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How to Gear Up for a Big Match
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Let's say you have a tennis tournament next week and your usual preparation involves hitting some balls and trying to get a good night sleep the night before. It’s not an awful plan, but it could better. For the week leading up to the event, incorporate the following to bring the extra focus and necessary edge to be a beast on the court:
1. Play matches.
It sounds obvious, but you need to see different balls under pressure and be able to try shots out before they count, says Christopher Jacques, adult tennis director of the John Newcombe Tennis Camp. Try to get in at least two matches during the week.
2. Remain consistent.
While you want to experiment and work on weaker shots, don’t tinker with your actual strokes. Even with flaws, you need a comfort level. What you can safely work on is court positioning. Rather than admiring a good shot and hanging back, work on taking 2 steps forward every time—the chances for a weak return are high and you want to be used to moving in, Jacques says.
3. Be a chameleon.
In a tournament, you’re going to be off sometimes and you’re going to face different types of players, some of which will counteract your best intentions. Having a Plan B or C will maximize your chances, so use practice matches to adopt different styles, Jacques says. Two helpful ones: Serving and volleying and counterpunching. With the first, since few do it, the surprise element can win you quick points. Practice when the score is 30-love. Your opponent isn’t looking for an aggressive return, and losing a point doesn’t crush you. With the second, no one likes playing against raging consistency.
4. Make a plan.
The night before, write down three performance-based goals—serve and volley at least 3 times, attack the second serve, hit more to the backhand—to make your intentions concrete. “You’re mentally preparing well to play your best,” Jacques says. After the match, once you’ve relaxed, write down what you and your opponent did well, what you could have done better, and how well you achieved your goals. You’re not self-flagellating, merely making improvement less random. You have specific things to work on and you can bring that work onto the practice court.
5. Warm up.
Break a sweat and find your rhythm before you hit the court. When it’s match time, you can focus on what your opponent is doing, Jacques says. Do 30 minutes—20 of rallying, slowly progressing from 40-50 percent of maximum pace to 70-80 percent; the last 10 of playing tiebreakers to prepare for match intensity.
6. Eat right.
Since you’re going to be burning through fuel, have your diet be 50 percent of quality carbohydrates—beans, legumes, whole grain bread, brown rice, any cereal with 3-plus grams of fiber—to maintain your energy stores. Start each day with 20 ounces of water and keep drinking ½-1 ounce per pound per day for the week.
For the day of, eat a carb-heavy meal 3-4 hours before the match. If you don’t have the time or stomach, go with the easily digested sports bar, energy gel or drink for the carbs, electrolytes and fluids without worrying about ingredients. “Your body just craves the fuel. It doesn’t matter the form. You’ll use the sources,” says Amanda Carlson, R.D., director of performance nutrition at Athletes’ Performance.
During the match, alternate between 32 ounces of water and a sports drink to maintain your hydration. Without it, you’ll overheat, and your heart rate and perceived exertion level will increase, none of which are keys to victory.
About The Author
Steve Calechman – Steve Calechman is a contributing writer for CorePerformance.com. He has published articles for Men's Health, Natural Health, The Robb Report and Women's Health magazine.
