Pre-match preparations for tennis players 

Tennis News
Novak Djokovic in conversation
  • December 20, 2020

Have you ever heard of a guy named Novak Djokovic? That’s right – we are talking about the best tennis player in the world and the winner of 17 Grand Slam titles. 

Djokovic is known for having an eye for detail when it comes to training and pre-match preparations, so it’s good to know what he says about becoming a high-level tennis player: “I would say 10% is talent, 85% is hard work, and 5% is luck.”

As you can see, a huge portion of success in tennis comes from your willingness to practice and build a consistent training and preparation plan. If you are still struggling to create a solid pre-match routine, we will share a few practical tips with you

Sleep and Eat Well

Your pre-match routine begins the night before the actual game. A tennis player needs to sleep well before the match because it’s the only way to wake up fresh and energised. Try to wake up at least three hours before the match and then eat a light but energy-packed breakfast. Most tennis players opt for fruits, yogurt, and cereals, but you should try to find a meal that perfectly suits your metabolism.

Remember to Hydrate

In case you are a crazy fan of tennis, you are following up on all the matches, events and like betting on tennis as well, you have probably noticed, that lack of hydration can influence the well-being of the player, thus the final score of the game. You must have seen how Rafael Nadal always keeps two bottles of water near the bench. Namely, hydration is extremely important if you want to play a good game of tennis. While plain water may seem like a reasonable option, our advice is to drink electrolyte water as it gives your body all the minerals needed to stay fresh and agile during the match. 

Practice Mental Visualisation

Professional tennis players tend to visualise the match and imagine all situations that might happen during the game. This helps them to respond properly when the real situation occurs on-court. It’s a precious technique for dedicated tennis players who want to stay one step ahead of competitors every time.

Prepare Your Bag

Some tips on our list may require a bit more time and planning, but this one is a no-brainer. The reason is clear – you can’t go to the tennis match without your bag. What does it contain? First of all, you must have a few rackets fully gripped and strung. 

If the tournament doesn’t provide it, you better take some water and sports drinks with you as well. Most players need a hat and an extra pair of shoes and socks, while it’s also good to bring at least one or two t-shirts. 

Pre-Match Warmup Is a Must

Roger Federer Wimbledon

Another important segment of the pre-match routine is your warmup. Experience taught us that a 15-minute jog is great for warming up just enough to continue with stretching. Don’t forget to do flexibility exercises from your neck to ankles as you don’t want to get hurt or end the match prematurely. 

On-Court Technical Warmup

Once the individual warmup is all done and complete, you need to move on to the technical segment of the process. That is actually an on-court warmup where you go out and practice together with the opponent. 

Both players are expected to practice their first and second serves, but you also engage in fierce rallies to achieve the game level before the beginning of the match. You should use this 15-minute period to practice every shot from volleys to backhand parallels. 

Adjust If Needed

The last pre-match preparation tip is to pay attention to all sorts of internal and external factors because sometimes you need to adjust the routine. For instance, you might have had a tough week on court and so you should adjust your warmup routine to make it a bit easier. 

Up to You!

Becoming a good tennis player and making the best shots is everything but easy because it forces you to spend a lot of time on the court and build an efficient pre-match routine. Many players are struggling to find the right approach, so we decided to pinpoint a handful of tips that proved to work well for most tennis players out there. Do you like our suggestions or do you think other pre-match preparation methods can generate better results? Let us know in the comments!

 

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