Tennis tidbit: You're not the boss of me!

Taking charge of a tennis match is easier said than done! If you take the initiative in a rally and play within yourself, you will have more victories vs. losses. Remember that a mix of offense and defense will give you the end result of winning. You see this during post match play. Forced vs. unforced errors. I am a firm believer that you should be on the offensive when you have the opportunity.

For example, during a rally when you are being pushed side to side, remember that less is more. Don't try shots that are out of your own personal realm. This will only feed into your opponent's confidence and you will basically give the match to him or her on a silver platter.

Believe and know that you're the one in charge on the court. Keep it simple and keep your concentration towards your game.

Tennis tidbit: Tennis is all about the patience from within…

I have learned through many experiences on and off the court that patience is a key ingredient to success and winning. Being able to savor the moment and really think under pressure at a time that you need to perform is a key. Those moments are often learned events.

I have learned to use the lack of patience on my opponents end as an advantage for me during match play. I really do things that can grate at my opponent’s nerves. For example, you have a player that is really speedy and takes very little time between points. You can control factors of the match, such as time management. You even see the pros do this on the court with their little rituals as they serve or taking a step back if they are not ready to receive the serve. You must use these little techniques with caution and to remember that tennis is still a gentleman’s sport.

Stay tuned for more specific examples of how to control grow your own patience and to tweak your opponents patience or lack there of…

Tennis tidbit: Attitude is everything!

Most tennis players hate to lose. The one thing that I suggest to fellow players and past students is that before you set yourself up to lose…look within. This brings me to attitude. Having a POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE (PMA) before you set foot on the tennis court is half the battle. For example, through years of tournament play and early losses, I have learned that my attitude sets the tone for the type of match play I can expect from myself.

For example, my worst enemy used to be fear, remember that fear is a natural response and a little fear can be good prior to a match. But don’t let fear affect the PMA you need on the court. My bottom line with this tennis tidbit is: PMA = WINNER!

Tennis: Taking Control of the Uncontrollable

As I stated in my blog I will be introducing various tennis tips. This morning the gloomy overcast skies in Virginia Beach sparked a tip that most people tend to forget concerning tennis. "Controllables vs. uncontrollables" Tennis is a sport that has a lot of uncontrollables...what are they? The one uncontrollables I would like to introduce today is the weather. Here is my tip concerning playing in windy weather...don't sweat it!

Remember that you and your opponent have the same factors to deal with. This is your time to use the weather as an ally. You must assess the situation at hand and use the wind to your advantage. Take your game back to basics. Keep the ball down the middle of court, take less chances and play very conservative well structured points. Note: this is easier said than done...I would advise you to practice in the wind so there are no surprises once you are in match play.

Tennis: What Do I Mean By Tennis Junk?

So, you're probably wondering what I mean by "junk". Junk is anything that you have naturally or learn from others that sets you apart from your competition. For example, for me, I've embraced my shortness. I'm only 5'4" , yet I regularly beat players of normal or extreme height. Here's another example, before my reputation as a tough competitor was in place, I would go to a tournament and make friends with everyone. This allowed me to get scouting reports on opponents and to plant seeds and start rumors about how tough I really was.

So you can see, even before I hit the court, I was gaining a competitive edge. This is what tennis junk is all about.

Plus, I'll be giving you tips about what you can do on the court with weird spins, sharp angles, offspeed shots, unconventional, yet effective tactics etc. that will have your opponents pulling their hair out trying to figure out a way to beat you.

Tennis: Welcome to Super Tennis Junk

Hi, I'm James Tallmadge and welcome to the SuperTennisJunk blog. This blog is dedicated to helping you get the edge in every tennis match you play. I've been playing competitive tennis in the Tidewater Virginia area for 19 years with a win loss percentage in the past ten years of 91.3 %.

My win loss percentage in the first nine years including my junior tennis days was only 33 percent. . . . What was the difference?

When I started learning about all the other things I could do to win, that was the difference. I learned a recipe for success that came from experience, common sense, a new level of maturity and a taste of "Junk" that opened my eyes to a potential winning path in every match I played.

Everything I learned was the inspiration for "Super Tennis Junk"

Stop back regularly for tips that will give you the winning edge.