should i put any pressure on myself when playing a real match?

Question

I'm going to play a person for a spot on my varsity tennis team. i don't know if i should forget it is a match that determines my ladder on my tennis team, or take it very serious and put pressure on myself. I usually do put pressure and sometimes that I mess up when i'm under pressure...but i don't know how would i've done if i just treat the game as a practice.

will i perform better if i'm relaxed? i'm not too sure...

i don't think winning is everything, but in my case of playing against another teamate to get a spot on varsity..where i think i belong..i only want to win.

however, when i play games with my friends, i don't care about winning, i only care about the mistakes i made when i loose and improve on them.

Answer 1

Pressure is inevitable when it comes to competition. Sometimes self-pressure helps motivate you whereas sometimes it'll break down your game. I think the best mentality to have on the court, whether competitive or not, is to strive for improvement.

Regardless of who is on the other side, Andy Roddick or the #1 Varsity player, strive to play your best and feel like you are working on a part of your game. Concentrate on the parts of your game that are weak.

Everyone is bound to choke, play bad, and lose. But improvement of your own game is entirely up to you. Keep a positive attitude when you're out there, and work on being a better player, rather than just winning the match. You may lose, but you may also come out a better player. Losing or winning is just a factor in your lesson on tennis, improving is the ultimate result.

Hope this helps.
Good luck!

Answer 2

First of all, you have to relax. Don't focus too much on getting your ball in the court. focus on playing aggressively. Controlled aggression. You have to be aggressive, but also be able to control the ball and keep it inside the court. Just bend your knees, and hit the ball, keeping your head at the contact point, until you finish hitting the shot. It seems like you have to work on your mental game because whoever has the strongest mental fitness is the one most likely to win the match. You hae to calm down when you are playing a match and believe in yourself. Try doing something relaxing before you play the match, and you would be in a good mood before playing the match. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, and have fun while your playing. Hope i helped !!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

I know exactly what you mean. I play on my high school's varsity team too. I think that you shouldn't pressure yourself to the point where you think too much and mess up. You also shouldnt not care about the match. I guess you should be relaxed yet aware that the game actually counts for something but dont get too nervous. good luck

Answer 4

Tennis is a sport that takes concentration, Relaxation, No tense

Also there is one important thing to Tennis though you practice what do you feel do you have fun or are you a person who believes that winning is everything, sometimes understanding the methods of tennis and other sports is having fun even if it means the last round dont put pressure on yourself it will build up tense that makes you even more nervous on what your going to do on the last pt.

one advice. what do you think is winning everything or just let go and have fun?

Answer 5

You need to control yourself, make some focus exercises before a match, to focus or concentrate in your game, for me the best is lightt a candle and and try to maintain yourself watching the light without blinking, the more you can, do it at least 20 times before the match, and during the match focus on the ball like it was with the ligh of the candle. And remember everybody make mistakes, even the great ATP Champios,

Answer 6

u have to stay relaxed but also if u missing easy shots which u know u should be able to make, u have to tell yourself to come on. u have to show some passion out there on the court and dont be happy yo be 2nd best. dont relax to much coz after a match u ar goin to relax anyway so i think putting a little prssure on urself is good, it will make u a better tennis player. trust me i know

Answer 7

don't think about it as if you don't win this you don't get the spot you want. think of it as a regular game. this way you should be relaxed. that is what i do. then you need to concentrate on what you need to do. remember there weaknesses and what type of shots they don't like to hit. try not to get to confident if you are winning becuase you may try to hit some shots that will go flying out. that has happened to me many times and i have lost because of that. good luck. just remember to keep calm. i hope that you make your tenis team. good luck.

Answer 8

Just go out and play your game. Play to win.

Answer 9

you are asking the wrong question, the question is not if to put pressure upon yourself, but how to handle such pressure.

try hard to focus on the game and not on the event it self. give your max while not being intimidated by the consequences of the event.

Answer 10

you shouldn't. it makes you over-react, which means tennis balls flying out of the court more often, completey over-shooting, etc., etc.
and the actual game is MORE PRESSURING then the practice, so your pressure conditions would only get worst.