Hit the Deck Running
This next step is the point of transition from the pre-match preparation into the heart of the contest. I consider the first two games to be included in this transition. I use this period to gain an edge that may be ignored by the other players. I’m looking for those moments in a match where my opponent is probably asleep at the wheel or doesn’t understand and exploit the dynamics of the situation.
At the top levels of tennis, this doesn’t happen often, but as you go through the ranks more and more opportunities are overlooked. The difference between a Top 10 player and a player trying to break into the Top 25 isn’t tennis strokes. It’s tennis smarts, the mental part of the game. I found that out in my own journey from the tennis wilderness into the Top 10. For recreational tennis players, it’s the same. Lots of opportunities get ignored because a player’s mental game is weak.
The “transitional” period presents opportunity. Several different elements are present for the first and only time and they can be an asset or a liability depending on how you approach them. Very likely your opponent doesn’t recognize them. And if they do they aren’t sure how to capitalize on them.