It’s no secret: tennis can be incredibly frustrating. It is a unique sport in that you’re out on the court all alone. Not only are you battling your opponent, but you are in a constant mental struggle with yourself. When things get going down the wrong path, it can be incredibly difficult to right the ship. And when it comes down to it, there are some things that happen on the court that can frustrate you to the point of no return. Here are our (least) favorites:
1. Losing to a pusher
This may just be the most infuriating situation you can find yourself in on the court. We’ve all been there. Your opponent gets to every ball and blasts it a mile into the air. You struggle to find your rhythm, and your frustration builds as you try to end points early, committing WAY more unforced errors than you are used to. You’re better than this stinkin’ pusher, and you wonder how the heck could you be losing? Better settle yourself, because a pusher counts on your self-implosion!
2. Missing an easy putaway
(photo credit: flickr user ThomasB)
We know how this goes… your opponent floats up a cupcake ball for you to hit an easy winner. In fact, they float it up so softly that you have enough time in your backswing to think about how easy the shot is. It’s the kiss of death. You swing a little harder, and smash it into the net, or wide, or long, and think to yourself, “How could I miss a ball that easy?!” Unfortunately, easy misses lead to more easy misses, so you’ll have to steady yourself to not make that same mistake over and over.
3. When your opponent has no pockets and never has two balls
(photo credit: flickr user Doha Stadium Plus Qatar)
Having two balls when you are the server is one of the simplest rules of etiquette in the game of tennis. So why is this so difficult for some players? These players will carefully place a second ball on the baseline when they hit their first serve. Or worse, some players will miss a first serve, then head back to the fence to grab a second. It simply can’t be good for their game and serve percentage. But more importantly, it takes you out of your rhythm. If you’re reading this and wondering if this is you, it probably is. Do everyone a favor and invest in some shorts/skirts with a ball pocket!
4. Playing a blatant cheater
(photo credit: flickr user Marianne Davis)
Simply put: There is nothing worse. The better you are playing, the more painful playing a cheater is. If you hit the line, they call the ball out. Every. Single. Time. It is one of the few situations where hitting the ball further inside the lines is an advantage, because unless you hit it a foot inside the sidelines or baseline, you know they are going to call it out. There is no room for cheaters in tennis, and yet there are far more of them out there than there should be! Resist the temptation to cheat them back. Tennis is an honorable game, and at the risk of sounding like your mother, two wrongs definitely do not make a right.
5. Breaking your strings while playing an amazing point… and losing the point
(photo credit: flickr user Steve Walker)
You are on the offensive, moving your opponent around the court and putting yourself in position to win it. You wind up for a cross-court forehand and hear the unmistakable “pop” of your strings breaking. Suddenly, you are forced to play defensively, and miss your next shot wide. You had the point on your racket; how could your strings let you down?!? Leave it to equipment failure to steal your momentum…
If you relate to one (or all?!) of these moments, PlayYourCourt can help! They have amazing certified coaches in your area who will come to your local court to help you improve your game. Visit playyourcourt.com today to find your next tennis coach!
