Sometimes the first set is not always the deciding factor on whether you’ll be able to win or lose a match. Don’t get me wrong, getting out the gate fast and with a great start can heftily improve your chances at getting the victory.

But it’s definitely not the be all and end all if you drop the first set. We saw a tremendous example of that in a historic performance by 17 year old “Little Miss Upset” - Melanie Oudin against 13th seed Nadia Petrova.

I mean, despite being literally dismantled from every angle and losing her first set by a score of 6-1, she didn’t let that take her out of her game or throw her off course.  Instead…

The serve is one of the most important, if not the most important shot, in the entire game of tennis. It’s a tremendous factor in determining the tempo over the course of the match.

When you fail to hold your serve, you place yourself under a lot more pressure and it becomes much more difficult to win the match. That’s why this one concept is so important.

Yes, I see players with beautiful “looking” serves that go in. But to be honest with you, those same players aren’t the ones winning on a consistent basis. And the reason why a lot of players find it difficult to hold their serve consistently is because…