By Emily Coughlin
Contributing Writer
Strong mental stamina is extremely important for a successful tennis match. The players need to have great mental strength in order to be physically strong and play their best. The team dynamic and team practices are very important to boost the mental capacity of the players and to enhance their overall game, according to tennis head coach Michael Bates
“If the players are not in physical shape, then their whole game will be off, and they will break down mentally and swing too early or not anticipate the ball in time,” Michael Bates said.
To prepare for a match, the team meets and discusses the statistics of the opposing team.
“Before every match we have a routine where we talk to our coaches and they tell us about our opponents and how the team is doing in the season, their strengths and weaknesses, and we do a strategic plan on our own to decide how to best beat our opponents,” said freshman Indra Patwardhan.
Practices are the basis for the physical and mental outcome of the matches. They also help with the dynamic of the team and equate to the success of a match.
“Preparing for a match starts in practice where they practice like they are going to play,” Bates said.
On the day of the match, each player has his or her own routine before playing. The players try to stay focused in their minds and figure out their strategies. Before playing they talk to each other and support each other, which helps with their confidence, said Kozinski.
“I try to listen to music, get in my own zone and not focus on everybody else,” freshman Clara Herberts said.
A lot of thinking and strategizing goes on before a match, but once the players are on the court they relax a bit, said Bates.
“The 15 minutes before the match, there is a lot of pressure because you don’t know how you’re going to play or how they’re going to play, but once the match starts you get in the flow of it, and you start thinking about the points and what you have to do, not really the result,” said Patwardhan.
The players’ nerves are calmed once they are enthralled in the game and have full concentration on what they are doing.
“Once you’re on the court your kind of like ‘ok I know what I’m doing,’” said Kozinski.
One of the most important things for the team to do is to cheer on their teammates when they are competing. They always congratulate their teammates on a good play because that will help them focus and will boost their confidence.
“[You] cheer on your teammates if you see them have a good point, because that will help them,” said Kozinski.
Depending on the outcome of a match, the players are either angry or very happy, but no matter what, they look at the highlights of the match and what they can work on for future matches, said Herberts.
“If you win, you think about things you did well, but if you lose, you think about things you did wrong and things you can do better,” said Patwardhan.
Both the girls’ and boys’ tennis teams will be playing at Sienna today at 6:00 p.m. On Saturday, Jan. 28, both teams will be playing at Saint Peter’s at 11:00 a.m.
coughleg16@bonaventure.edu
