The pros in New York show how to handle pressure, exploit opponent weaknesses, and stay calm after setbacks.
Every year, the US Open offers tennis at the absolute highest level. But away from spectacular rallies and hard serves, there are valuable lessons for us recreational players to learn. Anyone who follows the matches closely quickly sees that matches are decided not just by raw power, but above all in the head and through the right tactics. The current matches from New York show, especially in the areas of mental strength, footwork, and match tactics, what really matters.
A major theme among the pros is the ability to block out external factors. According to reports from Ubitennis, Aryna Sabalenka explained after her victory against Taylor Townsend how she deals with the pressure surrounding the world ranking lead: she completely blocks out calculation games and statistics on social media and focuses only on what she can control herself. For your own game, this means: do not let yourself be distracted by mistakes, the score, or disturbing influences. Focus only on the next point.
Linda Noskova also proved how important it is to keep going after tough setbacks. In her match against Marta Kostyuk, the Wimbledon champion missed two match points in the second set and still lost the set. Despite this mental setback, she managed to refocus in the third set and win the match. We all know such situations from club holidays or league matches: a lead that seemed secure melts away. Here, the key is to immediately put the frustration behind you and start the game in your head from scratch again.
Carlos Alcaraz demonstrated in his straight-sets victory against Tommy Paul that excellent footwork is the absolute foundation for aggressive shots. Alcaraz emphasized after the match that he was ready to run for every ball and permanently build up pressure. His extremely fast footwork allows him to always position himself perfectly to the ball, which keeps him in control even from a defensive position.
Sabalenka also pointed out, with regard to her match against Noskova, how important footwork is against high-pressure opponents: you have to stay particularly low in your knees to be able to control the high pace and energy of the shots at all. Anyone in recreational sports who stands too upright or moves too late loses control of the ball.
The duel between Ben Shelton and Stefanos Tsitsipas provided a tactical prime example. According to analyses by tennisnet.com, the match-up did not suit the Greek player at all, as Shelton repeatedly put Tsitsipas's one-handed backhand under extreme pressure with high topspin balls. Shelton consistently exploited this tactical weakness and did not let Tsitsipas get into the game at all.
For your next match, this means: observe your opponent very closely during the warm-up. Where are the weaknesses? Do they have problems with low balls, high topspins, or at the net? As soon as you have identified a weakness, you should align your tactics accordingly and patiently target this zone.
Your takeaway: Focus only on things you can influence yourself, stay low in your knees, and specifically target your opponent's weaknesses.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.