Local Tennis League Entered – Match 1
Local Tennis Leagues
After being frustrated with playing in doubles matches for my club due to the whole way the LTA has set up competitive grassroots tennis, which leaves you never really knowing who you are playing against and who you’re playing with until the day of the match, I chose to enter into singles tennis and drop playing doubles.
via twitter I came across Local Tennis Leagues which is set up as what is called a nomadic club, with local leagues up and down the country. LTL is also affiliated to British Tennis.
So on 23rd June 2017 I played my first Swindon Local Tennis League match at the Delta Tennis Centre in Swindon, this match I played on the outdoor courts. My first singles match in 18yrs, no excuses, I’ve no partner, if I lose, it’s down to me.
im a very anilitical player, I use the warm up to watch my opponents play, I’ve already gone for a run before I’ve turned up to the court, I’m already warmed up, I watch their ability to cover the court, look for their strengths and weaknesses, I watch their serve.
I play very psychologically, I let my opponent serve first, I choose the end of court, this thinking is if I break their serve in their first game, I’ve already psychologically broken them, I’m already ahead and not even served. The end of court choice is more for outdoors, making sure I work my back to the sun during my serve for as many games as possible.
Game one, receiving serve, still feeling my opponents service game, I loose after a multiple of deuce advantage points, although I lost the first game, my psychology was I won, I made my opponent work for their win.
Now it was my serve, I’m a leftie, I have a very accute slice spin serve which pushes out wide to the backhand of a right handed player, I win 40-15 with two aces. Again this is psychology I win my service easily, my opponent had to work to win their game, game three, I break serve, I go on to win 6-2. Second set again I push my opponent, intimidate, us my serve, control my return of serve, use the width of he court, stay central on the baseline, make my opponent work. Second set again 6-2.
Final score 6-2 6-2, I’m happy, a great first match back in the saddle of singles tennis. Analysing my game after, my main focus was to focus on my serve, when it works, it really works, but sometimes I can have multiple double faults. I’ve started looking at my game an The effect of my deafness and how it effects my game. I’m noticing my balance is effected when I toss the ball up on service. I’m now adjusting my serve with a lower ball toss.
Overall great game, I’m back.
Category: BLOG, Mikes Tennis Journey
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