The negative reactions behind “Bad Line Calls” are responsible for hundreds if not thousands of lost matches every day. But that doesn’t make it OK. It just means a lot of players are really suffering, and you definitely don’t want to add yourself to that bunch. Being out of control is NO FUN at all!

The two videos above are examples of what losing your temper over one bad line call can really do to your game and your chances of winning. And as you’ll see in Andy’s case, once you’ve lost your temper during a match, it becomes very difficult to get things back to normal.

You HAVE to control it!

But How? The step-by-step guidelines below will help you avoid this kind of terrible tennis tantrum and losing because of it.

5 Steps To Handling Bad Line Calls

Step 1. Understand that they do happen

Honest mistakes are made. Sometimes your opponent may miss one or two. If it was a close call, it’ll be tough, but just let it go. A lot of times, one point isn’t going to decide whether you walk home with the trophy or not. And those things usually find a way of balancing themselves out anyway.

Step 2. Stay Calm

If it becomes a pattern and he seems to be consistently “hooking” you or it’s a very big point, don’t blow a gasket. That’d be helping your opponent more than anything. You’d be surprised at how quickly the tables can turn if you allow your emotions to run wild.

Step 3: Breathe

Take a couple long deep breaths and allow yourself to get your mind and body centered once again. You want to do this asap, before your anxiety shoots through the roof, because once it blows, it’s very difficult to bring back down.

Step 4. Get Help

Politely ask for a line judge. That way you can be sure your match is being called the right way. BUT BEWARE… Don’t wait until the last game of the match. Otherwise, it may be too late to do any good.

NOTE: If you’re at the pro or open levels and are already provided with a line judge, calmly walk to the chair, state your case so that your concern is heard, then walk back and get ready for the next point. Very rarely do referees change their minds based on a disgruntled player’s opinion (as shown in both videos above). So save that energy and frustration, and take it out on your opponent instead.

Step 5. Give Yourself A Reminder

Once you’ve calmed down, remind yourself to stay aggressive and that you’re the one in control. Many times, the reason for bad calls that are intentional is because your opponent knows you have him on the ropes, and is terrified. So, don’t ease back into the game. Lay your foot on the gas, and really take it to him (…or her), and you’ll be in great shape!

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Controlling your emotions is extremely important to your success as a player. Your game will always be at its best when your mind and body are relaxed. Remember that.

So try this out next time you think your opponent makes a questionable line call, and the many victories to follow should be much more cool, calm, and collected!

Have a great week, and an even BETTER GAME!

All the best,

Brian Hall, Head Coach
TennisMindCamp.com

Tagged as: bad line calls, control your temper, line judge, temper control, tennis, tennis strategy, tenns temper