Have you experienced injuries or pains during tennis matches, lost focus or maybe even had to retire the match? I have, and it is very frustrating! After something like a pain or injury happens, it's extremely difficult to really focus on the game. Even if you try to ignore it, you'll probably unintentionally compensate for the injured area and play differently, so you are most likely to mishit the shots.
I was very excited to watch Mutua Madrid Open’s final a few weeks ago because Kei Nishikori, a Japanese tennis player, was fighting against World #1 player Rafael Nadal (known as the “King of Clay”).
I couldn’t believe what was happening on TV because Nishikori was beating up the “King of Clay”. Nishikori was too good and it seems like Nadal could not figure out what to do with it. Nishikori got the first set easily by 6-2.
Then, in the 2nd set, it was still Nishikori who was dominating the game, until something happened to Nishikori’s back. From that point, there was no way Nishikori could beat the world's #1 player while experiencing so much pain in his body. Nishikori started missing the shots and Nadal came back from that point and took the 2nd set, 6-4.
Nishikori was extremely disappointed because he knew that he had to retire in the final before it got serious. In the 3rd set, it was 0-3 and Nishikori came to Nadal during changeover and shook hands to retire.
At first I thought Nishikori could have won the match if he didn't get injured because he was doing so well in the first set, but then I thought about it in a different way . . .
Nishikori couldn’t win the match because he hasn’t built up enough strength to play against all the top players and go through the entire tournament.
This is something you don’t want in your tennis game, and exactly why we offer tennis specific training programs at The New Basis. We offer prioritized, systematic training programs that helps your body get strong enough to enjoy your tennis for years to come! Check out our Refuse To Lose program for more information.