Okay folks, it is the time of year when we set our new years resolutions, and do our darndest, at least for a while, to stick to them in the New Year. Here are our top New Years Resolutions for tennis in 2016.
Stop hitting balls in the net!
There are a lot of ways to lose a point, but hitting a ball in the net is a sure-fire way to lose one. In 2016, we will try and only miss long. No more balls in the net!
No more foot-faulting!
Recreational players are guilty of this regularly. Whether you take a half step back before serving, or make sure to bring your back foot in to your front foot rather than overstepping it, let’s make a conscious effort to eliminate this from our games. Sure, we may not have a line judge staring at us every point, but if you are going to play, you might as well do it right!
No more swearing on court!
We all know how easy it is to get mad on the court after a stupid unforced error. This year, imagine your mom is standing on the court watching every point you play. Maybe then you will rethink the barrage of four letter words you throw out after a missed easy overhead.
Cut down on double faults!
This year, take a little something off your first serve, and ALWAYS play a smart, high percentage second serve. You will win way more points by hitting an easier serve in the court rather than blasting away on both serves and hoping for the best. One thing is for sure, you’ll never win a point after you bury both serves in the net.
Actually say the score out loud before EVERY serve
It’s very easy in the heat of the match to forget to say the score out loud. Unfortunately, it’s also very easy to forget the score, both as the server, and returner. Spare yourself the embarrassment and hassle of trying to recall the score with your opponent mid-game.
Serve a bucket of balls every week
Most recreational players have weak serves, and they won’t improve without practice. Try and work on your serve for at least twenty minutes a week. In conjunction with serving smarter to eliminate double faults, you will be holding serve more regularly in no time!
Don’t throw or smash your rackets
This one is pretty straight forward… it’s a bad look, no matter how easy the ball you just missed was. Try to take a deep breath before doing anything rash. Not only will you save money on new rackets, but your anger won’t cost you points like it used to in the past.
Focus, Focus, FOCUS
We all know how quickly, and how often momentum can change in a tennis match. This year, do your best to focus on each and every shot, in each and every point, as if it were the biggest point in the match. Don’t let a lack of focus take you out of the match by swinging the momentum back to your opponent. You never know if it won’t come back your way!
Go see a live tennis match
Nothing will inspire you to work on your game like watching the pros. If you aren’t able to get to an ATP or WTA tournament, try and get to a college match. The level is still incredible, and not only will you have fun, but you are guaranteed to find new motivation to practice, play and improve your game!
Have fun, and smile whenever you get off the court!
Win or lose, always remember that tennis is FUN! Even after a poor match, remember you just got a great workout, and chances are, at least hit some good shots that will keep you coming back for more. Never let it get you down, after all, it could always be worse, you could just be leaving the dentists office!
Have fun with your tennis in 2016! Do you have different tennis new years resolutions? Let us know in the comments section!
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