Date: 17 Jan to 20 Jan 2022
Venue: Scarbro Tennis Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
Website: Tennis New Zealand – Auckland January Junior Singles Tournament 2022
About my opponents
What kind of characteristics did George Joll feel as a player in the second game? What kind of tennis should I play to win?
He is a little shorter than me. He doesn’t have much power. He mostly hit the ball slowly. He only got 1 winner, but he is good at consistency. He is Alec, without power.
I won the match 3-6 6-2 10-2, he was so consistent but he wasn’t sure how to use the racket when he was going forward, so I did many drop shots.
About my Tennis
How did I feel about my body during the match?
It was perfectly fine, and I was moving a lot like yesterday.
What was my skill during the match?
Serve
I didn’t do many double faults, especially the 2nd set. In the 1st set, I was hitting the serve so powerful and George was barely returning them, but making double faults. I did lollipop serve in the final tie break because I had to get my serve in no matter what.
Forehand
To be honest I can’t be proud of my forehand today. In the 1st set, I was making so many unforced errors and smacking the ball, but in the 2nd set, I was hitting so weakly, and using the moonball a lot.
Backhand
I used so many slices and drop shots because I was scared that I might miss, and that I might hit over. He hits a lot of short balls so there were shots that I should hit with a slice.
Volley
There weren’t really many volley’s, but I have done volleys. It didn’t really turn out right, because my weight wasn’t forward, and I was swinging with my arm.
How did I feel about my mental health during the match?
In the 1st set, I was trying to play my tennis, and I was trying to create an open court and attack, but in the 2nd set, I realized that he was returning them all and waiting for my mistake, so I decided to do the exact same thing or maybe even better.
What was my confidence about during the match?
My serve and my consistency in the 2nd set, and in the 1st set I was confident on my forehand’s power that didn’t really go in, and my volleys.
What was I worried about during the match?
At the beginning of the 1st set, I was afraid of rallying with George because I was going to miss, and in the last part of the 1st set I was afraid of my serve.
Beginning of the 2nd set I was afraid of giving him points and making mistakes.
Looking back on the match, if I could coach (advice) myself in the match, what would I like to convey?
Go super defensive and try aiming for his backhand, and do not hit fast shots, because he likes them, instead hit super slow balls then he will return it slowly back. Also, he is not good at getting drop shot so keep doing drop shots.
What do I want to improve and practice before the next game?
I would like to practice, hitting the ball high, and hitting the ball at the front. Like Schwarzman warming up at the Australian Open.
