What is competition?

Your toughest competition is NOT staring at you from the other side of the net 78 feet away. Your toughest foes are your conscious thoughts, and the questions you ask yourself during match play! Your conscious thoughts should be positive, and your questions should reflect playing within your abilities!

Bounce, Hit for Better Strokes

Do you drift into space mid-match? If so, try this. When the ball bounces, say "bounce." When the ball contacts your string, say "hit."

This will get you to focus on the ball and the opponent, not the other things floating around in your conscious brain!

Missed Serves

After attempting to return 2 to 3 cannon ball tennis serves unsuccessfully, compliment your opponent on the amazing power and control he has on his serve. Then watch him try and add 5 % percent to show how good he really is. Its guaranteed to produce a series of double faults to get you back in the set.

Attitude determines Altitude

What makes a good tennis attitude? It´s the same as a good attitude. You´ve got to arrive on the court knowing that you´re going to have fun, work on your weaknesses, make them better, and enjoy the whole process.

Learn from Losing

Everybody loves to win. But, the measure of a competitor is how he or she handles losing. Sampras´ first coach deliberately put him against older, better, and stronger players not only to make him a better player, but teach him how to learn from losing. It paid off, as Sampras has the most Grand Slam titles of any player in history.

Interrupting Momentum

On an important point if they miss the first serve pretend you have broken a string and walk over to change racquets. When you return the momentum is lost for their second serve and they have no right to ask
for two serves.