I’ve been watching some of the US Open this morning and just stunned at how many players drill a big groundie to a corner, get their opponent completely stretched out, and then don’t move in to intercept the floater.

The opponent gets stretched out wide, floats something back, and then gets all day to recover back to the middle.

And then the player who initially cranked the groundie to the corner seems to realize they had an advantage, let it slip away, and then goes for something huge on their next shot.

And misses…

I don’t know, it’s always amazed me why players don’t have the guts to come in and force a very difficult passing shot.

Brent

This game is about finding your own voice.  Lots of players (even top players) never commit to drawing a line in the sand and saying to the world that this is who I am on the court.

In response to my recommendation a couple of days ago to check out FuzzyYellowBalls.com, I sent the following email response to a fellow WT subscriber yesterday.

“The beauty here is tennis can be a life long quest for all of us. Skill level is relative… It doesn’t matter what level you’re at, there’s always going to be something to think about, tinker on, and work through.

Don’t force your improvement.

Keep tinkering and asking questions and you’ll eventually have to siphon through the noise to what really makes sense to you.

As much as I know and will be forever grateful that Tom Stow put me on the map as an instructor and as a player, there was a point when I had to pick and choose the info I wanted to keep that he was giving to me.

That in itself was pretty darn liberating because at that point I knew who I was on the court. Tom really helped me get there.

I wasn’t a Rafa type, I was a Pete type, and I was content knowing that I didn’t have to be everyone out there.

One of the things that keeps players from improving is their need (or perception) that they should be able to do everything.

Zero in on what feels right for you, the style of shots, the strategies, all of that stuff, and then tell the world who you are out there. It doesn’t matter who you choose to be as long as you’re enjoying learning about that specific style of play…”

I hit with a top national player this morning, and he’s struggling a bit right now trying to find his own niche as a player.  I suggested he go see my coach Michael Wayman and just give himself up to Michael.

At least for awhile, and then begin the filtering process.

There just aren’t coaches out there skilled enough to be able to know when to stop teaching and start filtering.

So, you’ve got to be come your own person on the court, decide who are you on the court, what style suits your body and mind, all of that stuff…

Listen and eventually filter.

Brent

Got any thoughts on this topic?  Let me/us know below by leaving your feedback in the Comments area – thanks…

I am completely convinced that how well we compete between points is the #1 key to being able to play up to our highest skill level.

Compete between points…?  - Huh?

Yeah, between points.  Had a good discussion with a couple of my tennis bus yesterday, Cliff & Greg, about the art of competing not only during the point, but more importantly, between points.

You and I have talked ad nauseum (sp?) about the reality of the time spent betwen points during our matches.

It’s probably conservatively 80% of the match – that’s right, meaning that 20% bof the time we’re there on the court we’re not actually playing the point.

When I look at my own style of play during the point, there are some things I want to to do well.

I want to feel relaxed but alert.

I want to feel smooth, that I have time, that I am on balance, that I am seing the ball well, and that most of all, I don’t want to feel rushed.

And those feelings all come from what I do between points – am I doing the same thing between points that I want to feel during the point.

Unfortunately, when I’ve played my worst, I have not competed well between points.

So, Greg and I got smoked yesterday in dubs, big time drubbing, BUT, even though it was just a practice match I felt like for the most part I competed well between the points.

And in the past, especially in some practice matches, I’ve been a mental midget between points when things aren’t going well.

So, how about you, are you competing well between poionts…? – Let me/us know below by leaving your thoughts in the Comments area – thanks.

Brent