If nothing else played nine, lost nine should have removed any fear of losing. Framing my tennis around my performance and not just hard results, is helping me here.
“I wouldn’t be able to cope with that” I am told as we sit in the weak February sunshine enjoying a post tennis practice cup of coffee. The reference is to my admission, that so far this year I have played nine and lost nine tennis matches. Including getting smashed love and love at the British Indoor Championships in Wrexham.
In fairness to myself only one match has been with an over 60 contemporary. One against a 30 something and the rest late teens or early twenties. In the mix are two losing match tie breaks and two doubles matches.
Strangely I have enjoyed each and every match. Stepped back from each with another little piece of the jigsaw, that will hopefully lead to a fine summer season. Seen this early season as laying the groundwork for what is to come. The alternative is to have played no matches at all if I waited locally to play in my age group.
I don’t think I have played badly, in fact I think I have played pretty well.
We are a dying breed literally. Over 60 and still playing singles. More curiously, still trying to improve.
Most frustrating has been the cold that travelled back from North Wales with me and made its presence felt mid evening during a doubles session. A big sneeze, followed shortly after by a waterfall of a streaming nose.
The cold stayed in my head and never strayed to my chest. Using the oft cited criteria of runners, that if it is only a head cold it is ok to train, but not if it gets on the chest. So I continued to train on court but laid off the gym for a week.
A week in which I was feeling that all my gains would disappear. Under the weather and feeling it. Not really bad, just enough to take the edge off things.
Finding the bright side I tell myself that at least it was not during competition. And while the first day back in the gym after a week away was a bit disorientating. To start again only to stop or pause again in a few days for competition. What is the best way to handle this? Decided on mayor muscle activation at about 75% maximum. Check in make sure everything is working, take no chances on injuring myself after the lay off.
Day 2 in the gym was a much more focussed affair. Later in the day, the readiness factor has returned. Quite surprising how quickly the move from feeling out of condition to back in condition has returned.
Day 3. May have overdone it yesterday as somewhat sore this morning. Not a reason to skip the gym, but a reason to tailor the activity more towards mobilisation than strength, this close to competition.
If nothing else played nine, lost nine should have removed any fear of losing. Framing my tennis around my performance and not just hard results, is helping me here.
Really looking forward to the next competition. Losing 0-6, 0-6 in Wrexham has provided further motivation. I think I learned a lot about the player I want to be and the player I can become. Feels like good steps forward.
February 29th. A once in every four years event. Celebrated with a one hour lesson, two hours of singles and then in the evening two hours of doubles.
