is the one most likely to be the victor. Make sure you continue to develop and practice your game so you are able to play a shot and return the ball to the position you decide, making it as difficult for your opponent to gain advantage. There are a wide range of options when returning the ball, make sure you always choose the best option for you. Serving This is almost certainly the most important part of the game, it is the only time you have absolute control over where the ball is going to go. Master your serve so when you are serving you have the best chance possible of placing the ball in the opponents court in the most difficult place making it as hard as possible for them to return it. Sounds easy I know, remember when serving you stand the best chance possible of winning the game. If you fail to win the game when serving you instantly give your opponent the advantage. Practice, practice and practice some more until you have created a first serve which enables you to win more often than not. Remember you have two serves for each point, avoid double faulting at all cost, giving your opponent free points can turn a game very fast.
Copyright 2012 Sean’s Tennis Academy
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12 Steps to Becoming A Tennis Match Play Specialist
Position on court This can be the difference between winning and losing and should be broken down into a series of items. First where do you stand to serve, where do you stand to receive, if you are playing doubles where does your partner stand when you are serving and where do they stand when you are receiving. This is such a crucial subject when match playing and can seriously mean the difference between winning and losing. We will be covering this subject in some detail in the first match play subscription, so watch out as we launch what will definitely be the difference between coming first and something else. Tactics This is such an important step to your success, as with any other competitive game tactics are crucial to your success. If you have not seriously thought through the tactics you and your partner plan to use when playing a match then you are definitely missing a significant opportunity. Have you ever watched a professional doubles match and seen the pair serving whispering to each other, they have already agreed a series of tactics they will use to gain the advantage over their opponents. The question is, do you and your partner have an agreed strategy when playing. Now is the time to start thinking about taking the advantage by agreeing what you plan to do with your next serve and what your partner should expect.
Copyright 2012 Sean’s Tennis Academy
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12 Steps to Becoming A Tennis Match Play Specialist
Practice We have talked about a number of areas already which you need to practice with your partner to ensure you know what each other is likely to do. Practice is crucial not just for improving your skill and accuracy although both of these are important. You need to practice where you will stand for each event which may occur on court. Practice your tactics when serving, returning, approaching the net together and every other situation you and your partner can think of. Team work Finding a good doubles partner is crucial to your success. It is not always the best player you know, it is usually the one who you can work with the best. Some people work together better than others, so when choosing your doubles partner you need to know what you are looking for. Over the coming weeks and months we will be giving you tips and suggestion on how you should go about choosing your partner and then how to develop your partnership into a powerful unbeatable team. Mindset If you have read some of our articles you will already know how important your mindset is when playing a match.
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12 Steps to Becoming A Tennis Match Play Specialist
We are creating a great mindset subscription which will enable a match player to take control of their game and become a Match Play Specialist. All top sports people know that once they have developed the skills the majority of the end result is based on the thoughts they have when competing. Having the ability to control your mind is the ultimate skill. Focus/Zone Focus or being in the zone, it starts with focus which is really ensuring your mind is on the game and nothing else matters. Being in the zone is one step further, it is when you conscious mind lets go and your subconscious mind takes over. At this point everything else is ignored and the only thing that matters is the task at hand. Your mind and body work as one and you basically run on auto pilot. It is when in the zone players play shots people watching find hard to believe. It is often reported that when in the zone everything else is shut out, the crowd, the opponent, external noises, everything. The mind and body take over and usually the game is won. Fitness I am sure I do not have to explain the importance of fitness, this is not just how fast you can move, it is having the inner strength to play the game. Copyright 2012 Sean’s Tennis Academy
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12 Steps to Becoming A Tennis Match Play Specialist
It is also stamina, the ability to play at a very high standard for a long period of time. Fitness helps you avoid injury, it also increases reaction time, allows you to concentrate better. The more often you play the fitter you become. Goal setting This is related to mind set, if you set a goal of winning and believe you can then you stand a very good chance of achieving just what you set. On the other hand if you start playing on the basis that you might win the chances are much less. If you know your opponents and have a clear plan with a clearly defined end goal you will have programmed your mind for the result you want to achieve, Setting goals is a crucial part of your preparation for any match. If you start with no clear outcome how can you expect your mind and body to deliver something that has not already been defined. Controlling the game This is the last of today’s steps, last does not mean least. Controlling the game means you and your partner already know the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents. Controlling the game also means you both know your own strengths and weaknesses. With this knowledge if you work as a team you should do your best to play to their weaknesses while avoiding your own.
Copyright 2012 Sean’s Tennis Academy
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12 Steps to Becoming A Tennis Match Play Specialist
Think about it carefully, if you know they have a strong forehand and a weaker back hand where would you place the ball when serving and returning, yes on their back hand of course. Imagine if they stand well back when receiving server or stand very close to the service line. Would you hit a soft serve or a deep serve? If you are in control of the game you stand the best chance of winning. Conclusion There are many different aspects to a game of Tennis and the one who becomes a Match Play Specialist is the one who can master them all. I am sure I have not covered every aspect of the game here, but I hope this document gets you seriously thinking about the game of Tennis and what you need to do to master it at the best level possible for you. Now you are a member of Sean’s Tennis Academy come back often and also watch out for our emails which will tell you when each of the subscriptions we will be offering become available. For now start thinking about these 12 steps and how you can improve every one of them to become a Match Play Specialist. Your next step to becoming a Match Play specialist is to check out the Products and Subscriptions section as we launch a series of monthly programs you can follow which will enable you to master each of these 12 steps and more. We will keep you informed as they become available, thank you for joining my Tennis Academy, it is designed to significantly improve your game. Best Regards
Sean Medley Professional Tennis Coach
Copyright 2012 Sean’s Tennis Academy
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