What is so facinating about ...?

Or “Tips and Tricks to be a good watch player than annoying player?

Though you may not be a great player in your zone and in your limited game plan, you can still be a enjoyable player to watch and play against. Federer said once – “May be my style of game doesn’t match with him and cause he is left hand player add another edge to it – but I enjoy playing against him”

Ok, here is the answer to the question you might be thinking ---

Why am I writing this?

Well, After few double matches and some single matches that I played yesterday in the office and the way my partner and opponent ware skewed from his original talent to fiction forgetting his own strength area and went on to try some fictitious amazing shots which were not written in the books – not even yet. So here I share some point which I learned from many players I played with/against and find missing in many talented players.

Now you answer these questions yourself --

1. What is so fascinating about hitting the ball hard or closer to line when point is already setup for you and all you need to do is confuse your opponent and place the ball on the right side of table/ground?

2. Is that gonna give you more than one point – or make it a more than a winner? I mean what’s the point of hitting a top spin on a lob?

3. If you are not in position to hit a winner and you go for it; even you make it or not; can you trust for that shot again? Can you repeat that again?

4. Do you plan to win the match or to win on the number of winner you hit?

5. Are you planning to influence someone? Will a wrong shot do it ?

I guess you knows the answer of them – Use them when you play. Here are few tips and tricks that you can use when you play –

1. Believe in you

Don’t feel that your opponent is better that you and how will you do it. That would be the first place to loose the match. Have faith in you that you can do it. “

Don’t fear anyone, but respect every one”

2. Believe and your opponent

Confused? Well believe in your opponent that he can return the ball – remember point is not over until umpire calls the ball dead.

“Only way to get into head of your opponent is to make him believe that you know and you are ready”

3. Be a good player

Doesn’t matter how rude or annoying your opponent is -- be calm, think about the match, don’t put on his face and play a fair game. That will hurt a rude player even more

“In the end of the day, players remember and admire good players”

4. Be a energetic player

Being calm is different than energetic. Boost yourself whenever you need it, but be with you all the time in the match. Think as if you playing a robot designed to play in certain way. Even now you don’t have a idea what I am talking about – watch few matches of Roger Federer (after he became world #1)

“You may be down, but walk as if you haven’t felt the game yet”

5. Be a entertainer

Don’t be a dead link in the chain, entertain the crowd – and entertain yourself.

“In the end of the day, crowd remembers and admires a entertainer”

6. Be consistent and cleaver than orthodox, inconsistent and stupid

Play your natural game than your opponent’s game. Be consistent – remember main objective of your game is to put the ball in the other court. Consistency can be as frustrated as it can take the best of the breed. Again watch few matches of Nadal and you would know what it can do.

“You consistency can kill your opponent sooner than your winners”

7. Create a setup first

Don’t ever try to hit winner from first point onwards. Better make a setup and when it’s in; nail it.

“Have a plan than random thoughts”

8. Don’t be obvious in your approach

Didn’t I tell you this before? Take this time --- “Obvious is boring” and it’s a failure. Try to do more than obvious but within your options.

“Obvious is boring, so will you”

9. Never give up

Be it on one single point or on the match. Remember point is not over unless ball is dead match is not over until last point is over. That last point can go in either way.

“Don’t loose the match before you loose the match”

10. Mix your game

Mix your game, play some shots, some chops, some lob, some top spin, some drop. Play different shot on same return (if you can do). That will confuse your opponent for sure. That will also force #8 in your game.

“Options give the opportunity to be decisive”

And last but not the least

11. Don’t be annoyed or amazed by your opponent’s winner nor show that on your face

It’s better to realize how he does it than be amazed to show you have no idea or be annoyed to loose your focus. And in case you are a talkative or expressive player, have some thing to confuse which is just for air and not for your own mind.

“Its in the mind, don’t let it out. Sometimes that’s the best place”

If you sum up all these, you would realize a game is played in mind first that on court. You got to think more than play more. Hope this will help …