Hi everyone and welcome to another Tennis Lesson Online! 

Please send any new tennis buffs that would like my free monthly lesson to tom@tenniswarrior.com

 
I am in the process of finishing my next audio tape series.  It will be a two tape series entitled "The Truth about Winning." It's approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes long. The only thing left to do is record it and then have it packaged. I think you'll like it! I bring the listener through 4 levels, basic, intermediate, advanced, and professional. Each level builds on the one before until the listener understands the truth about winning! 

Along the way you'll learn: what negative thinking really is, a technique to help you stay positive, two winning mindsets, the fight between your emotions and mentality, a master principle to help you evaluate, and a whole lot more! I'll let you know when it's complete and add it to the audio list below. 

The lesson this month is taken from these audio tapes.  It's entitled "Tennis repeats itself...so lighten up!"  Enjoy it!

Now, after you read the lesson I have a favor to ask. I am trying to name the system that I have created in tennis and have a few names written below. I thought it would be excellent to get some of your feedback on these names and any new ones you may think of.  I'll take whatever suggestions you may have.  Also, as you know I hope to eventually have a website you can go to. It looks like the domain name will be www.tenniswarrior.com. I'll let you know when it's up and running.

What do you think of some of these names? Does one stick out to you more than another? If you have any ideas for a name please let me know. 

The "T" Factor Tennis System
The Tennis Warrior Training System 
The "Think Factor" Tennis System
The Instinctive Tennis System

Thanks!

Welcome to the tennis lesson hotline, sponsored by Tom's Tennis Tapes, "educating players one mind at a time." I'm Tom Veneziano. This lesson lasts approximately 2 minutes and changes on the first of every month.

Tennis repeats itself......so lighten up!  Did you know that what happens on the tennis court repeats itself?  Just like history, it repeats itself.  We also learn from history that we learn nothing from history!  Unfortunately, the same is true for tennis.  We rarely learn from events that repeat themselves.  In addition, not only does tennis repeat itself for you, it repeats itself for others.

For instance, you had some bad luck and lost a point, this is not unique to you only, it's happened over and over again....you've been passed at the net with a blazing shot from your opponent, this is not unique to you, it's happened over and over again...you were ahead 5-1 and then lost, this is not unique to you, it's happened over and over again....these and many, many more situations happen over and over and over again.  What happens on the tennis court will repeat itself! 

You may be saying to yourself, you're right, all of these things have happened to me....it's horrible!  I know I have to correct these problems before I can win.... Right?....Wrong! These things happen all the time, yet champions still win! They've missed easy shots and won!...they've had bad breaks and won!...they've been passed numerous times and won!...and they've played poorly and still won!...these situations are not deciding factors in whether they are winners or losers. 

The point I'm trying to make is to look at the long term picture, don't isolate these situations by thinking short term. These situations are always going to occur, so you might as well get used to them.  Listen to this excellent definition of tournament toughness found in Carlos Goffi's book entitled "Tournament Tough." "Tournament toughness is that mental resilience and flexibility that separates the champions from the pack, allowing them to win against opponents who are technically more skillful and physically more powerful, even when they themselves are playing poorly."  I like that ending, "even when they themselves are playing poorly."  In other words, mentally tough competitors do not always have to play perfectly to win.  They have learned to improvise when they are confronted with obstacles and adverse situations.

If you're like most players you have in your mind a preconceived idea about the way you think you should play. When this does not occur you become frustrated and angry. Since tennis, or for that matter anything else in life, does not happen exactly the way you think it should, you spend a lot of time being a little frustrated. As a result, you lose confidence and start playing tentatively or you just mentally quit! 

It's always tough for me to get players to part with these false expectations.  For example, after reading this lesson you'll go out and play, miss an easy shot and immediately think, "I make that shot all the time. What happened? Why did I miss? I can't believe how horribly I'm playing." Somehow your brand of mistakes are not the same as the mistakes I've been talking about.  You rationalize...I make that shot all the time, I shouldn't miss!

My answer to you is this, it's obvious you do not make that shot all the time because.....you just missed!  How's that for being blunt?  The truth is, you're so hung up on preconceived ideas about the way you think you should play, you become mentally distracted by your mistakes and never apply the solution.  You are so preoccupied with the problem, you ignore the solution!  Again, the solution is, tennis repeats itself....so lighten up!!!

Your email tennis coach,

Tom 

1999 Tom Veneziano

"Tom deals with the thinking end of tennis like no one else. It's almost too difficult to explain, you have to experience it. He has an uncanny knack for getting right to the heart of the matter. You come away thinking, that's right: it makes sense!"

Colleen Cremer, Houston, TX.

"It's interesting to note that everyone can use these tapes from beginner to championship level. You can apply the information to whatever level you play on."

Dan Hanusa, Houston, TX.

" Tom's audio cassettes have changed my thinking, aligning it with the correct information needed to improve my game. He's right there with you, inside your head, challenging you to make those changes. It's like having your own personal coach! I highly recommend his tapes for everyone."

Linda Zimmerman, Houston, TX.

"On the way to my HLTA match I listened to Tom's tape, "Some Before Match Pointers." Call it a coincidence, but I won my first HLTA match ever! I just seemed to be in a better frame of mind. Thanks, Tom."

Mary Ogden, Houston, TX.

"Tom and I have been friends for over twenty years. It's not surprising to me players talk so positively about his tapes. He's always possessed exceptional athletic ability along with an unusual analytical mind. Tom simply likes to think! At times he would drive me crazy, but he was the driving force behind my journey into tennis. I'm 6'1" and Tom is 5'6" but I could never beat the little imp! All joking aside, if Tom's thinking is on audio cassettes, you should listen! You'll never view tennis the same way again!"

Sam Lacava, Tennis Professional, Stewartsville, N.J.

Thank you all for the testimonials! I appreciate it!

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