Hello again! The US Open is right around the corner and it’s going to be a great test for all the players to see who can bring the goods and end the year with huge bang. I am personally looking forward to seeing if Federer can stop Nadal/Djokovic (possibly for the last time?! Hope NOT!) but as critics and people close to the sport have begun to bring up Fed’s age, confidences, and foot speed, it’s tough to not let doubt trickle in… On a more progressive note, maybe Djokovic can make another run at a Slam and end up completing of the most incredible calendar years in tennis history. He’s a beast with the best wheels in the game right now and a wicked forehand that has been slaying opponents all year long. He hardly needs the luck but maybe a big striker has the potential to deliver K.O. style power that the hardcourts at the Open are bound to aid. Lastly, hope all of our East Coast friends are coping well with Hurricane Irene, I can’t compete with Sven’s “eye-of-the-storm” pics that he’s shared, but let me share some of the events that have taken place over here on the West Coast!
First off, my practice with Alexandra Stevenson went well yesterday and I’ve been lucky enough to be able to set up more practices times next week with her! I’m excited to keep learning about pros and their mentalities during practice, it helps me key into the kind of persona I need to have while I’m practicing. At times lately I find myself wondering about other players, worrying about things I can’t control, and putting myself in other people’s shoes. This is not healthy when you’re trying to consistently hit forehands deep crosscourt haha! Tennis is a game of self-belief and control: over one’s emotions, thoughts, body, and temper… Right now, I’m trying to put together the belief that I can walk into any tournament regardless of my level of experience and take it to whoever stands across the net (no ifs ands or buts!) And oddly enough, I’ve been tinkering around with some newer rackets on the market and I think a change is in the winds! I’ll update you later on what the final decision is but for the past 2 days I’ve been using a different frame than my college choice of 4 years! I’m shopping around to find out where I can get the best deals on a new quiver of rackets so until then it’s just me and this demo frame!
The other events are a little more routine and have remained constant the past few days. I train in the mornings at Advantage Tennis Academy in Irvine, CA and head to the gym everyday in the late afternoons. I’m constantly munching on sandwiches, salads, protein shakes, pastas, proteins, bananas, and anything with carbs in it to keep my energy levels up. I already feel stronger after a solid week since returning from Hawaii and I think some of the excess has burned off and some lean muscle is starting to show up! I’d say if I start looking the part of a pro then we should be expecting the same results right? You don’t want to have “spray-on” muscles do you?! Along with physical training comes mental training; the ability to endure the struggle and pain of obtaining growth. As your body is strained and your fitness is put to the test everyday, it’s a constant struggle to keep your mind sharp through all aspects of training; Those are the times when you can truly tell if a person is 100% dedicated or whether the initial work and dedication was just some energized/hyped-up attempt. As I prepare for my Futures event in mid-september, I will remain diligent to keep my mind OFF the tournament and its qualifying draw! There are more important things like stretching, rolling on a foam roller, and using a massage stick on my sore and tight legs at the moment… Remember, stay light, balanced, positive, and in the moment. Let everything that you cannot control happen and adapt as best you can.
Always trying to improve,
Shubert
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