How Tennis Taught Me to Love Competition

I've been playing tennis since I was five years old, and I'm not going to lie: It's hard work! But the sport has also taught me so much about being competitive and motivated in my everyday life that I don't think I would have learned anywhere else. If you play tennis or know someone who does, here are three ways tennis teaches us to love competition like pros!

The success & failure cycle

I started playing tennis when I was eight years old. At first, I was terrible. I lost nearly every match I played. But I kept practicing and competing, and slowly but surely, I started to improve. With each victory, my love for the sport grew. And with each defeat, I learned valuable lessons about sportsmanship and resilience. Today, tennis is one of my favorite things in the world. It's taught me much about myself and how to handle success and failure. For example, if I win a tournament, I'm still motivated to work hard because there will always be another competitor who can overtake me if I slack off. If I lose a game, a set, or even a whole match, it doesn't matter because as long as I give my best effort, I'll feel proud of myself regardless of the outcome. To this day, whenever I play competitive matches, I think back to all those games where I had to face adversity and fight back from behind to try again tomorrow. That's what has given me such an appreciation for the entire process-the, the highs & lows-and why tennis has become such an essential part of my life.

What makes a good competitor?

I've been playing tennis since I was a kid. It's always been one of my favorite sports. I love the feeling of hitting the ball across the net and watching my opponent run to try and get it. There's something about the competition that gets me going. And while some people might say they don't like competing, when you're good at something, you enjoy the thrill of outdoing your opponents. 

I'll never forget this time when I played in this tournament in Vegas with all these other juniors from all over the country. We were all so competitive, but at the same time, we were having fun trying to beat each other. The whole week felt like an adventure because we were away from home for so long - but every day, we had another match waiting for us and someone else who wanted to play us. We all showed up on Saturday morning and watched as our names got called off. I had to compete against three girls before it was finally my turn. As soon as I stepped onto the court, I got that nervous energy again, like before any game started. But then everything calmed down, and suddenly there was a great sense of satisfaction when I won my first round 6-2 against Abby. 

I lost in the next round, but after that victory on Saturday morning, it didn't matter what happened later - or even if I lost in the final games!

Lessons learned from competing.

I've been playing tennis since I was a little girl. I loved the feeling of hitting the ball over the net and running to get it. As I got older, I started playing in tournaments. At first, I was just happy to be there. But then I began to get more competitive. I wanted to win. And that's when I realized that tennis is the perfect sport for me. When you compete, you always do your best and push yourself because someone else is challenging you. You never feel like giving up because you know they will beat you if you give up now. That person is standing right across from you - waiting for you to falter so they can move on to the next round. That person wants what you have. The person across from me might wish for my spot in the tournament, or maybe they want my ranking position. Whatever it is, we're both battling for something bigger than ourselves. For some people, competition can be stressful but being able to live with me after knowing I did everything I could have taught me how to love matches.

Warming up and stretching

Before you start playing tennis, it's essential to warm up and stretch. This will help prevent injuries and ensure you're ready to give your all during the game. I like to take a few laps around the court and do arm and leg swings. Once I'm feeling loose, I'll start hitting some practice balls. You can get in a groove when you're practicing by yourself. And don't forget to smile! It may seem silly, but smiling while you play helps you focus and concentrate on the task: winning! So many people are intimidated by competition because they think they won't be able to win. But if you go into it expecting to have fun, focusing on how much you enjoy the game and every moment of it...then that becomes a lot easier. Every time we step onto the court for a match, my coach always reminds us we're going out there to have fun! That doesn't mean I don't want to win - what I mean is that tennis is just something that brings me joy. Sometimes we lose even though we played our best; sometimes, we win even though we had an off day; and sometimes, things work out in ways we couldn't have imagined.

Practice, practice, practice!

I remember when I was first starting to play tennis. I would go out on the court and hit the ball without any real purpose. I soon realized that if I wanted to improve, I would need to practice. And so I did. Every day, I would go out and hit the ball against the wall or a practice partner. Slowly but surely, my game improved. As I improved my skills and won more matches, I started to enjoy playing more and more. Today, I love playing because it allows me to compete against others while also improving my skills. My favorite part of tennis is focusing all my energy on one thing: winning! I'm grateful for everything tennis has taught me and how much fun it can be. It has given me confidence in myself, introduced me to working hard towards achieving my goals, helped develop my motor skills and hand-eye coordination, and provided opportunities to meet new people with similar interests. Plus, nothing beats practicing at the park next to a beautiful view!

Focus on technique

I started playing tennis when I was seven years old. My dad had played in college and wanted me to try it out. Initially, I didn't enjoy it, but my dad kept pushing me to stick with it. After a few years, I started to get better, and I began to enjoy the competition. Now, I love tennis because it has taught me how to compete. And no matter what you do, you will have better people than you. And even if you're not as good as someone else, that doesn't mean that you can't still win sometimes. I also like that there are so many different game ways. You can choose between singles or doubles or mixed doubles; play from the baseline or behind the net; use a backhand or forehand; go for an ace (a shot hit very hard); serve overhand or underhand. There's so much variety! It also helps keep things interesting because no two games will ever be the same. In addition, tennis is social-you. You'll make friends with your opponents after you've battled them on the court!

Listen to the coach

I started playing tennis when I was six years old. My dad had played in college and loved the game, so he signed me up for lessons. I quickly developed a love for the sport. The feeling of hitting the ball just right, the sound of the ball bouncing off my racket, and the satisfaction of winning a point were all addicting. But what I loved most about tennis is that it taught me how to compete. 

It's no secret that competition can sometimes be frustrating and frustratingly tedious. However, as kids, we are too young to know this; even if we're aware of it, we don't understand it yet. So we see an opportunity to learn how to succeed by testing our skills against others. It's like trying on different outfits without being judged or criticized: you get feedback, but you're still yourself underneath it all. When your teammate hits a great shot, it pushes you to try harder next time- because, after all, you want them to be proud of you too!

Stay focused in matches.

In tennis, you must be mentally tough and focused on winning. The best players can block distractions and focus on the task. For me, this has translated into other areas of my life. Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed or stressed, I try to remember what it feels like to be in the zone during a match. This helps me stay calm and focused on performing my best. Whether playing tennis, sitting for an exam, or taking an important phone call, I do my best when I feel confident and comfortable. 

It's one thing to talk about playing well while relaxing at home with your favorite pet - but another to bring those skills into stressful situations. Yet the more pressure-filled moments we get used to conquering without breaking a sweat (literally), the easier it becomes for us to make even more significant strides in our personal lives. 

But don't take just my word for it - every sports psychologist knows that being able to manage pressure is crucial if you want to see success in any field outside of sports.

What winning feels like

There's nothing quite like the feeling of winning a tennis match. You come out on top when all your hard work and practice pay off. Tennis has always been about pushing myself to be the best I can be. And when I win, it feels like all that effort was worth it. It doesn't matter if I'm playing for fun or in a competitive tournament; it's just so satisfying when I play well and win. The feeling is even better when I do it against an opponent at my skill level. A lot of times during a game, one player will get ahead. The other player might panic and make mistakes they otherwise wouldn't have made. But if I stay calm and focused, and keep my cool no matter what happens, then there is no way that they'll be able to beat me. That type of victory gives me such a high—I feel invincible!

Use positive self-talk

I used to think that competition was everything. That if I wasn't winning, I was losing. But tennis has taught me that the absolute joy is in the journey, not the destination. No matter the score, I always feel like a winner on the court. Because, in the end, it's not about whether you win or lose. It's about how you play the game. And every time I step onto the court, I play for myself and my team. 

I love how short tennis is. There are no weird rules or penalties for giving up a point- like in soccer. And everyone starts with an equal chance: even if you're playing against someone who's more experienced than you are, you can still give them a run for their money! It's also entertaining because each player gets a chance to show off their personality and style on the court- which is why I have so many excellent racquets! You can't use your hands, so your gear becomes an extension of yourself.