Do you have control?
Dec 18, 2021To talk about control in the middle of a situation like the one we are living right now, is not simple. Certainly there are many aspects in life that we can not control, however as a tennis player, we have to work on exercising control over the aspects we can control. It is important to understand the meaning of the word control. We tend to think that control in tennis equals being defensive but that is not correct. Control equals being in control, period.
Control: Having authority or influence over.
Let’s look at a few areas that are crucial in order to perform well and where we need to practice our own authority and control.
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The ball: we have to be able to control the ball, placement, consistency and variations. To control the game you have to control the ball, that means also in defensive situations because we don’t have the opportunity to attack 100% of the times, even more, the attacking situations under control are a small percentage of the game.
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Control the movement: of your body and that includes everything, legs, arms, head, eyes, etc. This is crucial to maintain balance and control the swing of your racquet.
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The emotions: be the owner of your emotions in the middle of pressure. I believe that your emotions will determine what kind of thoughts you allow to take over in the moments we need to stay calm
Understanding that there is balance between the things we can control and the things we don’t is the art.
I love the “Serenity Prayer” and you can replace the word God for whatever you feel reflects a higher order for you.
“God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference”.
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