The Solution to: “Playing Well in Practice, but Poorly in Matches”

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In today’s video, I discuss why many players, especially at the rec level, play well in practice but perform poorly / bad in matches.
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[@IntuitiveTennis]

Overhead smash that like button and subscribe if you haven’t yet. More Intuitive Tennis coming your way 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@germanslice]

I hit the ball around in my matches like I do in practice which is to just HIT THE BALL.. The nerves and tension and chocking, and so on can comes from a trap some people fall into called Analysis by Paralysis or in other words Over thinking on the court when busy hitting around the ball instead of having a quiet calm mind, their mind is all full of this consant critical negative chatter. Or going through a mental list of all the dozens of steps of technique everytime they go to hit the ball. (Coaching themselves on the court during the progress of the point) Which is why some players berate and beat themselves all up with self-criticism on the court when making mistakes or errors. And continue to make the same mistakes and errors the more they criticize themselves. Those who don't get their thoughts all under control usually are the first ones to tank or meltdown in matches.

[@marcomonti9823]

A little trick is to think at the split step every time your opponent hit the ball. I've heard coaches(maybe Nik have done it too, I can't remember every video)saying players to think and focus on a precise goal(standing near the line, go to the net, play some patterns, play high over the net, etcetcetc) instead of thinking at the match and the opponent. This can help in limiting the stress for trying winning the match, replacing it with a work to do by yourself....so the match looks like a training....

[@TrishanthDiwate]

interesting

[@finnarhelger7471]

Hi Marco. Good Idea in general, but I don't agree about the example of the split step. Nik has made a video about that topic where he explains why the split step is also something that happens intuitive

[@marcomonti9823]

​@@finnarhelger7471 I know that split step is intuitive, all of our actions on court are more or less intuitive, but when you play fair in training and bad into matches, these automatism doesn't function as usual. Thinking at splitstep is only an alternative way in trying to activate your attention and feet, without considering complex tactical stuff and it doesn't depend on your opponente strokes. m2c

[@boxfoxcoxXII]

Recommend "Tennis - The Inner Game" by W. Timothy Gallwey. "Each game consists of two parts: an outer and an inner game. The outer game is about technical perfection, in slice, topspin, serve and positional play. In the inner game we deal with lack of concentration, nervousness, self-doubt and self-criticism. The victories in the inner game bring valuable gains in terms of enjoyment of the game, which contributes significantly to later success - on the tennis court as well as in life. Timothy Gallwey shows how we can master the inner game and thereby make the best use of our resources."

[@futarydary]

I read that book long time ago. I should reread it. It's timeless.

[@ericjhamby5338]

I always benefit/enjoy Nick's straight forward style of teaching - it's matter of fact and loaded with clear instruction. I appreciate the time he takes to make these videos.

[@NifemiMakanjuola-rb8px]

i feel like you RE talking to me directly as a 17 year old Junior tennis player who started playing tennis less than a year and has started playing Tournament . Thank you so much, I really appreciate

[@IntuitiveTennis]

🙏🙌💯

[@supermuskelmann8557]

Playing matches is the most important thing to do. Playing points from the baseline or just hitting the ball for hours is the biggest waste of time (at least when your ground strokes are good and consistent). Also, it’s important to play vs different players. If you end up playing the same guy (maybe a friend or whatever) over and over, there won’t be much you’ll learn because you know each other too well. You have to play many different players to learn how to handle the pressure of a match.

[@hansolsson3409]

Standing around with the heels stuck to the ground, i know i do that a lot but i try really hard to move more. Great video Nick! 👍

[@npanic628]

Yeah this is probably the most important issue for me. I hit hard, I'm big 6'3 muscular and lean at 200lbs, 25yo. I'm also fast, not really flexible but still, movement isn't an issue. I can hit really hard forehands all day long (in practice). In a match scenario however, everything falls apart... I wish I could play tennis more often (usually it's once or twice a week as for anyone with a job and real life chores). Lately I've been really working on getting back into the "bouncing split step" between each and every shot (watching Fed's court level videos for inspo), it takes A LOT of energy to do it constantly and consistently but its already paying off. I've noticed that after an hour of playing im starting to relax, to move, to hit the sweet spot. Can't wait until it becomes something that i just do naturally without thinking about it and i can relax from let's say after 20 mins of playing, that would be great (because it would mean that i wouldn't lose the first set every time i step on the court 🤣)

[@milanvincic9668]

Nick is absolutely right about this. From a personal point of view I can tell you that there are some guys I play regulary against and I totally freeze. I feel that they are better in fitness level, they move better so my mind sees that and I get tight. Tennis is a mental game. You will learn your strokes sooner or later but you just have to find a way to be agile and light-footed. Thank you Nikola for another valuable video👌

[@WeijieJIN]

Thanks!!! This was exactly what happened to me when playing match: 1. Move less. 2. Too rush.

[@jd2722]

Excellent segment on the grunt/breathing. It’s the same in rock climbing when going for powerful moves. And boxing when throwing/blocking punches. The grunt is really just the natural sound of your body exhaling, a tad bit exaggerated to allow you to exhale in sync with your tennis shot for max focus/execution, while also executing a physically demanding action, which only becomes more demanding as you start to fatigue over the course of the match. And perhaps the biggest benefit of doing it is it forces your body to inhale right after (aka, forces you to breathe). So you get max focus/execution as well as vital breath which is critical for pretty much everything.

[@shisho_karsenty]

Wow so accurate! I so needed this video! Thank you so much Nick for another wonderful video!

[@rucas10]

Great video Nic ! Here is a subject that is rarely talked about but which is extremely important. Imagine that when you are disputing a points match, our performance is the same as the one we have when we are training with our best friend. The result of this is that we would win many more times, because we are relaxed, we make the best decisions, we look at the ball, the footwork is excellent, we breathe properly, etc, etc. So I repeat, there should be many more videos like this one that Nic released about the mental game and what to do to overcome that anxiety and even the fear that we feel when we play points and that inhibit us from playing our best tennis.

[@jenniferkatatumba8597]

My husband has been watching Nik for a year now and literary overnight his game has gone from Intermediate to Pro!

[@alexsdg3441]

Super excellent advices, Coach. You are absolutely right on everything. thanks again!

[@konstantinbelinsky7829]

Awesome and very useful points! Thanks, Nick!

[@pleaseenteraname1103]

I’m a junior, and what I do is try to play with a lot of intensity in practice so I’m not so relaxed, because when I’m so relaxed and practice my playing the match I do absolutely terrible, so I try to keep at least half of the intensity while I’m practicing, and it works pretty well.

[@cilami]

Really well explained and very interesting!

[@ne-yq3ss]

This was great - thanks!

[@cor_saro]

Thanks Nick! This really helps a lot

[@joselitoaquino3207]

Thank You Nick you are a treasure! i will incorporate this on my next match more power...

[@stefanbololoi7110]

Very good and realistic advice!

[@bentravisjeffreys3834]

Great video, recommend also forcing breathing through your nose between points as much as possible. It triggers signals in the brain to relax the nervous system vs mouth breathing

[@K4R3N]

Great advice Nik. Best sport!

[@johnnacke2017]

Awesome video, Nick…. I tend to get tentative during some points…. afraid of making a mistake… Ironically, this mindset increases your chances of screwing up… I also should start exhaling when hitting… Thanks, ciao, John

[@reneeontop39]

I almost lost to a player that is no where near my skill level last week, and I was starting to question my own abilities. Now, I know the problem and I'm ready for my next match.

[@warriorzentennis]

This is a great video Nik. I think a big part of match play comes down to ego. It is fun to be curious during practice, but once the scoreboard turns on I think a lot of us get defensive and want to protect our image as a winning tennis player. Lately I have been journaling that the mission is to develop and confront the anxiety not just win 6-0 6-0.

[@melfox215]

Another great and useful video to change someone's view on his challenges in matches. I would add another aspect: Everybody has to learn to be honest with himself/herself. Many players tend to overrate themselves and thus have too high expectations that put them under too much pressure. I have this problem myself, at least sometimes. Once your opponent intends to make points, he/she will play in a way that makes shots more difficult than in common practice. That leads to a lower consistency of your shots., etc. I'd suggest to focus on specific things ahead of a match instead of expecting to destroy your opponents with ease. Too high expectations are like poison to your performance.

[@PrecisionPointTennis]

Thank you SO MUCH! I just won a few tournaments and now I played two more but lost in both finals. I noticed that I grunted when I was crushing it and no grunting when I lost points. You gave me ALL of the answers to my questions. Thank you. I’m now excited for my next match!!! Today I train with Andrey Martin former top 100 atp Slovakian player who’s returning to professional tennis after a few years. Thanks again 🙏🎾🏆🤗

[@IntuitiveTennis]

🔥🔥💯💯

[@PrecisionPointTennis]

@@IntuitiveTennis tie break nadal right now!

[@bushmenaa]

totally agree with you....i am learning to breath, i know everything you told, my problem is to use ,it all the time - automatic, that is what i am practicing everyday! Great video!

[@anujtashildar1258]

Thank you for the video... Hope you're doing well.. Love from India

[@drmitofit2673]

What helped me was long practice drills on my KSports Tennis Rebounder Net. Alternating forehand backhand with power at a shot every 2 seconds (faster shot frequency than match play) starting at 45 minutes continuously and currently at 60 minutes non-stop. 1. Grip change becomes entirely by feel and no longer requires conscious though (one less mental thing to obsess about while playing). 2. Transition is completed faster and more efficiently (mainly by the rear foot lagging forward after ball contact). 3. Anticipation preparation phase longer and more dynamic so less mental tension. 4. Up to 1800 clean strikes per training session to ingrain muscle memory so occupying less conscious thought and increasing confidence. 5. Overcomes dread of extended rallies by increasing repeatability and endurance with more positive energy and less negative energy. 6. Can practice full intensity bouncing on-the-toes footwork, increasing aerobic fitness and fatigue resistance. 7. Puts focus on the ball (try to see the fuzz on the ball) instead of being distracted by the antics of the opponent. 8. As fatigue sets in during the last 15 minutes can still hit consistently and powerfully by staying loose and applying economy of motion, using good looping form and improving acceleration timing. 9. Finesse feel shots such as slice, side spin, and drop shots can be practiced hundreds and hundreds of times until they become consistent and reliable. 10. Can enjoy the movement of tennis strokes without the mental stress and tension of competition. 11. Forces deep breathing efficiency to sustain one hour sessions. If you "Paaahh" exhale on contact, it helps stroke timing, focuses acceleration power, and inhalation takes care of itself.

[@markbacsid5335]

Thank you!!, your advices really gave me a great game today. The hopping around really helped activate my footwork the i use jn training that is often gone during an official game.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

💯

[@gianz73]

ABSOLUTELY PHANTASTIC AND USEFUL ADVICE, NICK! You exactly described what I'm going through and I'm looking forward to applying your advice to my matches. Thank you thank you thank you!

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tvpraveenkumar]

True

[@FreakFreakz]

Hey Nick, really appreciated your video! Can you tell me if you painted your raquet? Best regards :)

[@Didymus1984]

Thank you, Nick! This video came out at the perfect time-I’m mid-match with a pusher right now, 2-6, 4-1 (we had to postpone and will resume in a couple days), and all four of the deficiencies have been factors thus far. Hopefully now I can finish him off 2-6, 6-1, 6-0.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

You got this!

[@AS-rb5jz]

Any update on the match?

[@bartholomewlyons]

@@AS-rb5jzhe lost the second set as well 4-6.

[@bobbygalusca2851]

Just want to say thank you big time for taking your time and breaking things down for us. It’s like, hey , let’s talk, have a seat. I love it…

[@IntuitiveTennis]

🙏

[@milanmirkovic1390]

Well said coach Nick

[@IntuitiveTennis]

🔥

[@mishapah]

Great advises !! 10x

[@IntuitiveTennis]

🙏

[@kadivikram]

Great points, I rather grunt while winning than look proper while losing!

[@danguerra3492]

Thanks!

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Thank you Much appreciated 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@jorgewsanabria]

Nick, how can I do to maintain focus when I'm winning? Usually y loose my advantage, y disconnect myself and when I realize is too late!

[@cor_saro]

Thanks

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Thank you 🙏

[@mitchellsewell275]

Curious about the white out racquet. What is it? Thanks.

[@pencilcheck]

i have different perspective, some might overlap with the video, keep in mind this is my own personal view, if you are offended, it is not my issue 1) there is a fear NOT in trying to finish the point earlier, but fearing the others will hit winners and will lose the match, and the solution is given by most coaches to address this issue is to be "more aggressive" and thus made it worse 2) was taught that only RPM and racquet head speed will help make you aggressive, therefore the mind goes into nadal because he "represents" RPM and racquet head speed but ends up hitting everything out 3) was taught about split steps when it is not the problem as it reinforced the idea that you need to be more aggressive and thus during the match the mentality becomes trying to move too much and thus tightening up more, so the lesson ends up useless, as the benefits is being overshadowed by other outside factors. 4) tension is real but that is also because of expectations that you want to outhit the others on the other side of the court, instead if you let go, and prepare to not out hit, and simply hit a good steady shot (whether directly into them or slightly away) might help loosen the tension but my findings is that the best way to loosen the tension, is to actually win points. To win points you need unique technique that will not easily sway away once tension rise and that you brain will think is not something your opponent will know or can recognize to put you at ease. And those "technique" might differ player to player, it is like the ritual before serve, and those are the "secret" that I believe that everyone should find, instead of thinking there is only one way to hit, there are many different ways to hit that is outside what you were coached or taught, I call it the last mile problem, and it is probably less than 10% of all things learned and those has to come from the person, and has to be unique from others.

[@heinzconrads5243]

nice to hear that I'm not the only one who suffers by that problem ...

[@maxpowers3732]

What's funny is I made 20 serves in a row with an empty box. Then I started playing and double faulted twice in the first few games. I wish I could get rid of the tension on my serve

[@surfertango]

Great 😅🎾🎾🎾

[@TheMan-tx7qz]

I find that people who do poorly in matches but not in practice tend to forget their bad practices or bad errors in practice too easily. Instead of thinking about the totalities of their practices, they only focus on their best practices and think “this is my baseline level”. Then when they play their average level at a tournament , they are disappointed in their performance and think they are underachieving , when in reality, that IS their level at practice, they just aren’t practicing self awareness. The best players understand, accept, and work with their 50-60-70% level, because you are going to play that level most days. They try to get those baseline levels higher instead of relying on their best days to judge their overall level. Also coaches are incentivized to use the best days as motivation and reinforce that the best days are a players baseline, which further makes it difficult for a player to work with their reality and play within themselves.

[@joelintl2226]

best tip of the vid: try to extend the rallies by just hitting safer shots. Sounds so logic, and yet I have been guilty of trying to get into a match by too heavy firing just yesterday...guess what: the match was over before I really felt the balls on my racket. My opponent played it just safe...

[@sj-mf8zz]

What is the ratio you should play for matches vs training per week?

[@jadawin1137]

If it was Rafael Nadal on the other side, I'd be totally relaxed because I know I don't have a chance. I always get tight when I feel that the opponent should be beatable for me. Like at a club league playoff I faced a guy who should have been two divisions higher, I knew I had no chance. Played my best tennis and achieved a 3:6 2:6, very respectable result. Counter-example was my first official (amateur) tournament. Started to play expecting nothing, clearly this would just be a learning experience for me. Then it was 3:3 and I realized I could actually beat that guy. Immediately my game completely collapsed and I lost 3:6 0:6.

[@ignaciogodoy3214]

Is this a recent vídeo? You look a Lot thiner. Great advices.

[@2sunsqigong794]

I LOVE a good grunt.

[@bramvalkenburg5655]

For some weird reason, I have this the other way around. Playing poor in practice but well in matches.

[@Didymus1984]

Are you a pusher?

[@bramvalkenburg5655]

@@Didymus1984 I don’t consider myself one. I do like to play with short angles and a lot of spin. I like to play against pushers though, they give me rhythm.

[@sarkology]

What about rhythm? I feel like this is a big difference between practice and match play. Especially with lots of short points in a match. I catch myself getting so used to hitting returns and not regular ground strokes that my ground strokes become like my returns. Way too tense and short and punchy. Also in practice you learn from your mistakes and keep rallying and can get in a groove. Hard to achieve that in a match. Even Agassi said that was one of the toughest aspects of playing Sampras. Just no chance to get in a groove or rhythm and maybe haven’t hit a backhand in 20 minutes and all of the sudden you make some errors and he’s serving for the set.

[@mtysky7279]

I have a question, if u use overgrips do u still have to replace the base grip?

[@IntuitiveTennis]

No kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZubeJ6Bfs6mecU

[@althaz]

Re: #3, why you gotta come at me like that? :D

[@FredYang]

Basically, I have zero practice on court, I have about 15-20 minutes warm up. Then I play game. Is it good or bad?

[@don9733]

You need to balance between practice sessions and playing matches. Applying what you practiced in matches. Can’t improve by playing matches only

[@Joseph-co7uh]

I actually play better in matches because I intentionally play with high intensity and concentration.

[@32philosopher]

What racquet is that? Looks like a Head Extreme Tour.

[@julianomenegolla9782]

Looks like Pro Staff Earth Day edition

[@izhmaev]

Maybe Wilson shift

[@tomsd8656]

Grunting too loud is not considerate. A grunt like Auger Aliassime is very normal. Even Alcaraz is OK, but if you grunt and extend your grunt even when the ball is already on the opponent's side, I don't see how that is acceptable and how you can say to ignore people's complaints.

[@dejpsyd0421]

Nick ... Are you still losing weight from your June '22 weight challenge? You look like you'll disappear soon if you get any skinnier! :)

[@sebastiandomagala9233]

So, the best thing you can do ist give a sh...

[@fingersm]

Where us the Pure Drive? That Shift is trash btw

[@ST-ek6lf]

For me, players who thinks plays better at practice are usually just overconfident over hitters without technique.