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[burosky]

For me, winning a match is not the absolute and ultimate goal anymore.  Although winning the match is still important to me, it is no longer my basis for determining whether I was successful or not.  My basis now is leaning more towards performance.  As long as I competed and played well, I consider that a success.  If things go my way, competing and playing well usually results in a win.  The win is more of an "icing on the cake" for me.  Don't get me wrong,  I'm still competitive.  I still try my best to win my matches.  I just don't use winning as my only determining factor for success.

[Mordecai]

For me, winning a match is not the absolute and ultimate goal anymore.  Although winning the match is still important to me, it is no longer my basis for determining whether I was successful or not.  My basis now is leaning more towards performance.  As long as I competed and played well, I consider that a success.  If things go my way, competing and playing well usually results in a win.  The win is more of an "icing on the cake" for me.  Don't get me wrong,  I'm still competitive.  I still try my best to win my matches.  I just don't use winning as my only determining factor for success.

AMEN! I couldn't agree more on this.  If we think about it, if two players of generally equal abilities played against each other, it is the one who performs better (and perhaps a little more luckier) that will win.  In other words,we cannot control winning, we only have control of our performance.  That my tennis friends is where we need to have our focus.  And the tougher we are mentally, the higher our performance will be.

[mikki_blinkme]

ayan! korek. ganyan ang goal ko. mas masarap manalo ng mananalo ka sa goal mo. e ano naman kung natalo kung nagawa mo naman that day goal kahit mo kahit ma 0 ako oks lang. winning anjan lang yan.

[Mordecai]

Eto sakit ko rin to.  I think too much during play.  I tend to over analyse or become too conscious of the game, or my strokes, etcetera, to the point that I end up losing the match.

Here's a good article on it...

From: http://www.competitivedge.com/content/think-when-you-play-and-all-is-lost

THINK WHEN YOU PLAY AND ALL IS LOST

Submitted by Dr. G on Sun, 01/10/2010 - 10:38.

Athletic execution in every sport is all about quick and biomechanically complicated movements. Even in a sport like golf, where the action waits for you, the swing is complex and extremely fast. What does this mean for you as an athlete? Simple! Think when you perform and you'll be totally lost!

Far too many athletes over-think when they play. They review their mechanics, question their tactics, worry about the outcome or potential for a mistake or replay and beat themselves up for all of the miscues they've already made up to that point. When you do this while the action is going on, several things begin to happen: First, you distract your focus of concentration from the task at hand in the moment. This insures that you will be focusing on the wrong things as you go through the performance; Second, you slow down your reaction time and reflexes so that you will always be a split second or two behind in the action; Third, you begin to tighten up physically, guaranteeing that your play will be forced, tentative and far below your potential.

Simply put, for you as an athlete, THINKING IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR PERFORMANCE HEALTH!!!  Why?

Your thinking brain is just far too slow and inept to keep up with the fast action and complicated movements required for smooth and instinctive execution. If you have to think out there, if you question whether you should come out of goal for the cross, take that open shot or pass, or hit an approach shot and come up to net, in the time that you waste thinking these kinds of thoughts, the critical window of opportunity for successful action has already closed. As a result, whatever you do is way late, performance-wise.

If you truly want to have a great game, to execute to your potential, then you must learn to leave your during-performance criticisms, self-evaluations, doubts about tactical decisions and/or worries about screwing up at home. The time to think, evaluate and analyze is when you're working on your game in practice or on your own at home and NEVER, EVER WHEN IT COUNTS!

You can't think and be a peak performer! These two don't EVER mix! Trying to think your way through a performance that's important to you will make you wicked slow and inept. Thinking will always cause you to miss that brief window of opportunity that can only be timely caught by trusting your instincts and trained muscle memory and allowing them to respond intuitively in the moment.

So my advice to you is simple: WHEN THE HEAT OF COMPETITION IS TURNED UP HIGH, LOSE YOUR MIND AND COME TO YOUR SENSES!

In short when we're in a set match, don't think, just react.  Let your muscle memory and instincts do the work.

But I understand that most of us in PTO our get together set matches are the same as our practices na rin.   So I guess this issue is more on when you're playing tournament/serious matches na.

[Mordecai]

So I had the pleasure to participate in Bobminton's Tournament in Olivarez this past weekend.  I joined the singles and doubles event at the 4.0 level.  How did I do?  I think I improved a bit mentally but I could tell I still needed some maturity, I still couldn't play my usual game I can play during practice, and the result showed it...1st round knock out on doubles, 2nd round knock out on singles (and I got lucky, I was supposed to play Bob but he switched somebody 'easy' against me).

Here's an article on how to bring out your shots in practice during competitive matches.

Anybody else has any advice on this?  Share naman kayo!

From: http://www.sportspsychologytennis.com/?p=736

Practice to Play: Tennis Mind Misfiring?

The number one reason tennis players seek mental game training is because they can’t perform as well in matches as they do in practice. Their mind game is getting the way of their tennis performance on the court. In most cases, if you can’t take your practice game to matches, you lack trust or confidence in your skills. For example, I received the following question in my tennis psychology survey:

“How can I help to trust my shots under pressure and why do I play so well in practice and not as well in matches?”

During mind training for tennis, I teach my students about two mindsets you must possess to be successful in tennis or any sport. The first is the training or practice mindset. Top tennis players understand the value of training. They strive to get better and to improve. They have a tremendous amount of motivation and work ethic, which help them to practice hard so they can master their skills.

However, the trusting or performance mindset is more important for success in tennis matches. Trust is your ability to let your skills “happen” instinctively by relying on your practice instead of consciously directing your movements. The performance mindset is the ability to rely on your practice, perform freely, and allow your skills to flow without excess thought.

The bottom line… If you focus too much of your time in a training mindset or are stuck in the practice mentality, this will show up in a lack of trust on the court during matches. You will limit your ability to play like you do in practice because of too much analysis, trying too hard to be perfect, and a loss of freedom.

What’s ads to the problem is tennis players feel more pressure to succeed in tournaments. They want to win badly or don’t want to embarrass themselves by under performing or getting beat to a lesser player.

Here are three tennis psychology tips to help you perform better in matches:

1. Stop coaching yourself to perfection on the court. You can try to be perfect in practice, but you must accept that you cannot be perfect in matches. It’s irrational to think you can be perfect with your game and not hit any bad shot. You can strive for perfection in your practice, but you have to accept errors as a natural part of tennis, and part of being human.

2. Give yourself permission to make errors when playing matches. I don’t want you to expect that you will make errors, but you certainly must accept them when you commit errors. Give yourself the luxury of making 3-4 errors for each match so you can play on in a functional mindset and win ugly.

3. Allow yourself to play efficiently instead of perfectly. This means that you have to abandon the “correct” way to perform in some cases. Use whatever works to help you get the job done in competition. For example, instead of needing to execute a perfect backhand down-the-line winner, be happy with a high percentage shot that maybe was not “textbook” execution.

[rafaEli]

"The difference between the strongest player and the champion is their mental toughness..."

how to be mentally tough?, just be tough.. hehe

[Mordecai]

I wish it were that simple.

[Mordecai]

Hmmm...maybe RafaEli has a point with his "just be tough" advice.

I actually found a Youtube video on tennis mental toughness that reminded me of that advice courtesy of Al Pacino the famous actor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v9XhNB5ONo

Worth watching.