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Clinch the Deciding Game
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The last game is always the hardest to put away. Your opponent is intent on not giving up. Your mind is racing with thoughts of victory and not wanting to screw up. Start by cutting yourself a break. Even Rafael Nadal has problems with it. The following steps should also help:
1. Shift your expectations.
While you’d like your opponent to graciously accept the inevitable outcome, he’s instead playing with nothing to lose. He’ll be a little more relaxed and run a little harder, so be prepared for balls that weren’t coming back earlier in the match to start coming back now, and lock into the mindset that you might have to hit more balls to win each point, says David da Silva, mental conditioning director at Evert Tennis Academy.
2. Think short-term.
Victory is far from a formality. You’re winning this match one point at a time. Maintain your pace of play since nervousness tends to speed things up. Staying with your routines – the number of ball bounces, checking your strings, going to the towel – will bring you comfort and allow you to treat this game as any other, da Silva says.
3. Stay boring.
Something has been working to put you on the verge of winning. This is not the time to pull out the untried serve or inside out forehand. Remain patient and construct points to set up a shot that plays to your strengths, which usually coincides with playing to his weaknesses. If his backhand has been off the entire match, then make him beat you with it. “You don’t have to play an unbelievable game to win, just a solid game,” says John Whitlinger, Stanford University men’s head tennis coach.
4. Make your first serves.
Focus on keeping your arm, particularly your wrist, loose, to have the necessary speed and snap on the ball, Whitlinger says. With your toss, think about throwing the ball up an elevator shaft to keep your arm extended. Nerves lead to short-arming the toss, which puts the serve into the net. Rather than going for lines, serve into his body. Your margins are bigger and it’ll probably tie him up, causing a weaker return. If necessary, take something off your normal serve and put in a kicker. Even if it’s a little slower, it’s still a first serve and he still has to respect it.
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