Drifting Into Tentative Times

Sets 124-125 (of 365):

Stuart vs. S. Winner: Stuart 6-2, 6-1.

My Mojo: Below-Average to Average

I was getting the ball over, and I was placing it acceptably sometimes, but I was really unhappy with my form, and I was hitting the ball really tentatively. I shouldn't complain, because I did well enough to win, but I didn't step into the ball, didn't hit with topspin, didn't get placed well enough, and was completely unsatisfied with how I was playing. I seem to drift it and out of good form over time. It's not really like I'm plateauing, it's more like I'm oscillating. I think I need to work on getting my mental state more focused and work also on not tightening up too much during the game. Maybe, though, working on both of those things is an oxymoron; I need to relax into them instead.

S. had a really hard serve that utilized the right form, but his energy was directed toward trying to hit the ball as hard as he could on the serve, and it seemed like he didn't exert as much energy toward placement as toward power, so his first serve was very low-percentage. But when it went in, it was definitely a point-shaping force. He made a lot of errors whereby he hit the ball long trying to hit the back line. We had a lot of good rallies, but I think I just made less errors. Even though I was unhappy with my form, I was only making a few more errors than usual. I just was not placing well or hitting confidently like I usually do. I definitely need to get it together soon because against a better opponent this type of play will just kill me.

"An otherwise happily married couple may turn a mixed doubles game into a scene from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf." --Rod Laver