With every tennis match-up we almost always fall in to one of three categories. We are either competing as the ‘underdog’, the ‘favourite’ or against a close ‘rival’.

But should this change your approach to the match? Should you prepare differently? Change your tactics? Are there any common ‘traps’ you fall into during difficult moments in these matches?

STA Senior Coach James Buswell will be answering these questions as he looks at common behaviours and mistakes we make based on our pre-match expectations. He’ll also give you some tips that will help you in match situations, whether you’re going in as the underdog, the favourite, or playing against a close rival.

The Underdog, the Favourite or the Rival: Which do you Prefer?

Every tennis match is demanding and challenging at the best of times, and so to gain an advantage it’s worth understanding that playing as the ‘underdog’, ‘favourite’ or ‘rival’ tends to trigger different thoughts, feelings and related behaviours. These can be triggered before, during or/and after each match.

This is mainly related to the expectations you or other people have, the perceived pressure on winning, and the learnt habits we have adopted over time, which often are unhelpful.

It’s important players understand the subtle differences that each type of ‘match-up’ brings. You can start to do this by developing your self-awareness, so noticing any patterns of thinking and behaviour each match-up triggers and recognising the common ‘traps’ you may fall into.

You might want to make some notes for each category. Ask yourself which category do you prefer playing, and why? What feelings or behaviours do they trigger?

To be an effective match player it’s crucial you are equipped with the necessary skills & solutions for any given match, and for each specific situation that may arise during the heat of battle!

Recognising the subtle differences and having more awareness of how they affect you, will give you a much better chance of recognising them on court and putting the solutions in place.

PLAYING AS THE ‘UNDERDOG’

Everyone loves the ‘underdog’…right? The ‘underdog’ isn’t expected to win. This can remove any perceived pressure, but have you got what it takes to turn the tables, get over the winning line and cause an upset?

Do you fall into some of these common ‘traps’ when you’re the ‘underdog’?

• Listening to unhelpful advice from the wrong people.

• Believing that you have to play ‘lights out’ to live with your opponent.

• Choke when you are in reaching distance of the winning line.

• Lose your ‘fighting spirit’ early in the match if you are down.

• Doubt your chances of winning before the match even starts.

• Have no game plan.

If you answered yes to any of these points then you’re not on your own! Luckily, there are many solutions you can learn to help with this:-

! Play the ball, not the name/reputation.

! Mixing up the play instead of trying to match tempo.

! Having clarity of your game plan (know how you’re going to win points).

! How to BE – walk tall and have a presence.

! Stay ‘present’ on big points.

! Be smart in the early phase of the point (shots 0-4).

 

PLAYING AS THE ‘FAVOURITE’

Do you remember what you were thinking and feeling the last time you played as the ‘favourite’?

Being the ‘favourite’ to win a tennis match can sometimes feel really uncomfortable because of the expectation on your shoulders. When you win, it can feel more like relief rather than enjoyment and satisfaction.

Someone has to be the #1…isn’t that the ultimate dream? Have you got champion qualities and what it takes to win as the ‘favourite’?

Do you fall into some of these common ‘traps’ when you’re the ‘favourite’?

• Being complacent:-

o Underestimating your opponent’s level (ranking can be misleading).

o Not scouting your opponent properly.

o Sloppy pre-match preparation.

• Rushing to win quickly and ‘over-playing’.

• Fear of failure causing extreme anxiety and tension.

• Not staying ‘present’ and over-thinking.

 

It’s not unusual for the ‘favourite’ to lose to the ‘underdog’ because they’ve fallen into some of these ‘traps’. We’ve all been there!

Here are a few really helpful solutions that you may want to try out:-

! Respect every player the same – the ‘underdog’ has something to prove!

! Do your homework so you know what to anticipate.

! Have a clear game plan.

! Breathing is a great strategy to manage those inevitable nerves.

! Don’t panic and stay calm if you get off to a poor start.

! BE the favourite and play proactively – Be confident, you’re expected to win for good reason.

 

PLAYING AGAINST A CLOSE ‘RIVAL’

There have been so many famous big ‘rival’ match-ups over the years and there are also many today. For example, Sampras vs. Agassi, Seles vs. Graf, Halep vs. Williams, and Federer vs. Nadal, to name just a few.

These matches are often exciting to watch, real nail biters, the ‘popcorn’ matches you never forget!

We all have our close rivals and when we’re playing against them, it can often feel incredibly intense. The outcome is more uncertain, the match is 50-50 and can go either way, and so it’s about learning how to tip the balance of the match in your favour.

Do you fall into some of these common ‘traps’ when you’re playing against a close ‘rival’?

• Losing perspective and making the winning too important.

• Playing for ‘bragging rights’.

• Not able to stay ‘process-focused’.

• Remembering the last head-to-head that didn’t go your way.

• Not managing your ‘self’ effectively during those inevitable clutch moments.

• Not having a clear game plan.

 

It’s very easy to fall into these ‘traps’ when the outcome means so much to you. Here are some really useful tips and solutions for the next time you play one of your close ‘rivals’:-

! Be clear on your strengths and your winning patterns of play

! Know how you’re going to ‘act & be’ during those anticipated clutch moments. Spend time visualising this before the match. Read more on this in our blog: 5 Visualisation Tips to Improve Your Tennis.

! Stay ‘present’ to help you execute your game plan.

! Expect a battle! Be ready and remember, you may lose lots of points (52% is the target).

! Be proactive and take the initiative, especially on big points.

You will now have a greater understanding of the ‘underdog’, ‘favourite’ and ‘rival’ categories. More importantly, you can now recognise the subtle differences, have much better awareness of the common ‘traps’ and feel more equipped with lots of helpful solutions. This can help with those moments of panic  during tough situations in a match, and give you more confidence that you can come out of them.

Taking some time to really sit down and Pre-match planning and post-match reflections. Get our guide to… here to help you…

Best of luck on your tennis journey!

James Buswell

For more tips about the underdog, favourite and rival, check out Your Guide to Winning Matches. If you’re serious about improving your ability to win matches at all levels, then this resource is perfect for you.