Adapting Your Game to Win Matches

[johnyandell]

Would love to get your thoughts on my article, "Adapting Your Game to Win Matches"

[stotty]

My wife said you looked great in your youth and was impressed with the photo. Do you still retain that nice, slim physique today?

I can relate to the tractor story. We have a lot of hedges, plants and trees at my club. Our groundsman is a very enthusiastic fellow but thinks the members are a pain because they get in the way of him tending the grounds. It doesn't matter if it's a high profile match or a social game, if it's time to trim the hedges, then the noisy hedge trimmers will come out. He's a cranky sod too. We all accept it because he does the grounds for free. Visiting teams are convinced it's a ploy to put them off their game. I have to say, because we are used to it, we have probably sneaked a few league matches we might otherwise have lost.

[johnyandell]

Ha! Within 8 pounds--ok maybe 10-- but nowhere near as cut... Sounds like that gardener is a team player.

[ten1050]

Hello John,

I honestly believe that sportsmanship today is much better overall than it was in the 70's and 80's. Fewer arguments over line calls, less gamesmanship seems to be the order of the day. I believe the current top players are responsible for this positive change. Some of the top players of the 70's were terrible sportsmen. I actually enjoy entering open tournaments because the overall sportsmanship is inspiring. What do you think?

Norman Ashbrooke

[johnyandell]

Norman,
Could be--definitely so at the pro level. That's part of the challenge out there in the real world of NTRP tennis though. I am not playing now and haven't for years--but I still hear stories...last couple of matches I played were league matches maybe 5 years ago--2 and 0 thank you--and one of the guys was just as "eccentric" as the guys in my story. After I beat him very satisfying to see him roar off in his porsche--probably had to get new rear tires judging by the rubber left behind...

[dennis@djalter.com]

Thanks John,
Finally an article we humanoids can actually try to emulate.
Dennis Alter

[johnyandell]

Thanks Dennis! One more to come on matches I lost and why...

[jthb1021]

This is a great article and was a fun read! Thanks for sharing because this is the tennis world that I live and work in every day. There are two things I really liked from this article and how it relates to all tennis players. First is the Allan Fox quote of the two ways to win a tennis match either using your weapons and the other way is to adapt. Most tennis players since the origin of our sport are only comfortable with the first option, so they beat the players they are supposed to beat and lose to players that are better or slightly better than them "on paper." Such a shame because the wins when you adapt and have to use your head and step out of our usual patterns and figure some one out, those are the wins that we remember and are special!
Secondly I like the stories of meltdowns or potential meltdowns and how you handled them. The tractor story is a classic! That guy in the grand scheme of things lost a tennis match because of a man on a tractor doing his job to make a living. League tennis players face factors we can't control all the time, whether the courts at the club are by the childcare area, or construction on the road behind your court, the list could go on and on.
Then I liked the idea of overly befriending your opponent on the walk to your court, who you know is about to hook you 6 to 10 times over the course of the match. You're right he's probably not used to that! That guy probably has no friends! Then handling his bad line calls and treating them in your mind like he hit a winner would be tough to do, but I like it. It is all a lot better than getting upset then adjusting to not hit close to the lines or retaliate or whatever the reactive mindset the player chooses to respond with. Again thanks for sharing and be blessed!

[johnyandell]

jthb,
Thanks you really got the article!! Next one is a few matches I lost and how I did not adapt as well to the vicissitudes...

[doctorhl]

I immensely enjoyed your article as I have encountered every one of those scenarios. If at some point you feel the need to explore Senior tennis, I would like to engage in a discussion on senior adaptation. Example: as certain joints starting limiting sideways movement from 30’s to 60’s division, I had to slowly adapt to a vertical game (drop/lob/net approach) rather than predominately horizontal game(baseline). The horizontal aspect demanded wise selection of various techniques/pacing to contact more balls out of my strike zone.

[johnyandell]

Doc,
Thank you! Think you will enjoy the next one then... I am done playing singles due to the added strain of 20 years of regular teaching...saving my hips and shoulder for hiking and fly fishing...have a vague inclination to learn how to play doubles...

[nytennisaddict]

loved the article! particularly the enzo and victor stories... i need to be more even keeled when playing cheaters... and just shrug off bad calls. do you still play?

[johnyandell]

See above...