Serveitup Tennis Magazine #25

How Can You
Own Your
Game?
Coaches and parents often
want to see players
‘own’ their own game.
They want to see you become
a player who gets
up for practice on their
own, and shows up everyday,
even if you don’t
feel like it. One of the
best ways to keep yourself
motivated is to play
how you want to play.
One of the ways you own
your game is when you
have your favorite strategies,
and the skills to
use them, and you apply
them to your match.
Be wise, if you are very
fast, then you probably
want to incorporate your
speed into your strategy,
and if you are very slow,
then you will need to become
faster, if you want
to play a speed game.
Otherwise, you will be
best advised to play a
strategy that does not
rely on speed. Also, if
you are naturally powerful,
you will want to learn
some control so that
you can use your power.
If you are not naturally
powerful, either you will
have to build yourself up,
or learn a strategy that
does not rely so much on
power.
When you find the strategy
that fits your personality,
physical traits and
skills, that can lead to
some great results. The
good news is that you
don’t have to be exceptionally
fast, or exceptionally
powerful to be a
very good tennis player.
You can use skills, and
your mind to win matches,
to beat faster or more
powerful players than
you. You can pick ONE
strategy, and mid match
you can switch, but if you
have to switch twice in
one match that will be
pretty hard.
Serveitup March 2018
29