Tennis has never been more competitive. The sport is growing at an exponential rate, both amongst amateur and elite level competition, so it’s never been more important to properly prepare for a tennis tournament. Often tournaments are won and lost on the very finest of margins, so it’s essential to be prepared and stay ahead of the competition in every way possible!
This article will equip you with the vital keys that make up effective tennis tournament preparation and, ultimately, help you to win way more matches!
Matchplay Preparation
A tennis player can be “well drilled”; be able to strike a lethal forehand from the coach hand feeding balls, or even from a ball machine, yet still not be match-sharp. There is a radical difference between being able to hit quality shots in a drill scenario, where the same shot is repeated many times, and being able to execute consistently during a game-play situation where every shot is different. It’s a little like a golfer hitting 200 balls on the driving range perfectly, then going on to the course and hitting it all over the place!
Be sure to implement lots of gameplay and match-specific drills into your practices if you are preparing for a tournament. Even amongst very good players, these types of scenarios are neglected in practice. There is no better way to properly prepare for a tournament than playing points in practice and emulating the matches themselves!
Physical Conditioning
Even at the professional level, some players are much fitter than others. Tennis legend David Ferrer was renowned for outlasting other opponents and breaking them down, physically, over the course of the match. He didn’t possess the huge weapons and power of players like Isner and Del Potro, but he was one of the fittest players on tour; feeding off other player’s mistakes as they tired.
Even for club level players, there is a lot to learn from players like Ferrer. Make every effort in your training to focus on your level of conditioning. You’ll certainly be glad you did. For an insane selection of tennis workouts, check out TheTennisBros.com.
Diet
You are what you eat. Or, perhaps, more specifically, you become what you eat! Players who do not fuel their bodies in the correct way before and during matchplay will get BURNED during high level competition. In order to properly prepare your body for peak performance, consume slow release, complex carbohydrates around 3 hours before tournament play. These will create a sustained release of energy throughout your match.
Suitable food would include brown rice, wholegrain pasta and sweet potatoes. Although they’re carbohydrates, avoid foods such as white bread and white rice to keep things healthy!
You’ll also want to make sure you are snacking on sugary carbs 15 minutes prior to your match and also consume these little and often during your match. These will give you an instant hit of energy, helping keep your body explosive and your mind sharp as you bounce around on court!
