The document discusses life lessons learned from playing tennis. It emphasizes the importance of fundamentals and techniques in both tennis and life. It uses examples from the author's tennis experiences to illustrate concepts like confidence, determination, focus, handling defeat, teamwork, and channeling energy positively. The overall message is that by applying these qualities in tennis, one can improve their game and also develop important skills applicable beyond the court.

1. [1]
CONFIDENCE
LIFE LESSONS FROM TENNIS
Vu Tran – August 2013
This summer I try to teach my children how to play tennis. As I go through the process to explain the
basic Fundamentals and Techniques, I see the parallel concepts so I capture them to use as reminders for
myself and my children.
Reflecting on the importance of Fundamentals and Techniques, personally I have the real experience
through my life in sports: basketball, swimming, tennis and also martial art. I have learned the
Fundamentals and Techniques in basketball, swimming and tennis since high school as a teenager. For
some reasons, I was stuck with the instructor’s messages of “following the Fundamentals and
Techniques, and do not get too fancy!” There were many of my friends who attempted many “trick
shots” in basketball or tennis, but at the end they were not reliable shots and the team could not depend
on those plays. Now, as I am teaching the boys how to play basketball and tennis, I still apply the same
Fundamentals and Techniques that I have learned from my teenage years. The boys have seen how well
I can shoot the basketball and how good I can cover the tennis court. So, I tell them by knowing and
remembering the Fundamentals and Techniques, even now in my mid-50s I can still consistently make
the 3-pointers on the basketball court, or hit a winning backhand on the tennis court.
Since we are on the subject of learning tennis, I use this
example to help my children to see the link between playing on
the tennis court and applying those concepts in real life.
Whenever I walk out to the tennis court I feel confident
because I have trained myself to develop the stamina and speed
to be on the offense or defense. In a sense, I know the
Fundamentals and Techniques. Furthermore, through all the
years of learning, practicing and facing many challenges in
tournaments, I have faced the “painful” and humiliating losses,
as well as sweet and encouraging wins. In my case, those
humiliating losses turned out to be more beneficial because
they pushed me to improve myself in terms of skill level and
game tactics. Additionally, I have learned how to handle the
moment of defeat in a positive way. After a tough loss, I focus
all my efforts to train in order to face my opponent and do
better the next time. It is a driving force that pushes me to train
harder and determine to improve my skills.
After all these years of playing, I reach a point that winning or
losing is no longer the important factor. Now, I really enjoy the
game and appreciate the gift that I have in order to exercise and
stay healthy. Better yet, I can see “beyond the baseline” and help my children to connect the game of
tennis with the game of life! In this case, I am trying to help them to observe and develop 3 qualities that
can improve their games on and off the courts. I want them to know about Confidence, Determination
and Focus. I explained and showed my children on and off the tennis courts.
Confidence
In tennis, I have developed my confidence through many years of learning, practicing and applying the
Fundamentals and Techniques. At the early stage, I used to come out and practiced with the wall. I can
draw the parallel concept of practicing with the wall and the idea of meditating to control myself. When
I practice with the ball, the harder I hit the faster it comes back to me. If I aim the ball crosscourt at a

2. [2]
DETERMINATION
sharp angle, then I will have to cover a wider distance. I practiced with the wall for about a year to be
able to judge the ball speed and developed my footwork. When I could hit the ball with a little control,
then I would feel confident enough to hit with a real person. Most of my friends were good tennis
players and I had to be at least consistent enough to hit the ball back to them, instead of hitting it out of
the fence! I continued to practice and work on the Fundamentals and Techniques to improve my skills.
Even though my opponents could easily beat me and I also made many costly mistakes or “unforced
errors” but I learned from those losses. Through the competition in tournaments, I could see my fortes
and weaknesses. Gradually, I have made progress and observed that my opponents could not exploit or
take advantage of my weak side anymore. I was able to become a complete player who could handle
both wings – the forehand and backhand. From this perspective, I feel confident that I can cover both
sides. My opponent has to be in a higher ranking, who can completely dominate the points with the
powerful serves and accurate ground strokes to defeat me. Even though I feel very confident in my
game, but I also know a good player when I see one. In a way, I know my limit and recognize a better
player so I can continue to learn to improve myself. I have a very high level of confidence when I am on
the tennis court, but it does not mean that I am too arrogant or cocky. In fact, I know I am good, but
there are better players, too. With this level of confidence, I do not beat myself by making silly mistakes
and I constantly try my best on every point. If the other player is better, then I need to wisely recognize
this fact in order to observe and learn from him/her. Being defeated by a better player does not bruise
my ego or destroy my confidence. In fact, I learn from it so I can improve myself and hopefully I can do
a little better the next time. This is the principle I try to pass on to my children through the fun times
from the tennis court.
Determination
Physical endurance or stamina is a very important factor in the game of tennis. I have played in many
tournaments to discover that during a seesaw battle, by the time we reached the final set I ran out of
steam and lost the match!
The training to develop my physical endurance began from my
mind. I needed to have the strong determination to follow
through as I worked on the Fundamentals and Techniques.
From this aspect, I had to constantly push myself to be
disciplined and stayed with the Fundamentals and Techniques
even though there were moments my body was exhausted, or
the game was meaningless. Combining this determination or
will power with the knowledge and experience from many
matches, I was able to utilize my energy wisely. There were
shots I knew I could get, and I pushed myself to run for it.
There were game points I knew that by getting to the drop
shots, I would not win anyway, so I reserved my energy for a
better chance. I have seen players who continuously chased
after everything just to show their physical conditions, and
they were impressive, too. It is good to observe their levels of
discipline and training. But I know my own limit, so I try to
reserve my energy and use it in a point that I can give myself a
chance of winning. The key is the determination to constantly
try my best and never give up. This level of will power can
benefit us better when we apply it with consciousness. I point
out the parallel views on this concept to help my children see
from the tennis matches to the challenges in life.

3. [3]
FOCUS
Focus
After playing singles for many years, I was able to develop a fairly consistent groundstroke game.
However, I still struggled with doubles because of the speed and the opponent’s net play. In the game of
singles, I did not have to worry about the person at the net. But in doubles, the person at the net
constantly moved to intercept my shots and my partner would eventually “eat” the ball. I would not dare
to be at the net because everything happened too fast and I would be a sitting target for the opponents.
In the game of doubles, I had to develop my
eyes to really focus on the ball without being
distracted by the opponent at the net. Also, I had
to learn how to volley and it required hand-eye
coordination together with footwork. When I am
at the net, I have the confidence that my partner
is covering the back court so I can anticipate and
intercept the opponent shot. With a high level of
confidence in my partner, I can be aggressive
and use the poaching tactics to disrupt the
opponent’s rhythms and shots. In the same
manner, I can focus on the returning game to hit
good approach shots and setup for my partner to
have a winning volley.
When I could handle myself quite well in singles, I discovered that the game of doubles required more
than my skills. In fact, I was able to hit all the shots consistently but if I could not play together with my
partner then we would lose. In doubles, both players have to combine their fortes and try to cover each
other’s weaknesses. As a team, we need to be able to communicate clearly with each other, and
encourage or support each other through the tough points. This task requires a high level of focus,
determination and confidence. In a competitive doubles match, one of our strategies was to disrupt the
opponent’s harmony by trying to put pressure on the weaker player either with our serves, approach
shots, poaching... When we saw both players beginning to argue or yell at each other, then we knew we
have won the psychological battle. From the mental breakdown, these players started to make more
“unforced” errors. This is another concept of teamwork that I try to explain to my children. Here, I use
the example from the partners in tennis doubles to reflect on the partners in life who may be the family
members, friends, colleagues... If we can synchronize our levels of Confidence, Determination and
Focus to work together in harmony, then this team will be able to overcome any challenge or problem.
Finally, I put all the pieces together and explain to my children about the concept of using their energy
positively and wisely. In a way, they have to be in control of their emotions and temper. I analyze to my
children that during a very competitive match, sometimes the pressure gets to me and my shots are off.
After losing a big point, instead of feeling angry or upset and I bang or break my racket, I need to calm
down and regain my composure to think of the next point. From this aspect, I do not waste my energy
because of my temper outbursts. These actions are negative because I will eventually drain my own
energy or get penalized, especially in the case of racket abuse! I conserve my energy and continue to
work on my game plan to find a way to correct my mistakes. By doing so, I can reserve and direct my
energy in a positive way. This level of self-control requires Confidence, Determination and Focus. It can
help to lift up my game in singles as well as doubles. It shows more in doubles because I can direct this
positive energy to help my partner, too. These concepts can be applied outside the tennis court and I use
the game strategy to remind my children so they can improve themselves as better tennis players, but
more importantly, as conscientious human beings.