Every shot in tennis requires some trust.
You cannot be sure the ball is going to stay in the court, or even if you will make good contact with the ball.
Do you agree?
The body language of many players clearly reveals they do not. It is one thing to be disappointed at a certain outcome, but it is entirely another when anger and frustration take over because we ‘should’ have made a particular shot.
When we get ready to serve, can we guarantee the ball will go in? Can the future ever be 100% predictable? Of course, we may want the ball to do as we desire, but the fact that it not always does, proves that we do not entirely have control. There may be many reasons why we miss, but that is not the issue. The point is there is some sense of uncertainty as we swing away, even if our technique is normally sound.
If we can accept this sense of not-knowing or uncertainty then we can swing freely and therefore greatly increase the chances of hitting a good shot, but if we believe that we have total control, if only we do everything right. Then the attempt to do everything just right can lead to tension and tightness that will great decrease the chances of hitting a good shot.
When we ‘know’ that the result of a particular shot is not entirely within our control, we can then more easily fall into a relaxation that can make our swings loose and free with a let’s see what happens type attitude.
A more carefree and cavalier attitude emerges when we cannot control, one that is based on trust.
Play around with this,
See what happens!