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I am inviting your discussion and for you to share your tips on what goes on in your mind when about to begin a point, both in serving and in receiving serve and then especially mid-rally. Coaching advice seems to be to clear the mind of all thinking and just be focused, but to me that seems to be pretty rarefied athletic achievement. That would be like a true Zen state, perhaps, of being totally focused without a point of focus. Maybe one needs a personal meditative "OM" sound to find that kind of focused relaxation?
Bringing it back to personal, I find my play differs dramatically depending on how seriously focused I am, especially against regular practice partners. That is OK. But sometimes I do find that bit of "zone" where all shots feel hit-able and the game slows a little internally and the results are more than fun! Against higher level players where I want more intensely to "win" I really would like to dial that in...and usually find it is sometimes there and sometimes not. When it does work, there seems to be a flow.
What I have observed for me (I think) is a sequence that goes something like this:
1. If mid-game, but between points: review for a fleeting moment the previous point/stroke but then consciously set the memory of it aside. Mentally flush it, so to speak!
2. If receiving, watch the serve intently to see moment of contact. If serving, plan and visualize where to land the ball and know why.
3. When the ball is coming my way I know I play best if I do not think, except to stare at it unblinkingly, trying to see spin and flight path.
4. Then upon striking the ball I feel my play is best if I do have a bit of thought, something along the lines of, FIRST place the shot somewhere that is uncomfortable for my opponent by either forcing him to move or by trying to jam his position. SECOND (and this is the element I really would like to know if anyone else experiences) my results seem to be best and I achieve that sense of zone if I try to surprise ME with where I place it. That might be a matter of choosing the less obvious or routine return to surprise the opponent but if it surprises me, it seems to also yield a better overall result!
Thanks for thinking about this and sharing your experiences!
Bringing it back to personal, I find my play differs dramatically depending on how seriously focused I am, especially against regular practice partners. That is OK. But sometimes I do find that bit of "zone" where all shots feel hit-able and the game slows a little internally and the results are more than fun! Against higher level players where I want more intensely to "win" I really would like to dial that in...and usually find it is sometimes there and sometimes not. When it does work, there seems to be a flow.
What I have observed for me (I think) is a sequence that goes something like this:
1. If mid-game, but between points: review for a fleeting moment the previous point/stroke but then consciously set the memory of it aside. Mentally flush it, so to speak!
2. If receiving, watch the serve intently to see moment of contact. If serving, plan and visualize where to land the ball and know why.
3. When the ball is coming my way I know I play best if I do not think, except to stare at it unblinkingly, trying to see spin and flight path.
4. Then upon striking the ball I feel my play is best if I do have a bit of thought, something along the lines of, FIRST place the shot somewhere that is uncomfortable for my opponent by either forcing him to move or by trying to jam his position. SECOND (and this is the element I really would like to know if anyone else experiences) my results seem to be best and I achieve that sense of zone if I try to surprise ME with where I place it. That might be a matter of choosing the less obvious or routine return to surprise the opponent but if it surprises me, it seems to also yield a better overall result!
Thanks for thinking about this and sharing your experiences!
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