The best way to understand tendencies in the game is to carefully watch the best players in action They are the trend setters the future, and provide the necessary cues for every player development coach and competitive player.
Here are 8 lessons from the US Open final that every competitive player should absorb
1) Tennis is a game of movement. If you do not LOVE to run and chase balls you are in the wrong sport.
2) You need to find comfort being uncomfortable. Battling for hours for every point hurts! If you are not willing to accept and even enjoy the pain, you do not have a chance.
3) Being in the best physical condition is mandatory; anything else is a waste of time.
4) Make sure you have a complete arsenal. A few points mark the difference between winning and losing. Having a complete game including variations such as slice, lobs, serve and volley, drop shot, etc. is essential.
5) You can always improve or reinvent yourself! If Nadal can manage to continue to improve by serving faster and more accurately than ever and looking much more comfortable at the net, so can you.
6) Learn to adjust! Find out what works against a specific opponent and use it. Medvedev is not a serve and volleyer but the tactic worked against Nadal. Nadal does not use the slice often but slicing to Medvedev’s backhand was a determinant factor in this match.
7) The goal is not to look good but to play “good.” Medvedev’s technique is frequently criticized because ii does not totally conform to the norm. However, the goal of technical training is not to develop perfect form but to learn how to handle any shot from your opponent and return it with the desire combination of spin, speed, direction, height and depth. It is not a beauty contest!
8) Do not forget “defense.” There has been a lot of talk about the importance of first strike tennis. However, anyone who watched the match could not have missed the incredible defensive skills displayed by both, Nadal and Medvedev. Big serves and big forehands are great but there is a clear place for sky-high defensive lobs and full-stretch-slices.
Learn from the best to be the best!