Resting tactic

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Magwitch, Oct 29, 2019.

  1. Magwitch

    Magwitch Regular Member

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    I am making my competition singles debut this weekend. Singles is very tiring, and I'm interested to know what you think of my planned resting strategy between points. The idea is that I observe how tired my opponent is compared to me. If I am more tired then I have a decent rest between points. If they are more tired I get ready for the next point straight away and try to rush them. Obviously trying to rush them may not work. They may still rest between points, and I can't force them to play straight away.
     
  2. SnowWhite

    SnowWhite Regular Member

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    Since it's you singles competition debut, I would say to first and foremost focus on your own play during the match. Thinking tactically about the rallies you've played, what you want to accomplish within rallies and how you can play to your own strengths and mask your weaknesses.

    Stamina relative to your opponent is certainly a factor that can be very important in games, but there is already so much to think about during a match that allocating attention to less influential factors or factors that are harder to adapt to can be ineffective or even an unhelpful distraction.

    However, if you feel it's not a distraction or if your stamina needs to be especially well managed throughout the match, then your strategy is very logical. Also observe whether your opponent plays in a way that is less sustainable. For example, if they play very explosive and use a lot of energy, it might be helpful in the long run to keep pauses between points short from the start of the match, even if they aren't tired yet, since they'll likely run out of gas before you do. The same is true if their movement is inefficient due to poor footwork or if they're playing with an injury.
     
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  3. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Usually in first time competition (and many more) people rush too much between points and don’t even realise it.

    see how you go. Although winning is important, and of course you want to do well, experience over many competitions is just as important.
     
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  4. Ballschubser

    Ballschubser Regular Member

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    For your first competition I think that you should not try to establish some kind of meta-strategy. Chances are, that you make a service error, because of rushing your opponent. There are many other factors, like being nervous, trying to play safe or trying to force points, you did not encounter in a training session, but which will effect your game a lot.

    So, just try to concentrate on each rally, especially on your service, on each point and try your best to win. Good luck.
     
  5. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

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    From my experience adn playing torunaments for years there are others things to overcome.

    Opponents:

    Stalk your oppoents before and during the tournament. Especially your group. Which level they play and how much success they have in tournaments. It will calm me personally a bit down who I need to play and know what could await me in the match

    Seats:

    Normally you don't have any comfortable chair or mat for your rest between the group matches. If the tournament has a lot of entries, but not many courts, you will wait around 1.5-2 hours between the games. I personally sit/lie after the first game for 30-40 minutes to reflect, restore some energy, then I walk around, watch some games and so on. Keep lightly active before you get called out for the match.

    Nutrition:

    Drinking and eating light food with less fibre is important. Don't overestimate how much you need to eat for restore. Just a few bites are sometimes enough. I bring 3 bottles. Water, a sports drink, and something with a bit caffeine. I take every few minutes a small sip.

    Warm-up:

    Some players prefer to warm up shorter than me. This can disturb you. I normally do 1-2 light exercises before. Sometimes there is so less space inside the hall, that it is necessary to have a bicycle or running shoes there, to warm up outside/keep active. Or do some HIT. Going outside is also good for your oxygen, because with two many people in the hall, the air is normally bad. A few deep breaths and a walk can keep you awake.

    The waiting:

    It's great to use the time to chat with people, read a book or watch a episode of your favorite sitcom. Never bring stuff for work or learning in the hall. Will drain your energy and turn your head away from the tournament.

    Strategies:

    IMO your strategy is very specific. You should be focused on yourself. There are mental advantage/disadvantages of the group state. If you want to get on the winner staircase there are other things more important. You are the tournament rookie. If you play people, who play singles tournaments serious, you will seldom see them tired. Especially in the group games they won't run out of stamina easily. Focusing on your own game and making points due clever play and reading is much more important. It has normally an advantage to get 1st of the group. So you will met the 2nd of one of the other groups. So performing in the group stage very well get beside going further an advantage if you become first, but even this is too meta. I now my curve pretty well and know that I play on the first game best. I try to win the first match of the group stage for mental tactic. If my opponents are not strong, I save energy, if I'm allowed to, which means less smashing and agressive game.

    Losing virginity:

    If you never played a tournament before the enviroment and the circumstance can disrupt you normal standard of play. So many people will be there, it's louder than a club night, some people will run close to your court, you play a foreign hall, with different floor, lights, walls, line color etc. that can be very exciting and can influence your performance.

    To your strategy:

    You play the first time tournament. If it isn't a rookie tournament and depending at wich level you enter, your tactic won't work, if your opponents are stronger. If they are stronger and even less fit, it is possible, that they will tire you down easily. They haved played many people under this circumstance with crappy and fishy strategies. You will harm you more then them. IMO you scratch the border of delaying if you overdue your pause. It's absolute okay, to take your pause at 11 and after a set, but between the rallies, don't overdo it. It's kinda mindgame and close to cheating. This doesn't mean that you are not alot to clear your mind and focuse on the next rally for a few seconds, but retying the shoes over and over again, be ready and start to artificial cough and sip some water and towel after every rally which the opponent win is a bad behavior and nothing which should become important for you. IMO People who need fishy mindgames in recreational tournaments to win shouldn't enter. That's bad sportmanship.
     
    #5 ucantseeme, Oct 30, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2019
  6. Magwitch

    Magwitch Regular Member

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    Thanks all, I will bear this in mind!
     
  7. Magwitch

    Magwitch Regular Member

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    I avoided making this my focus and won! It was a D grade singles, and all but one of my opponents were young. I did ask for intelligence about my opponents.
     
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  8. SnowWhite

    SnowWhite Regular Member

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    How was your experience overall? Anything noteworthy in your experience? Did something stand out to you about the tournament? your own play?
    Even though it wasn't your focus, did stamina play a role at any point?
     
  9. Magwitch

    Magwitch Regular Member

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    It was a good experience. There were only five of us, so it was a round robin where you played only two sets per match with no setting. The thing I wasn't expecting was that you barely had a break between matches. Stamina did play a role, and I sometimes took a bit longer resting between points.

    A couple of the younger kids dropped it short quite a bit, and I was good at dropping it really short back. They tended to lose points when they tried this, so that played into my hands. I noticed I was still often doing something a coach recently pointed out and told me not to do, which is holding the racquet with both hands. That is a habit from tennis. I'm not always conscious of it, so I decided early on in the day that I would write down how many times I did it after each match so as to make me more conscious of what I'm doing.
     
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