• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

https://tennisfixation.com/

  • Home
  • Free Serve Cheat Sheet
  • Real Tennis Tips Book
  • Tennis Quick Tips Podcast
  • Favorite Tennis Resources
  • Blog
  • About
    • About Kim
    • About Tennis Fixation
  • Archives
  • Let’s Chat!

How to Stop Losing to Weaker Tennis Opponents – Tennis Quick Tips Podcast 27

January 9, 2014 by kselz

Another episode of the Tennis Quick Tips podcast is out! This week's episode is called “How to Stop Losing to Weaker Tennis Opponents” and, in it, I give you some great tips for dealing with, and hopefully overcoming, this pesky problem.

Below is an edited version of the transcript for this episode that you can read through for notes or to get more information.

How to Stop Losing to Weaker Tennis Opponents

TRANSCRIPT:

If you paid any attention at all to the opening of this episode of the Tennis Quick Tips podcast, then you caught the title – How to Stop Losing to Weaker Tennis Opponents. And if you just recently took up tennis or you’ve only been playing tennis for a very short while, you may be thinking that was a mistake. Because there shouldn’t be any problem beating weaker opponents, right? Surely, we only have to worry about losing to players who are better than us, right?

Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but trying to overcome weaker opponents can be just as hard, and a whole lot more irritating, than playing stronger opponents. In fact, I often play long, tedious and sometimes unsuccessful tennis against opponents that I THINK I should beat. Opponents that I’m younger than. Opponents that I’m more fit than. Opponents that I’ve played longer than. Opponents that I’m wearing less medical devices than.

And this scenario holds true for any tennis player out there who has played more than a few matches. Again and again, you can find players at every level, including the pros, who lose to players who are definitely weaker.

The problem is beating these weaker players should not be as much work as we’re all making it. There are ways to deal with this situation.

So, to help you and me out, here are a few tips I’ve come up with to make our tennis lives easier when we come up against “weaker” tennis opponents.

1. Never underestimate your opponent.

Another way to say this is – don’t be fooled by appearances. Or how about this? Don’t judge a book by its cover. However you say it, in tennis, looks are often deceiving. That out-of-shape opponent across the net is invariably the master of placement. Or lobbing. Or bullet serving. So don’t judge. Always be ready to play a good game of tennis, no matter who shows up on the other side.

2. Be prepared for inconsistency.

Maybe the hardest thing about playing a weaker opponent is that it often seems like they just don’t have a plan. You really don’t know what is going to happen next because there is often very little if any logic to their shots. You can’t come up with your own plan to respond to this type of opponent because you can’t figure out what their plan is at all. Do they even have a plan? It can seem like they don’t. And it is well known that mis-hits and frame shots can produce all kinds of winners. So be on your toes and ready for just about anything to come back across the net.

3. Don’t be fooled by the lucky shot.

I’m sure we’ve all been in the situation where our opponent hits some weird shot that turns out to be an unexpected winner. That lucky shot that they never intended but just happened to go their way. What often happens with weaker opponents is that hit a lot of lucky shots. And before you know it, you’ve lost the match because of a long series of lucky shots. Well, don’t get into the trap of thinking that your opponent is just playing one lucky shot after another. Some players just have really unorthodox shots that may come off as lucky to you but are repeated over and over throughout a match. Believing that some weird, recurring shot is just “lucky” and will soon come to a stop can lull you into letting up and ultimately losing the match. So pay attention, don’t assume these shots are just “lucky,” and play every single point in the match.

4. Be patient.

You may like points that are quick, with short rallies and someone hitting a definite winner. You may enjoy playing someone who hits hard, line drives right at you. You may prefer a fast game where you have to run every shot down and don’t have time to think. Well, with a weaker opponent, none of those things happen. You need to learn patience. You need to learn how to wait before trying for the winning shot. Since all kinds of things may be coming back at you, it may take a few more exchanges to get the right shot that allows you to put the ball away. Don’t rush the point. Wait for your opportunity.

5. Be prepared to work hard.

Even with a weaker opponent, especially with a weaker opponent, you have to do your job. And that means you may have to chase a lot of balls down. It can feel like you’re doing all of the work while your opponent is just happily getting the ball back and not doing much at all. But keep up the work and adopt the strategy of winning the match one point at a time.

6. Just relax.

Finally, calm down. Relax. Enjoy yourself. Tennis is a game after all and getting stressed about it will only lead to you tightening up and playing badly. So loosen up and realize that it may take you a little while to beat the weaker opponent, but ultimately, you can and you will!

So those are my tips to help you stop losing to weaker opponents. Put them into practice and then let me know what your results are. You can do that by adding your comment below.

And I hope you'll subscribe to the Tennis Quick Tips podcast. It's really easy to do:

SUBSCRIBE IN iTUNES: Visit the Tennis Quick Tips Podcast iTunes page and subscribe (click on the “Subscribe” button or the blue “View in iTunes” button) or search for “Tennis Quick Tips” in the iPhone Podcast app.

SUBSCRIBE ELSEWHERE: Search for “Tennis Quick Tips” in your favorite podcast app. Or visit the Tennis Quick Tips Podcast Stitcher page and subscribe.

As always, thanks so much for listening to the podcast, reading the blog, and keeping in touch on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!  Happy Tennis!

Happy Tennis! Kim
© Kim Selzman 2014-2020 All Rights Reserved

 

Share Tennis Fixation with your friends

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Best Tennis Tips, Mental Game, Podcast, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: mental game, opponents, quick tips, tips

Previous Post: « Tennis Resolutions That Will Improve Your Game in the New Year – Tennis Quick Tips Podcast 26
Next Post: Don’t Forget These “No-Fail” Tennis Strategies »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. bill

    November 12, 2015 at 7:56 pm

    makes alot of sense

  2. Paul moore

    March 15, 2016 at 8:21 pm

    Yes I liked it seems straight forward but we forget so much of this advice

    • Kim Selzman

      March 20, 2016 at 7:23 pm

      Hopefully the tips in this episode help you out some. Good luck in your tennis!

Primary Sidebar

Are You Fixated on Tennis?

So am I! You want to improve your game but have fun at the same time? Me too! Hi! I'm Kim and I'm an ordinary tennis player, just like you, so click HERE to read what I'm thinking about and working on and maybe we can improve our tennis games together!

Click for the Podcast

Tennis Quick Tips Podcast

Click to Get the Book on Amazon

I’m an ITPA Tennis Performance Trainer

Tennis Performance Trainer

Top TF Posts

  • Simple Serve Tips: How and Why to Use the Continental Grip on Your Serve - Tennis Quick Tips Podcast 105
    Simple Serve Tips: How and Why to Use the Continental Grip on Your Serve - Tennis Quick Tips Podcast 105
  • What's the Tennis Rule on Double Bounces? Tennis Quick Tips Podcast 55
    What's the Tennis Rule on Double Bounces? Tennis Quick Tips Podcast 55
  • How Many Vibration Dampeners Can You Have On Your Tennis Racquet?
    How Many Vibration Dampeners Can You Have On Your Tennis Racquet?
  • What to Do When Your Opponent Is Moving During Your Serve - Tennis Quick Tips Podcast 190
    What to Do When Your Opponent Is Moving During Your Serve - Tennis Quick Tips Podcast 190
  • "Weird" Tennis Rules: Reaching Over The Net
    "Weird" Tennis Rules: Reaching Over The Net

Click for More on These Topics

  • Backhand
  • Best Tennis Tips
  • Doubles
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Forehand
  • Fun Stuff
  • Gear & Equipment
  • Lessons & Coaching
  • Lob & Drop Shot
  • Mental Game
  • Podcast
  • Return
  • Serve
  • Singles
  • Strategy
  • Strokes & Technique
  • Style & Fashion
  • Tennis Books
  • Tennis Rules
  • The Pros
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Volleys
SiteLock

Footer

TENNIS FIXATION

Looking For More? Search Here:

CLICK FOR:

  • ADVERTISING POLICY & LIABILITY DISCLAIMER
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • ADVERTISE AND PARTNER WITH ME
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Copyright © 2025 https://tennisfixation.com/ on the Foodie Pro Theme