Knowing and then exploiting your opponent’s mental flaws is extremely important in the battle of wits on a tennis court. While it’s easy to know if your opponent’s forehand or backhand is better, it requires a little extra sensitivity and insight to analyze their mental state for flaws. This awareness is the first step in gaining a huge mental advantage. Let’s take a look at common behavioral patterns in three types of players and how to exploit the weaknesses of these players.
The Negative Whiner
Many players put themselves down, complain about line calls, criticize the opponent, nitpick about court conditions, and rarely enjoy themselves when the going gets toughest. They may be negative or sarcastic, whine, or appear angry. Your goal is to beat them quickly so that you can find a much more enjoyable way to spend a Saturday afternoon! Their negativity is the key to your success.
Your Mission: These players are easy to topple because they have a second opponent on the court—themselves! Since the negative player is internally distracted, play consistent tennis while giving them some additional things to think about: Provide a variety of different serves, ground strokes, approach shots, and volleys. Mix up the direction and spin, change patterns and pace, and vary your own match rhythm (sometimes walk up to the line slower, sometimes faster!). While giving them a lot to think about, stay extremely calm and focused yourself. Never feel responsible for your opponent’s antics if they challenge you. Refuse to be pulled into their unhappy and intimidating struggle. You’ll usually find that this player self-destructs. Be courteous and go on to the next round with a smile.
The Fast-Food Player
Some players don’t understand that tennis is often a marathon and that preparing properly for every one of 200 to 250 points is essential. It often takes a long time to win a match, but this player will try to finish you off quickly so that they can get back to their busy lives. It’s as if they were going through the fast-food checkout lane while the employees are being timed for productivity. They may appear stressed, anxious, or bored, but they cannot understand tennis properly. By all means, resist letting their impatience and impulsiveness pull you into their crisis.
Your Mission: Monitor and control your own pace against these rushed players. If they speed up to the line and try to serve before you are fully prepared, hold your hand up, put your head down, turn around if you must, and take a couple breaths and wait until YOU are ready. Take your time before you serve, and take your time on changeovers. They would love to rush you into submission. Their weakness is that they are susceptible to major problems with attention and impulsivity. Subject these players to your own self-determined style and pace. Rush the net at times to see if they have the patience to return low or lob, or if they need to finish you off with a passing shot. They make errors because they are rarely “in the moment.” They fail to devote the care needed for each point. Master this player with your own extra precision and focus, and commit to staying out on the court all day long if necessary!
The Boring Grinder
The opposite of the fast-food player is the absolutely boring grinder who can stay out there all day long and brings nothing exciting to the table. They may choose drab clothing and lack attractive shots. Don’t be fooled by appearances! These players are extremely dangerous if they keep every ball in play. They may have no desire to impress you, and they go quietly about their business with a lethal efficiency. They will eat your lunch if you are not careful!
Your Mission: Forget about being entertained and be careful not to fall asleep or become overconfident. Realize that you are in for an epic struggle. Tennis requires a relatively steady level of intensity, focus, and consistency, not always flash and creativity. These players don’t care what you think and often have a very steady game. You might underestimate their power because they do nothing except counter-punch and win. Even at the highest levels, the player with the fewest unforced errors usually prevails. The boring grinder, however, may also lack imagination. This player may stubbornly cling to predictable patterns of play and fail to adjust to change. To exploit this player, sharpen your memory and evaluate their tendencies in a variety of situations. Once you’ve discovered their patterns, you gain the upper hand. If they suddenly become animated and interesting, you’ll know you’ve got them where you want them.
Dr. John F Murray is a sports psychologist in Palm Beach, Florida and at *www.JohnFMurray.com*