Question 203: I lose track of how to hit a sitter

A sitter is actually a danger ball.
And when players fall apart in a match, they are trying to "figure it out."
Let's consider this from one of Federer's famous scenes of "not figuring it out."

Answer

▶ The "deception" factor

A sitter is a danger ball (oh dear).

If your image is off, you won't stand a chance.

The first video below is just a shallow sitter, but when you add a "deception" like it floating softlyto it, the degree of error becomes even worse (related article: "But you get deceived!").

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvjKnE4Fc1E

▶ Trying to figure it out makes it artificial

That aside, the sentence "I lose track of how to hit" bothers me.

You don't need to know how to hit.

In fact, the player should not be aware of it during play.

Knowing is something added after the fact by a third party (related article: "All technical advice is 'added after the fact' (how to find your own treasure)").

Doesn't "knowing" imply that there is artificiality caused by thinking, such as "the take-back should be at this height," "the swing path should be on this line," or "the follow-through should wrap around like this"?

Even with actors, if they are inexperienced newcomers, their acting looks artificial.

You can see the unnaturalness in it.

And the person acting also feels that unnaturalness.

Tennis is exactly the same.

▶ When you are in good form, "not knowing" how to hit is the correct answer

When a swing becomes artificial, it becomes unnatural and jerky.

Both in appearance and in the player's own sensation.

Conversely, when you are not in a match, when you are in a neutral rally rather than hitting a sitter, you aren't trying to "figure out" how to hit, are you?

If you look around a tennis court, you will see many people tilting their heads and saying "I don't get it" or "I don't know" every time they make a mistake (I'm sure you can find them around you right away).

But, you don't need to "know" while you are playing.

In fact, you "must not try to know."

It can also be rephrased as "you lose track because you think."

▶ Because you try to know, you cannot concentrate on the ball

There are many players, not just you, who can maintain and demonstrate a high level in practice but cannot perform in a match.

The main cause is trying to "figure something out" while playing.

"I don't know why it's not going well"—you keep thinking about it constantly.

Isn't that the case for you?

General tennis instruction tries to make players understand by analyzing and dissecting the swing in minute detail.

But, ironically, that is the very reason why things stop going well.

This is because while you are thinking about how to make it go well, you are no longer able to concentrate on the ball.

Thinking always involves the past or the future, whether it is 0.1 seconds ago or 0.1 seconds later.

Conversely, the only thing you can feel is "now".

You cannot see the scenery from 0.1 seconds ago, and you cannot hear the sound from 0.1 seconds later (Related article: ""Concentration" lies between "already" and "not yet"").

▶ It is more important to "forget" than to know

Actually, it would be fine even if you couldn't even keep track of the "score" (even then, if you are concentrating on the ball, you can look back on it later), but I find the circumstances where you can't do that in self-judging matches frustrating (Related article: ""The Case for Abolishing Self-Judging"").

But why not try approaching a match with your mind that "empty"?

Rather than knowing, it is important to "forget" (Related article: "The wonder of "forgetting"").

I think you will be able to have an experience where both your body's reactions and your heart's emotions are completely different from before.

https://youtu.be/njvK_EII2GI
The video above shows a "clueless" Roger Federer who tries to continue the match even though Kei Nishikori's shot hit the net and the umpire called game set.

Tips for Instant Tennis Improvement TENNIS ZERO
(Tennis Zero)
https://note.com/tenniszero

For free email consultations, inquiries, feedback, or concerns, please contact us
here
tenniszero.note@gmail.com

Tennis Zero Representative
Mukei Yoshida