Tentative shots
Dipak1974 asked 5 years ago
hi Guys
just a quick one. Over the past 3 months I have been working on my backhand and about a month ago it had become a very strong shot for me where I was playing open ups with speed and spin and without hesitation attacking first opportunity I got. However past couple of weeks I seem to have become tentative in practice matches. It doesnt seem as penetrating as it was like 2 wks ago. I had developed it quite well following your videos and other coaching but seem to have lost it
Dipak1974 answered 5 years ago
Tonight I played in summer league comp which I have been playing past 7 wks and tonight was last night. I entered it only to put into match play what I had been practising. Today it was my Bh that let me down. I lost in final to a opponent I had beaten twice before. Format of tonight was 1 game to 33 points to kinda save time. I lost in final 33-31 after being 29-21 up. I’m very disappointed not being able to close out the game from such a strong position. My game became tentative, bh open ups were weak and predictable to opponents Bh all the time. Serves that had worked in prev games for some reason I didn’t use in the final like the jab serve (both back spin and top spin) also fast serve to his backhand. His game plan against me was to backspin to my backhand and considering my open ups were not on form it made it difficult for me to play my normal way. Also I think I had a mental block as use jab topspin serve or fast serve would have prevented him from getting a chop push in to start off with but for some reason I didn’t use such tactics. I do not want a repeat of such mental block in future specially when local league starts in few wks. Any advice?
Tom Academy Coach answered 5 years ago
Hi Dipak,
Yes I can understand your frustration and its always difficult when you lose a bit of confidence a a shot or a part of your game. As you mentioned already with your serves it sounds like if you could have managed to change them up and use the jab serve ot fast serve this would have stopped him being able to push into your backhand so much of.
Also when you feel a shot isn’t going well bit it was before, try to go for the shot but focus on getting good spin which adds safety, usually when it starts to miss like you mentioned it’s if the acceleration in the ball is too slow and not enough spin or speed os generated. So concentrate on getting low,using the legs to help and brushing up quickly through the ball.
