Quick Tournament Reminders

Many of my recent coaching articles have been quite long!  Sometimes, I feel that shorter summary articles are better because the key points are easier to remember and apply.  In this article, I’m going to highlight 8 quick reminders that you should consider on the day of a tournament…
 
1. Watch your opponent in a prior match and study his style, his serve, and his serve return.  Before beginning a match, also make sure to check his racket.
 
2. Be ready to work hard for your win.  Earned – never given.  Don’t expect your opponent to miss your trick-serve at 10-9.  Be ready to work hard to earn each and every point!
 
3. Before beginning a match, don’t look at your opponent’s rating – it probably isn’t accurate anyway.  Focus your attention on your strategy, not his rating.
 
4. Focus on having fun and applying your strategy.  If you think too much about the benefits of winning or the consequences of losing, you will have unnecessary pressure.
 
5. Reflect between points and ask yourself questions.  One mistake won’t hurt you, but if you continue to make the same mistake again and again, you will lose.  
 
6. If you lose a match, admit that you lost.  Making excuses will not help you to think clearly for your next match.
 
7. Be absolutely sure to go through your pre-point and post-point routine, every time. 
 
8. Enjoy close games.  Be excited when the game is close and be excited that you have the chance to perform.