When I play tennis I keep lowering myself to my worse opponents' levels and its ruining my whole game With every ounce of confidence I just lose energy and get lazy Can anybody teach me how to stop?

Answer 1

When playing against a lesser opponent, you need to concentrate on doing the little things right. When you play against someone that you are better than, you tend to create bad habits because you can still win regardless of your lackadaisical play. This becomes an issue when one starts playing against individuals that are equal or better in ability. The bad habits that were created in your previous win, will inhibit you from playing at your potential and will most likely result in a frustrating loss. When playing a person that you are superior to, you must focus on the basics, and make sure that you do not get sloppy. Try to play the same way that you would play against a more talented opponent. Also, if you can, when playing an inferior opponent, try to be as competitive and conscious of your play as you are when playing someone of your ability. That's very important, because once you start feeling bad for your opponent or lose your competitive edge, you will start to play with bad habits.