How to Handle Bad Line Calls in Tennis

line calls in tennis

As you have probably noticed by now, all articles I send your way are based on personal tennis experience…
In this article, again, I come with advice that you can take with you on the court, especially knowing that Saturday morning is match time for most of you! 🙂

One of the things that I “brag” to my students about is the fact that I have never argued with any of my opponents in my entire tennis life! And here is why:

– Arguing creates negative energy that negatively affects your game (there are very few exceptions when arguing actually helps someone’s game).

– There is a chance that you actually did not see the ball well – you “could” be wrong.

– If you do think that your opponent was unfair with the call, politely disagree with them. You will let them know, in that way, that you are watching them and you too keep a good eye on what is happening on the court.

– Do not get angry – stay positive! This is my best advice because I am a firm believer in the idea that if you stay on the positive side, good things will come (or turn) your way.

– And lastly – regardless of the match outcome you DO want to be able to look into your opponent’s eyes and feel good about yourself at the end of the match. Don’t let the bad calls ruin a potential friendship even though your opponent may not be perfect in calling the shots correctly all the time!

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

Tennis Competition / How to Enjoy It

tennis player resting

One of my students recently told me: “Cosmin, I have a big fear of losing – especially when it comes to lower-level players because they are the last ones I want to lose to!”

Before I became a coach, I was a player myself. And I hated to lose too… because of that, I did not enjoy competing in tennis; even when I was winning!

It took me a few years to understand what was happening:

The reason we do not enjoy the competition is that we all hate to LOSE!
Thinking about losing is a negative thought. When we go into a match focusing on the negative, we attract negative things to us!

As a coach, I have played many practice matches with my advanced students – and I enjoyed every minute of that. My mentality was that if they were to beat me I would be happy for them (after all, they are my students!); if I were to win, that would be a learning experience for them. Either way, I was playing in a relaxed mode, and as a result, I really enjoyed my tennis!

The moral of this article is that every player should go into a match thinking that either outcome is a great learning experience: win or lose, we learn; we progress; and we discover new areas to better ourselves

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.