In this 2010 French Open tournament, she rolled over Jankovic, roared back against Justine Henin, and stuck to a winning plan when she played the almost unbeatable Serena Williams – all former world #1s, essentially back to back to back.

Then… went into the final as the overwhelming favorite. But… lost to a 17th seed girl by the name of Francesca Schiavone.

How did this happen? How could this happen? How did the under-dog manage to defy the 1 to 120 odds of winning this unbelievable tournament in Paris?

Well, check out a pretty detailed analysis I just completed and find out some of the main reasons for this historic upset.

1. Superior Serving: This is definitely one of the biggest reasons.  Previously at TennisMindCamp, we’ve talked about how much of an impact the serve can have on the outcome of a match, and on Saturday, Francesca showed just how true a concept that is. She…

A. Played The Percentage: Early on, it was easy to see the nerves being tested and the anxiety seeping through for both players who were on the biggest stage of their lives. Both were a little tight.

But as the the first set began to unfold,  not only did Schiavone make it difficult for Stosur, by giving her minimal break opportunities, ZERO, the amount of serves that she was strategically placing around the service box reached a high of an amazing 70%!

And when the serves started popping in one after another after another after ANOTHER, the sky opened up and the confidence began to pour on the 29 year old Italian.

As a result, the shackles of tension and unfamiliarity were broken, and her game really began to flourish.  She began to fully extend out on her shots and seemed to effortlessly float (…or fly), depending on the tempo of the point, to each ball and execute with great precision.

Now, seeing that the score was only 6-4 in that set, by no means did Schiavone completely run away with the set, but that noteworthy first serve percentage is what enabled her to really play “HER” game (…which was to use ALL of her shots) and to steal a boatload of momentum heading into the second set.

Now was she “serve perfect” throughout the entire final? Well…Almost. She did have one minor mental lapse in the second set where Sam was able to get a break and hold at to take the score to 4-1.

And as you would predict, that’s when the Australian power-hitter began to pick up some steam.  Though it made for a great wrinkle in the match and stirred things up a bit, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise to us.

Why? Mr. momentum usually likes to stay on the side the player who serves the best – which was definitely the case here. The one “ON” when serving usually can do so many great things like dictating the tempo of the match and making the opponent play at an undesired pace.

Luckily, Fran stuck it out, stayed as poised (…as humanly possible), and got back on serve, which lead to winning 3 of the biggest game of her career back to back to back – dumping all of the pressure  right back onto her opponent.

B. (Fooling Around): Anyone who’s seen the scouting report on Miss Samantha “Smack That Thang” Stosur, knows that she has a thunderous forehand stroke that can reek  havoc on her opponent strings – both ground strokes and the return of serve.

So, this being the case, normally an opponent would force them to return the serve from her backhand side up the T, the weaker of the two strokes. And Sam “expecting” this to happen, would (…if possible) run around it and smack back a smokin’ hot forehand. So… No harm done, right?

Not quite. Schiavone, fooled her by going the opposite side.  Yes! She did the reverse.  She sporadically would serve balls directly out wide into her opponent’s deadliest weapon. On purpose? on Purpose !

Guess what happened? Easy points! It frequently left Stosur wrong-footed. And if she did get it back, it didn’t have enough on it to do any real damage.  Stosur wasn’t prepared for it. Why? She didn’t think anyone would be crazy enough to do that.  She was wrong, and it cost her.

See, sometimes it’s good to go down the road less traveled! She did, and made tennis history because of it.

2. Weakness Exploitation:

A. Placed Instead of Punished: You might say, “Wow, how did Schiavone produce such a top-level tennis performance against one of the heaviest hitters on the WTA without using power. Power? What for?

That’s actually one of the biggest mistakes even the most seasoned and competitive tennis players make. They try to out muscle the “power monger” as I like to call it.  That does NOTHING but add fuel to flame.

Fortunately, Schiavone did NOT make that mistake in her French open final match this past weekend.

Instead, she denied her opponent that gift and took the pace away!  She put it in her pocket, and sealed it.  Well, she would pull out the big gun O-ccasionally haha. But for the most part, she used milder shots like soft high-topspin loopers and sexy slice backhands.

This strategy not only almost drove the Aussie to the looney bin,  a big it also drove a stake right through the heart of her rhythm gaining hopes! And as a result, she was forced to generate her own pace – something difficult and out-right exhausting to do over and over and OVER again.

It takes a ton of patience, near perfect timing and boundless concentration – something that few possess – even a 7th seed at Roland Garros.

Bait is what it was. Most players end up becoming impatient and wanting to blast it out of the stadium. Sam took the bait… went for the BIG SHOT… and shanked a bunch because of it.

3. Flucuated Between Offensive and Defensive Posture: Much to many player’s dismay, we can’t be running and gunning on high-octane offense 100% of the time. You have to be able to tactically switch between both as each situation changes.

Schiavone did that. She analyzed and evaluated each situation one-by-one.  If she had Sam with her back turned or in an inferior position, she made an offensive advance.  If Stosur had her scrambling she would shift to a more defensive gear.

Do the opposite, or mixing the two up can spell disaster! So, great job!

4. Became The Neutralizer: As I mentioned before, Sam “Smack That Thang” Stosur is a baseline-banger. That being the case, Schiavone knew it would be championship suicide to engage in a slug-fest battle from the baseline.

So, her plan was to get aggressive and neutralize her brutal baseline strokes by aggressively attacking the net. She ended up being quite successful more than 80% of time she went net hunting – deflecting well angled volleys to finish her off, point after point, after point.

And when she saw it working, she doubled the dose – winning 14 of the total 15 times she came in.  Smart girl!

The Tie-break: So with all this wonderful strategy working for her, by the time the tie-breaker came around, it was lights-out for Stosur. Confidence, momentum, and the adrenal push were all on Schiavone’s side!

She felt almost invincible. I mean, everything was clicking. And like anyone would do with that type of feeling,  she went for broke – firing away with ease – executing gutsy (…yet intelligent shots) like the cross-court backhand into her opponent’s weak spot. She was hitting corners and nailing lines.

It was really incredible to watch.  She just steamrolled through the final few points needed to capture the 2010 French Open crown. And that was that – 6-4, 7-6 (7-2).

So, though it was a hard fought match… It turned out the way she ironically predicted the day before when she said, “The smartest player will probably win the match – not the strongest.”

And indeed… It came down to the more strategic player who had the calmest nerves. Fabulous job Francesca!

Oh, and that making history thing (…the first Italian to win a Grand Slam in the Open era, well… that’s good too. Enjoy the biggest win of your tennis life. We all here at TMC wish you much continued success!

Let me know if you liked this French Open Finals Analysis by leaving a comment in the blank below. Have a great week, and an even BETTER game!

Brian Hall, Founder
TennisMindCamp

TMC Strategy Secrets Coming Soon…

If you can master it, then you win. But if you can’t, oh well, right? That doesn’t sit well with me, but that’s the way it happens a lot of the time.

So, this week we’re going to work on bridging that gap a little bit.   Because frankly,  I  hate it when I see good players like you putting all their smart and hard work into it, and then let their nerves totally ruin their chances at a great win.

So that said, with this post, we’re going to kick this thing in the butt and get you winning more matches by showing you how,  by using your mind, you can transform what many would see as a lost cause into a winning cause over 93% of the time.

One of the points where you’re likely to get the most nervous is when you find yourself up at the net, and your opponent is in a position to hit a great passing shot.  Exactly, you might as well quack because, you’re a sitting duck. They’re in the wind up of a thunderous forehand shot but instead of preparing, you’ll tend to erase the possibility of staying in the point. You won’t even give yourself a crack at it. And you’ll be saying…

“Oh no, I don’t want to get blasted! I’ll get embarrassed or worse… injured.” This will be  the central theme repeating over and over in your head.  Yea, you’ll either get scared and run backwards or give up on the point all together. I’m telling you, even though that “SOUNDS” like the logical thing to do (..run and save your skin),  it’s not going to produce the best results for you. Why?

Because, if you want to turn the tides on this thing and have any hopes of getting true satisfaction out of this sport (…winning a championship, beating your in-laws, or just getting major bragging rights with a buddy after work) you can’t give up on any point. If you do, you’ve broken a major strategy law.  It’s NOT over until the ball bounces twice, goes in the net, or out of bounds.

That being said, you need to develop the “TMC warrior mindset” that “I CAN and WILL win that point and any other point that comes my way!” And you can. It’s not just some hyped up saying.  All you need is to understand the 3 easy elements I’ve listed below. (…I did kind of jump ahead on one a little bit, but I was just so excited)

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So again, don’t get nervous. Don’t get scared and retreat. Be the courageous volley warrior, and take the point.

All the best,

Brian Hall, Your Tennis Mind Coach
TennisMindCamp
webmaster@tennismindcamp.com

P.S. I’m headed to the US Open next week, and I’m so excited. Are you going by chance?

But that being said, only a select few are able to really take advantage of this time and see the real benefit. In fact, the majority of players put in the time, but only enjoy the intense sweat-drenching sensation of a hard workout without any worthwhile results.

And that’s no fun. To be honest, it actually can be quite frustrating. Have you ever felt like this?  You ever feel the “What’s the point, I’m going to lose anyway” feeling? Well, there are a few key factors behind this:

Check them out below so you can avoid it happening to you or stop the feeling dead in its tracks, not letting it bog you down ever again.

Reasons Players Fail To Achieve Adequate Results:

Reason # 1. Inadequate or Improper Coaching: In most cases, players don’t consider it of major importance to get proper coaching or the coach they employ fails to properly guide them. This can really do major damage if not caught and dealt with right away. Why?

Coaching is actually a HUGE factor, especially if you’re involved in some level of competitive tennis.  Picking the right coach for your personality as well as getting the best results out there on the court is a lot more important than many might think.  I mean, why is it that coaches like Phil Jackson of the Lakers or Pete Carol for the USC Trojans get paid such a high salary?

That’s easy. It’s because the organizations  are smart.  They know how valuable a great coach is to the success of their programs. That’s the  same reason why Andy Roddick among other players have gone through so many coaches. The top-ranked players also know the importance of a great corner man.

The coach is that team or player’s virtual backbone. He’s the one that’s going to be teaching and instilling in you the proper game-winning strategies that you need to go out there and get the victory. Not to mention, you’re the one paying. You’re the one who has something to lose, not the other person.  You’re taking a risk.

So, you don’t want to just get your friend who just started playing tennis a few months ago to be your coach. You want someone who’s been around a while, someone who’s sharp and knows their stuff.  I find the best way to find a good coach is by referral. Oh yes, word of mouth is the best. Don’t go by an ad in the newspaper, because anyone can call themselves a tennis coach; just like I can call myself and doctor. It doesn’t make it true.

So to avoid all the hassle and rip-offs, check out some of your buddies who are doing pretty well, and see who the man (… or woman) behind their consistent winning is. It’s highly likely that if your friend is seeing the type of success he wants , you will too. That, my friend, can fix your problem in a heart beat.

I’d advise you to do this, and do it ASAP. Don’t wait another minute. Because let me tell you, if you think learning the right stuff is hard, when you have to unlearn all kinds of bad habits and improper game plan components, then you’re in some major trouble.

Reason #2. Playing Without Understanding: Many players sweat a lot on the court but don’t actually understand the reasons why they’re working on certain things or why they’re even out there in the first place. They’re just blindly going through the motions.  And on top of that, the points being played out in the practice session have no game plan nor any actual strategy behind them which greatly slows down improvement.

You see, tennis is a thinking man’s game. So, it’s extremely important that you really understand what’s going on out there. That’s why, at TennisMindCamp, we focus so much on the “why” things happen and “why” you do certain things. For example, your coach my say hit the ball cross court in a particular situation, but if you have no clue as to the purpose for that specific execution, it most likely will not stick. This means you won’t use it in a live game, which means you just wasted some valuable time.

But on the other hand, once you do obtain a deep and clear understanding of the things you’re doing, you’ll feel and play a lot more fluid and a lot less mechanical. How can you do this? The first thing you want to do is make sure there is an open dialogue between you and your instructor. Don’t sit there “tight-lipped” and not say anything.

This isn’t world history class. This is tennis practice. Don’t just nod your head up and down.  You should be very vocal, and ask questions if something is unclear to you. That way, when you’re in a real game, you’ll know and understand exactly what to do and see the real value and results of your practice sessions.

Reason #3. Lack of Objectivity in Practice: You’d be surprised at the number of players in your own club who practice everything all at once. If you ask them what they’re working on, their reply will sound something like, “My groundstrokes, my volleys, my serve, my footwork, overhead strategy etc.” They rarely concentrate on improving a specific shot or have realistic goals in mind. Well, let me be the first to tell you, this type of practice is definitely NOT the way to go!

You end up trying to do too many things  in a very condensed amount of time. And as a result, you don’t spend enough time on anything at all. This means no aspect of your game is really getting the proper work and attention that’s needed and your overall game will take a lifetime to show the improvement you desire.

The players who you’ll see with the highest percentage of matches in the win column do, in fact, work on very particular areas of their game in each session.

For example, he’ll work on improving his backhand on Monday.  While, on Tuesday, he’ll be working on getting to the net and strengthening his approach shot.  This way each session is much more focused, has a lot more structure, and each part of your game will progress by leaps and bounds because of it.

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You can achieve a lot out of your practices if you know the ingredients that every session should include: Individual session goals, understanding of particulars of each practice, and adequate coaching.

And you might be saying “The good coaches are too expensive.” Don’t worry, you’re in the same boat as most of us. If you can’t afford a big-wig like Paul Annacone, no big deal.  Many coaches now actually offer payment plans which are much better on your wallet. But hey, if that still doesn’t work for you, try playing with a partner who understands the elements I mentioned.  He can help guide you, and you’ll both have a lot of fun doing it!

All the best,

Brian Hall, Head Coach
TennisMindCamp
webmaster@tennismindcamp.com

P.S. If you have some ideas of your own for future tennis tips
of the week, concepts you’d like covered, or would just like to
give a good old fashion hello, please reply to this e-mail. I’d
love to hear from you.

1. Beware Of Your Backhand

One of the greatest weapons that “lefties” tend to use is a hard-hitting forehand shot that often pulls “righties” clear off the court. This forces you to extend for a long “strrrrreeetch” with hopes of just making contact with the top of the racket. Needles to say, your left-handed opponent will be in a great GSP (good shot position) to easily capitalize on your weak return. So, how do defend against it?

Know that this shot is likely to come your way. Be prepared! If you’re able to mentally ready yourself ahead of time, you’ll be able to adjust more quickly and gain more time to hit your follow-up shot.

But remember, if you’re a right-hander like I am, this will always be considered a weakness. So, don’t try to hit a winner or blow one past your “lefty” opponent in this case. Simply, hit a safe solid (…defensive shot) deep into his backcourt, and you’ll be in great shape.

2. Go Back Down The Line

When a “lefty” hits a shot to your backhand side, you want to strike the ball down-the-line to send it back to your opponent’s weaker side. Yes, the down-the-line stroke will be more difficult because of the height of the net, but by hitting the ball cross-court, it’ll end up in their forehand sweet-spot range (SSR). And you definitely don’t want that to happen.

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When you’re playing a lefty, don’t try to bend him to your will. That won’t work. It’s you that needs to make the adjustments. Try these 2 strategies on your next left-handed opponent, and you’ll have him thinking “Hey, maybe I should have been a right-hander.”

Being able to play at the net is incredibly important. If you can’t, taking advantage of points that could be easy winners for you will be far and few between. When you can come to the net and execute efficiently and effectively, you allow yourself to become a multi-dimensional player and a great volley warrior.

Nothing is worse than being “stuck” with only one plan of attack. You’ll quickly become predictable, and predictability is the last attribute you want to be associated with.

In order to establish a proper volley strategy, the #1 thing you should be concerned with is the appropriate positioning. In most ideal situations, it should be at the “T” also known as the center-hash mark. From there, you’ll be able to conveniently move up to the net and defend most shots.

Now I do want to stress “most” shots. The reason I say that is because not every volley requires the same stance and recovery position. But setting up at the “T” will leave you in pretty good shape to cover most down the line and cross-court passing shots.

Jot down the tips below in your tennis notebook, and you’ll be on the road to becoming a volley warrior in no time!

Volley Tips:

1. The best way to play is to understand how to play the different volley variations appropriately.

2. Do not always wait for the ball to come to you. Move forward so you can unload on it, especially if it’s high enough and in your SSR (sweet spot range).

3. In case of a low volley, assess the point where it is likely to drop and return the ball before it bounces by using a firm grip along with a strong wrist .

4. In case of a chest level volley, use your opponent’s force to return the ball by simply blocking it with a firm wrist.

5. If a shot comes at you much quicker than expected, keep your racket going forward instead of sideways. This will give you a better opportunity togenerate enough force behind it and place it in the area of your choosing.

Have you played in a high-level tennis match recently? If so, I’m sure you know that having great confidence when you’re playing can instantly take your game to a whole new level.

However, the problem is that a lot of people don’t have the ability to keep their confidence at an all-time high for every single match.

So if you fall into that category (…as does most of the tennis world) and think your confidence could use a huge boost, the mental strategy below may really do the trick.

Concrete Confidence For Tennis 101:

Always remember, you’re going to hit some low points as well as some high points during a match, everyone does in fact. So don’t get down on yourself if you start to slide a little.

If you get stuck thinking about what you’re doing wrong, you’re never going to get out of that rut. I’m telling you,  these things have a way of balancing themselves out more than 97.9% of the time.

And believe me, I understand if you feel that balancing out often takes a lot longer than you’d like. So, a great way to increase your confidence right away is to play some opponents whose games aren’t quite as developed as your own.

Now, to some that may sound cowardly and counter productive, but that’s not the case at all.  Sometimes you can see real progress until you take a step back a little.

Because what is usually the core around the confidence is in the mind not in the game itself.  You need to start feeling good about yourself ASAP. Otherwise you’re going to keep going deeper and deeper into the hole of negativity. And you may never get out.

So, the faster you rack up a few consecutive wins, you’ll see your demeanor and the way you feel about your own game start to shift in the right direction. And you’ll begin to look forward to playing your matches again because you actually feel like you have a real shot at winning them.

Now, one thing is critical.  Don’t get anxious and agitated if the success doesn’t come as rapidly as you might like. The truth is, it may not happen right away.

It may take a couple to more matches than you may anticipate. Just stick with it, and before you know it your confidence will begin to shoot up, and it will show in your results.

If you do that, you’ll be having a lot more fun out there.

It’s always more fun when you win !

Have a great Wednesday and an even BETTER GAME!

All the best,
Brian Hall, Head Coach
Tennis Mind Camp
http://www.Myspace.com/TennisMindCamp
webmaster@TennisMindCamp.com

P.S. If you have any suggestions for future tips of the
week or have concepts that you would like covered, simply
reply to this post.