Whether or not you agree, it’d be tough to argue Serena Williams hasn’t had an impact on women’s tennis and what it means to be an athlete, period. Her 27-year professional career is one of the longest in her sport’s history.
And the mental toughness she’s consistently displayed throughout the decades is certainly noteworthy, says Eric A. Zillmer, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and the Carl R. Pacifico Professor of Neuropsychology and an athletic director emeritus at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
“Some people may be ‘broken’ by a crisis, while others emerge from a stressful experience sometimes even stronger than before,” he says. An abundance of research backs this up.
While mental toughness is talked about often in sports, it translates to everyday life as well. “Mental toughness and resilience can be learned,” Zillmer says. They’re skills and qualities that are accessible to everyone.
Ultimately, it’s about treating yourself well and cultivating a sense of purpose and belonging in the world.
Losing is a key part of competitive tennis. Here are three examples of how to better deal with it….
1. Find Joy in a Highly Competitive Sport — and Show It
It’s no secret that tennis is an especially high-pressure sport. Players compete alone, travel often, and are subject to constant scrutiny by the press and the sport itself.
Williams’s appreciation for all aspects of her sport, not just winning, is key to her success. “Sports by definition is competitive, hard, stressful, and deals with a constantly changing environment,” Zillmer says. Learning to enjoy all the ups, downs, and pressures of the job, at least to some degree, is the very definition of resilience and mental toughness.
2. Find Motivation in Setbacks
Serena Williams wasn’t always great. “When I was little, I was not very good at tennis. I was so sad when I didn’t get all the early opportunities that Venus got, but that helped me. It made me work harder, turning me into a savage fighter.”
She’s fought her way out of many scoreboard holes to win matches (including, famously, the 2012 U.S. Open championship match), and has been dubbed the “queen of comebacks”.
That kind of determination in the face of adversity is part of what defines mental toughness. Rivalry is a great way for people to learn resilience starting at a young age. Learning to cope with failure early on, and even be motivated by it, is another thing that sets certain individuals apart.
3. Lose With Grace
Losing is part of ALL sports. And Williams has lost many tennis matches throughout her career. She does it with grace — even when she lost the (presumed) final match of her career.
“Dealing with winning is easy, but losing is tough,” Zillmer says. If and when a loser does muster up that good sportsmanship, s)he actually has a lot more to gain by doing it graciously than sorely.
“In sports psychology, losing graciously can also help someone maintain belief in themselves, even after (or because of) a setback.” It can help keep your confidence up, which makes you more likely to succeed in the future.
Extract: Christine Byrne September 8, 2022
MLTC Newsletter – Round 1 Badge Results 2024April 30, 2024
Badge Draws 2024April 26, 2024
Crucial Point & Games | ATPApril 18, 2024
Mental Toughness | ATP
/in Ask the Pro /by RobWhether or not you agree, it’d be tough to argue Serena Williams hasn’t had an impact on women’s tennis and what it means to be an athlete, period. Her 27-year professional career is one of the longest in her sport’s history.
And the mental toughness she’s consistently displayed throughout the decades is certainly noteworthy, says Eric A. Zillmer, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and the Carl R. Pacifico Professor of Neuropsychology and an athletic director emeritus at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
“Some people may be ‘broken’ by a crisis, while others emerge from a stressful experience sometimes even stronger than before,” he says. An abundance of research backs this up.
While mental toughness is talked about often in sports, it translates to everyday life as well. “Mental toughness and resilience can be learned,” Zillmer says. They’re skills and qualities that are accessible to everyone.
Ultimately, it’s about treating yourself well and cultivating a sense of purpose and belonging in the world.
Losing is a key part of competitive tennis. Here are three examples of how to better deal with it….
1. Find Joy in a Highly Competitive Sport — and Show It
It’s no secret that tennis is an especially high-pressure sport. Players compete alone, travel often, and are subject to constant scrutiny by the press and the sport itself.
Williams’s appreciation for all aspects of her sport, not just winning, is key to her success. “Sports by definition is competitive, hard, stressful, and deals with a constantly changing environment,” Zillmer says. Learning to enjoy all the ups, downs, and pressures of the job, at least to some degree, is the very definition of resilience and mental toughness.
2. Find Motivation in Setbacks
Serena Williams wasn’t always great. “When I was little, I was not very good at tennis. I was so sad when I didn’t get all the early opportunities that Venus got, but that helped me. It made me work harder, turning me into a savage fighter.”
She’s fought her way out of many scoreboard holes to win matches (including, famously, the 2012 U.S. Open championship match), and has been dubbed the “queen of comebacks”.
That kind of determination in the face of adversity is part of what defines mental toughness. Rivalry is a great way for people to learn resilience starting at a young age. Learning to cope with failure early on, and even be motivated by it, is another thing that sets certain individuals apart.
3. Lose With Grace
Losing is part of ALL sports. And Williams has lost many tennis matches throughout her career. She does it with grace — even when she lost the (presumed) final match of her career.
“Dealing with winning is easy, but losing is tough,” Zillmer says. If and when a loser does muster up that good sportsmanship, s)he actually has a lot more to gain by doing it graciously than sorely.
“In sports psychology, losing graciously can also help someone maintain belief in themselves, even after (or because of) a setback.” It can help keep your confidence up, which makes you more likely to succeed in the future.
Extract: Christine Byrne September 8, 2022
TSNSW News: Entries for State Seniors Championships Close 20 Sept
/in News, Tennis Seniors /by RobA reminder that entries close for our State Championships ITF S700 on September 20 at 8pm.
Enter Online at www.itftennis.com/ipin andwww.92computing.com.au/tsnswentry.htm.
There will also be some combined doubles events on the Sunday or Monday. Please register for those with the Tournament Director, Arthur Olsen on 0400 525 591 or enter at the tournament desk on the Friday/Saturday of the tournament.
Sadly, Noel Fraser, the President of TSNSW from 2002 to 2008 passed away recently, on September 14. Noel had been suffering from Prostate Cancer for several years and unfortunately the cancer had spread throughout his body. He had been hospitalised in the Muswellbrook Calvary Retirement Village for some time and passed away with Val Angel his long time partner at his side. Some members would know Noel from the tournament in Muswellbrook which he ran in conjunction with Val, and in his healthier years was a regular at most of the country tournaments and captained a team at the Aust teams event every year. His funeral is at St Marks Church, Aberdeen at 2pm this Wednesday
MLTC Newsletter 6 Sept 2022
/in Club News /by RobClub Captain Report
Rain proved the enemy of our two remaining Mens Teams in their Sydney Badge semis last Saturday.
Both matches were washed out which means their opponents go through to the finals as the higher placed teams.
Our Mens Division 1 Team and Division 7 Teams can both be proud of their achievements this year.
Our Ladies Division 5 Team were also washed out in their final at Collaroy.
This match will be replayed next Saturday at Collaroy.Good luck to our Ladies.
Cameron Green has won the Mens Top Badge Set average this season with a win percentage of 85.3%.
Along with the Ladies winner Bryanne Crabb the two of them have had great seasons and the club appreciates their playing for us.
Hopefully both of them will play in our Club Championships in October.
Social Tennis is on each Saturday now from Noon to 4pm on all courts.
Denis Crowley
MLTC Club Captain
Membership Fees Due Thursday
Best wishes,
Virginia
MLTC Secretary
www.manlylawn.com.au
How Ajla Tomljanovic Faced Down Serena Williams and 24,000 Others
/in Ask the Pro, News /by RobWhen Ajla Tomljanovic was a little girl, she asked her father about a prized photograph of him holding a big trophy on his head. Ratko Tomljanovic was a great professional handball player, winning two European Championships for Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, and was the captain of the Croatian national team; before that, he was a member of the Yugoslavian team.
His daughter wanted to know where that shiny trophy was, because she had never seen it in their home. Ratko Tomljanovic explained that it had been a team award, and that he did not get to keep it. Unimpressed, Ajla told him that she would not play handball.
“I want the trophy just for myself,” she said.
So Ajla Tomljanovic chose tennis, and she is still striving for that big trophy, for a professional championship. She has shown the talent for it, though her nerves have betrayed her at times — what she calls “the bad Ajla.”
But on Friday night, Tomljanovic, who is ranked 46th, demonstrated to herself and the world that she had the mettle and the shotmaking ability to win a trophy of her own. If she wins four more matches in the coming week, it will be one of the most coveted in sports.
That night, Tomljanovic beat the six-time U.S. Open champion Serena Williams, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1, in front of a raucous, partisan crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York to advance to the fourth round of the U.S. Open for the first time.
“I feel like I belong here now,” she said.
That was not necessarily what she was thinking in the moments before she took the court.
Tomljanovic was nervous, and for good reason. Williams was her idol, and Tomljanovic had never played her before. She had never played in Ashe. In fact, she had never even practiced on that court. She had asked tournament organizers if they could find a time for her to hit some balls in the largest tennis stadium in the world at least once, but nothing was available.
Then there was the matter of her playing the role of villain, of facing down nearly 24,000 fans, virtually all of them screaming for Williams to win, and millions more watching on television. It would make anyone a tad nervous.
Tomljanovic confided the anxiety to her father, who was happy that his daughter admitted to the nerves. Better than hiding them, he thought. Ratko Tomljanovic also knew about playing in hostile environments, especially in Europe, where handball is intensely popular and the stakes are high. He tried to calm Ajla by evoking the almost comical role of the hard-bitten veteran of scrappy handball matches — the kind of yarn he had spun to her and his other daughter, Hana, many times before.
“Don’t tell me you are afraid of the crowd,” he told Ajla. “I played in some terrible places with 5,000 people booing and spitting, and one time the crowd came on the floor and there was a big fight. Don’t tell me it’s hard because some guy in the 35th row is yelling at you.”
It was not exactly Mickey yelling at Rocky. It was a speech designed to lighten the mood, and it worked. Ajla laughed. “She doesn’t care about what I did, at all,” Ratko said, chuckling.
But then he brought out another motivational tool. He mentioned one of his favorite movies, “For Love of the Game,” in which a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, played by Kevin Costner, reflects on his life and career in the midst of a perfect game.
“But she didn’t know the movie, so I had to explain it to her,” he said. “I told her, ‘You have to be Kevin Costner today.’”
In the film, he told her, the pitcher focuses explicitly on the catcher’s glove and ignores everything else in the stadium. Ajla understood, and she followed the advice with her own unique resolve.
She blocked out all the noise, the roars for Williams, the indecorous cheers when Tomljanovic missed a serve, all the celebrities in the stands, the video tributes to Williams and her own childhood adulation for Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion standing across the net and playing as well as she had in years. But Tomljanovic was better.
“From the first moment I walked on court, I didn’t really look around much,” she said. “I was completely in my own little bubble.”
Read more –>
MLTC Newsletter 30 Aug 2022
/in Badge, Club News /by RobClub Captain’s Report
Three of our teams played semi finals of Sydney Badge on Saturday and unfortunately we had three losses. Two teams had washouts so will play their semis next Saturday.
Results Semi Finals
Mens Division 1 Washout at Zone Tennis at Wheatleigh St Naremburn. Our Team plays again next Saturday and if a washout again Zone Tennis go to the final as 1st placed Team.
Mens Division 4 Lost 5-3 away at Heffron Park. A close loss to the top team with Dan/Vincent winning 3 sets and Jarryd/Justin playing well with no sets. This Team had a great season and pushed the top team in the semis. Well done.
Mens Division 7 Washout at Cammeray. The match will be replayed next Saturday and our Team is lower placed so hopefully no rain is around.
Mens Division 9 Lost 5-2 to Marrickville at Manly. A disappointing loss as Manly was the higher placed team.Hugo/Denis 2 sets and leading 4-2 in the last set when Marrickville stopped as the match was decided.Chris/Richard went close losing 6-4 6-5 in 2 sets. Still a good year for this Team.
Mens Division 10 Lost 8-0 to Killara at Killara. Killara were much too strong for this Division and will win the final easily. Daniel/Ben Brett/Lachlan tried hard and can be proud of their results this year.
Ladies Division 5 Washout at Beecroft. The Ladies have done well to secure 2nd position on the ladder and will play a Final next Saturday at Collaroy. There are no semis in this Division as only 6 Teams. Good luck to our Ladies.
September is fees time so ensure if you have changed your email lately that our secretary has your new one.
Club Championships will begin after the School Holidays in October so practise your singles as well as doubles play.
SOCIAL TENNIS WILL BE ON ALL COURTS FROM 11.30AM EACH SATURDAY NOW.
Denis Crowley Club Captain
Best wishes,
Virginia
MLTC Secretary
www.manlylawn.com.au
Which court do you want to play on this weekend?
/in Goss, News /by Rob17 Spectacular Tennis Courts Around the World
One doesn’t have to be Roger Federer to appreciate some of the world’s best tennis courts. With exquisite design and picturesque surroundings, you can perfect your strokes on some of the world’s most unique courts, located in places ranging from the Miami skyline to high over New York City.
Designing tennis courts—or any sport facility, for that matter—has both a structured simplicity and an artistic challenge. In many ways, courts are all the same: They measure 78 feet long and 36 feet wide, they’re ideally oriented from the north to the south, and all are marked with the same baselines, service boxes, and cut by the same three-foot net. But with so many predetermined elements, designing something unique presents a difficult but satisfying opportunity when carried out correctly.
With the U.S. Open gearing up to take center court, AD looks at some of the most breathtaking spots to go game-set-match around the world.
La Quinta Resort (Palm Springs)
The Center Court at La Quinta Resort in California offers unique views of towering palms and rugged rock formations. With excellent weather and breathtaking surroundings, it’s no surprise that professionals like Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic have practiced here.
Click here for rest
Hadley Keller, Megan Johnson, and Katherine McLaughlin
Empire, War, Tennis and Me | Book
/in Goss, News /by RobBadge Season Wrap-up | TNSW
/in Badge, Club News /by RobThank-you all for your participation this year, I look forward to working with you all again throughout the 2023 season.
Kind Regards,
Chloe Hule
TNSW
MLTC Newsletter 16 Aug 2022
/in Badge, Club News /by RobClub Captain’s Report
Round 13 of Sydney Badge saw all Manly’s high flying teams score valuable points.
With one round remaining 6 teams still have finals chances.
Round 13 Results
Mens 1 Won 6-2 away v Zone Tennis
Cam/Ben 4 sets Bosko/Oliver 2 sets.
A forfeit of 3 sets helped to defeat the top team. 4th position and almost certain to play in finals.
Mens 2 Lost 6-2 at home v Zone Tennis
Craig/Howard 1 set Geoff/Fernando 1 set. In 7th position
Mens 3 Won 5-3 v Strathfield at home.
Dan/Vincent continued their good form winning 4 sets.Jarryd/Sam 1 set.
Now in 3rd position and safely in finals.
Mens 4 Won 4-4 on games v Strathfield away.
Larry/Rob 2 sets Matthew/Bede 2 sets.
In 3rd position and safely in finals.
Mens 5 Washout v Marrickville away.
Still in 1st position by ½ point.
Mens 6 Won 8-0 v Royal Sydney away
Christo/Daniel 4 sets Lachlan/Brett 4 sets
In 4th position
Ladies 1 Lost 8-0 v Tennis World at home
In 6th position
Ladies 2 Lost 6-2 away at Kooroora
Virginia/Carolina 2 sets
Last weeks appeal was upheld to give 10 valuable points to this team.
Still in 7th position.
Ladies 3 Won 8-0 at home v Sydney Uni
Catherine/Pam 4 sets Melinda/Kate 4 sets
In 2nd position with 2 rounds remaining in this division.
Thursday Ladies Lost 5-3 away to Roseville
Sue/Suellen 2 sets Sally/Lindy 1 set
In 5th position
The Final Round of Badge will be played at home this Saturday so come along to cheer our Teams along
Ladies 1 and Mens 2 and 3 play at 250pm whilst Our Ladies 3 v Collaroy at noon.
SOCIAL TENNIS WILL BE ON 4 COURTS FROM 1130AM TO 230PM
Denis Crowley Club Captain.
Best wishes,
Virginia
MLTC Secretary
www.manlylawn.com.au
MLTC Newsletter – 9 August 2022
/in Badge, Club Captain, Club News /by RobClub Captain’s Report
With only 2 weeks of Badge remaining we still have 6 teams with good chances of making the finals.
As Tiebreakers are very important in finals, especially, I have forwarded to all Captains, Rob Muir’s philosophy of how to win tiebreakers. They will share with their teams.
Rob has done a great job with our two juniors this year. Matthew and Bede are only 13 years old and both have performed excellently this year.
Round 12 results.
Mens 1 Won 6-2 at home v Bisous Estate. Cam/Ben won 4 sets Sean/Oliver 2 sets The team is back 4th now.
Mens 2 Lost 6-2 away at North West Sydney. Wilko/Netto 2 sets. Hoping to finish the season with 2 wins but unlikely to make the finals.
Mens 3 Lost 8-0 away. Despite the big loss this team is still 4th and looks to be safely in the semis
Mens 4 Won 4-4 v Cammeray at home on games. Gavin/Larry 1 set Bede/Matthew 3 sets. The boys paired up together for the first time and won 3 sets against the top team. Safely in the semis the team is hoping for a top 2 finish.
Mens 5 Won 5-3 at home v Chatswood. Hugo/Tom 3 sets Denis/Graham 2 sets. Chatswood were the leading team.
With this win we are now in 1st position. A home semi final is assured.
Mens 6 Lost 5-3 at home v Mosman. James/Peter 1 set Daniel/Gabriel 2 sets. Still in 4th position.
Ladies1 Lost 8-0 away to Roseville. Still in 6th position but unlikely to make the semis.
Ladies 2 Lost 8-0 at home v Kooroora Gold. A protest has been lodged as Kooroora played two reserves with higher ratings than the players they replaced. Now in 8th position.
Ladies 3 Lost 5-3 away to Chatswood. Melinda/Erryn 1 set Barbara/Kate 2 sets. Still in 2nd position but 3 rounds remaining in this grade.
Thursday Ladies
Lost 8-0 at home v Royal Sydney
SOCIAL TENNIS NEXT SATURDAY WILL BE ON FOUR COURTS FROM 11.30AM TO 2.30PM
Teams are reminded to clean up the table and kitchen area after your home Badge Matches please.
Good luck to all teams this week and win your tiebreakers with conservative tennis!
Denis Crowley Club Captain
Working Bee – We will be holding a working bee in early September on a Sunday morning. More details closer to the day.
Best wishes,
Virginia
MLTC Secretary
www.manlylawn.com.au
Badge Tie Breaker Strategy | ATP
/in Ask the Pro, Club Captain, Club News /by RobThis week’s question comes from our club captain: Denis. “With finals approaching do you have a philosophy for tiebreakers?”
Ah… tie breakers. Regrettably most people hate playing tiebreakers! Why?
For some reason, as the pressure mounts towards the end of the set, many feel they have to overplay. Even though it was their current play that got them to the tie breaker!
Now is NOT the time for those trick shots, topspin lobs or the screaming sideline winner that just misses! CONSERVATISM is the name of the game. So what’s our preferred strategy?
First a little background. At our Badge level whether Grade 1 or Grade 10, most points are LOST. Read that again, yep most players beat themselves. Therefore, your basic strategy is to ‘give’ your opponent a chance to miss. You’ll find that, as the pressure builds after 3 or more shots, your opponent will try to finish the point and probably make an error.
So the basic strategy is strong and steady wins tie breakers. Get your first serve in, get your return of serve in play and hit your shots to ‘big targets’ typically down the centre of the court and midcourt to stay in the point. You’re trying to get your opponents to hit the ball to your partner at the net, who has a much greater chance of winning the point for your team.
And to improve that ‘first serve in’ percentage, take a little more time to prepare to serve (i.e. don’t rush) since this is the only time you have control of the point. Nothing happens until YOU serve — use the time to calm down with a little slow breathing. And perhaps, a little more spin to help your control if that’s within your capabilities, otherwise just aim for the middle of the service box. You want a 80% success rate.
When you’re receiving, err on the side of a higher net clearance and aim for the centre of the court to get into the point. A lob return can be a great return in a tie breaker. Even so, lob high — give ’em a chance to miss.
Recognize, there is no need to overplay and do more, rather just try to do more of what you’re been doing a little better. Trust yourself, your game, and do your best. Just keep playing. You might surprise yourself. I guarantee you’ll surprise your opposition!
And lastly, the most important point is always the next one. It’s never over until you shake hands.
Go Manly Lawn!
Rob
MLTC Newsletter – 2 August 2022
/in Club News /by RobRound 11 of Sydney Badge produced a variety of results for our teams with big wins, big losses and two tied results.
With three rounds remaining three of our Mens Teams are safely in the semi-finals and the other three all still have a chance so good luck to all our Teams for the last three rounds.
Round 11 Results
Ladies 1 Lost 7-1 away to Western Suburbs. Janelle/Julia 1 set
Ladies 2 Won 6-2 at home v Chatswood, Virginia/Sarah 4 sets Carolina/Kirsten 2 sets. Virginia has been playing very well this season. Proving she is not only an efficient secretary but very accomplished at tennis and lawn bowls. Good to see Carolina back on the court after her enforced break.
Ladies 3 Lost 4-3 away to Roseville. Kate/Lindy 1 set Barbara/Sue 2 sets. The Ladies are still in second position and hope to remain there as there is only a final in this grade.
Mens 1 Lost 8-0 away to The Hills. A long drive there and a longer drive home!
Mens 2 Tie 4 sets all games even. Milton/Fernando 2 sets Wilko/Netto 2 sets. This team still has a chance to make the semis with good results in the last three rounds.
Mens 3 Won 6-2 at home v Neutral Bay. Dan/Justin 3 sets Jarryd/Vincent 3 sets. Another good win to safely be in 3rd position
Mens 4 Tie 4sets all games even v Kooroora at home. Shishir/Matthew 3 sets Larry/Bede 1 set. Next match v Cammeray at home will decide if this team can become the new leaders. They look safely into the semis.
Mens 5 Won 7-1 at home v Killara. Chris/Graham kept up their winning partnership 4 sets. Richard/Tom 3 sets. This Team is safely in the semis and trying for top position next week v Chatswood.
Mens 6 Won 4-4 on games v Neutral Bay away. Lachlan/James 2 sets Christo/Nick 2 sets. A close win to take 4th position and a win next week v Mosman will put them further ahead of 5th position.
SOCIAL TENNIS WILL BE ON TWO COURTS ONLY FROM 1130AM TO 230PM
Owen Kennedy is back in hospital again so we all wish him the best again to get well soon and out of hospital.
Denis Crowley Club Captain
Court Bookings by Members
Best wishes,
Virginia
MLTC Secretary
www.manlylawn.com.au