Okay, so I’ve been hitting the tennis courts a bit more lately. Nothing serious, you know, just trying to get some exercise and not completely embarrass myself. And I end up watching a lot of pro matches, just to see how it’s supposed to be done.
Lately, I found myself watching Elina Svitolina quite a bit. Especially seeing her comeback, it’s pretty remarkable. What always strikes me is how she just hangs in there. Point after point. Doesn’t seem like she blasts everyone off the court, but man, she makes you work for everything. Her consistency seemed like something maybe, just maybe, I could try to copy a little bit.
My Little Experiment
So, I went out last weekend with this idea. Forget hitting winners. My goal was simple: just get the ball back over the net. Keep the rally going. Channel some of that Svitolina grind. How hard could it be, right? Just focus on making contact and getting it back in play.
Well, let me tell you. It was rough.
- First few shots, okay, concentrating hard. Ball goes back.
- Then my opponent hits one slightly wider. My feet felt like concrete. Scramble. Ball hits the net.
- Next point, I get a few back. Then I pop one up short. Easy put-away for the other guy.
- Tried focusing just on footwork. Getting there early. But then my swing would get all tense.
It was exhausting! Way harder than it looks on TV. Watching Svitolina, you see the determination, but you don’t feel the sheer physical effort and mental focus needed just to consistently return the ball under pressure. Every single shot.
What I Learned
So, did I suddenly become a super consistent player? Absolutely not. Far from it. My game is still, well, my game.
But the whole exercise gave me a totally different appreciation for what players like Svitolina do. It’s not just about hitting nice shots. It’s about the incredible discipline. The footwork, the concentration, the fitness to do it again and again and again. That resilience you see? It’s built on a foundation of just relentless work.
Watching her play now, I see something different. It’s not just a tennis match. It’s seeing that grind in action, and having even a tiny taste of how difficult it is makes it way more impressive. So yeah, that was my little Svitolina tennis practice session. Didn’t fix my backhand, but definitely opened my eyes.
