Watching Serena Williams lose to Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open a few weeks ago was an act of witness that overcame the mere spectation of sport. Even someone with the most casual knowledge of tennis who sat down on the sofa to watch 5 minutes of this match would have been made aware of the higher-level human act that they were painfully beholden to-- giving up.
The unique nature of tennis that is common with few other sports, is that if you mentally accept defeat, you can escape sooner-- minimize the exertion and embarassment, hit the showers, and move on. Six games wins a set and the best of 3 sets wins a match (at its most basic). So, a women's tennis player could play as few as 12 games (if she lost them all), or as many as-- well, a lot. The longest singles tennis match of all time was 112 games in the first round of 1969 Wimbledon. But more likely, the match is going to be somewhere between 12 and 112 games, and that is where I ponder the influence of acquiesce.
Tennis.com lists the top 10 most common mental errors in tennis.
1. Confusion about strategy
2. Trying to do too many things at once.
3. Being easily distracted
4. Too much concern about winning and losing
5. Perfectionism
6. Complacency
7. Having no plan or clear goal
8. Too much spontaneity and creativity
9. Lack of humility
10. Inappropriate reaction to errors
We saw Serena Williams-- largely regarded as the best female tennis player, when she wants to be--fall victim to #6, aka throwing in the towel, calling it quits. So apparently acquiesce isn't as high on the list as I had thought. But Serena's acquiesce might come as a by-product of what tennis fundamentalists criticize her most for, items #2 and 3. But God bless her, because that is why the fans of Serena love her-- like most of us, no one single pursuit defines her life (and tennis fundamentalists scorn her for it, because she can still beat people for whom tennis IS life), and this makes her real. Human.
But is it just me, or does this list of top-10 tennis mental errors also look like a top-10 list of life mental errors? For anyone who has ever held a goal of any sort, I think this list will look strikingly familiar. It is well-documented that tennis requires a mental toughness and concentration beyond that required from the "big four" sports-- and perhaps it has that in common with the attainment of any goal or achievement.
As such, I leave achievement-minded readers with tennis.com's list of ways your mental game can be improved.
1. Set clear goals.
2. Create action steps that will take you closer to these goals. Learn to visualize. Try to "see" what you want in your mind.
3. Use positive self-talk.
4. Practice breathing techniques.
5. Always put forth 100% effort.
6. Be process oriented.
7. Stay detached.
8. No future tripping. No past tripping. Stay in the present.
9. Be non-reactive to opinions of others.
10. Tolerate your inability to be perfect.
11. Do what it takes to have fun. Smile!
12. Define winning in a way that includes more than just the final score.
I for one am trying to take this list to heart. And I'll try to be ready for 112 games if that is what it takes.
The unique nature of tennis that is common with few other sports, is that if you mentally accept defeat, you can escape sooner-- minimize the exertion and embarassment, hit the showers, and move on. Six games wins a set and the best of 3 sets wins a match (at its most basic). So, a women's tennis player could play as few as 12 games (if she lost them all), or as many as-- well, a lot. The longest singles tennis match of all time was 112 games in the first round of 1969 Wimbledon. But more likely, the match is going to be somewhere between 12 and 112 games, and that is where I ponder the influence of acquiesce.
Tennis.com lists the top 10 most common mental errors in tennis.
1. Confusion about strategy
2. Trying to do too many things at once.
3. Being easily distracted
4. Too much concern about winning and losing
5. Perfectionism
6. Complacency
7. Having no plan or clear goal
8. Too much spontaneity and creativity
9. Lack of humility
10. Inappropriate reaction to errors
We saw Serena Williams-- largely regarded as the best female tennis player, when she wants to be--fall victim to #6, aka throwing in the towel, calling it quits. So apparently acquiesce isn't as high on the list as I had thought. But Serena's acquiesce might come as a by-product of what tennis fundamentalists criticize her most for, items #2 and 3. But God bless her, because that is why the fans of Serena love her-- like most of us, no one single pursuit defines her life (and tennis fundamentalists scorn her for it, because she can still beat people for whom tennis IS life), and this makes her real. Human.
But is it just me, or does this list of top-10 tennis mental errors also look like a top-10 list of life mental errors? For anyone who has ever held a goal of any sort, I think this list will look strikingly familiar. It is well-documented that tennis requires a mental toughness and concentration beyond that required from the "big four" sports-- and perhaps it has that in common with the attainment of any goal or achievement.
As such, I leave achievement-minded readers with tennis.com's list of ways your mental game can be improved.
1. Set clear goals.
2. Create action steps that will take you closer to these goals. Learn to visualize. Try to "see" what you want in your mind.
3. Use positive self-talk.
4. Practice breathing techniques.
5. Always put forth 100% effort.
6. Be process oriented.
7. Stay detached.
8. No future tripping. No past tripping. Stay in the present.
9. Be non-reactive to opinions of others.
10. Tolerate your inability to be perfect.
11. Do what it takes to have fun. Smile!
12. Define winning in a way that includes more than just the final score.
I for one am trying to take this list to heart. And I'll try to be ready for 112 games if that is what it takes.
1 comment:
Als, soul sista, I should have guessed you would make an articulate, witty blogger.
Post a Comment