Humbled on the tennis court
So after two weeks of winning more sets than I lost, and feeling like I was playing tennis like a rockstar, beating and playing close matches with guys 19 and 20 years younger...
I was greatly humbled by a guy 20 years older than me, losing 6-1, 6-1. At the time, this kind of loss was a little tough on my new and confident "ego". But, after a few days, I feel like this was a necessary experience right now. Strangely enough, it's kind of a pattern that I don't like playing guys who are a generation older than me, and I end up losing to them.
It's something that I need to figure out mentally. These guys seem to win all on touch and placement. They don't move around quickly, but when they hit it back, they never miss their spot. They are masters at the lob and the drop shot, and especially the easy passing shot.
But I tend to get angry as a player only when I play these guys who are 60 and older. I don't get angry when I lose generally - only when the old guys beat me, or when I think the older guys are cheating on a call, etc.
OK.. hold on to your hats..
I wonder if I get angry at these older guys because I spend a lot of my own mental and emotional energy trying to conquer the aging process in my body/mind/spirit. I'm driven at 45 to be better than I was before, and in so many ways I feel like I am. I have a skin regimen that I use daily that has helped me stay looking maybe 10 years younger than I am. I don't mind aging, so long as it's not affecting me, or as long as I still get the comments of "I would've never guessed you to be 45."
I always believe that tennis can be a metaphor for life, and I know that when I'm getting beaten by these guys in the senior leagues, that the real opponent I have is myself, and it has nothing to do with my tennis really....
Hmm.. anyone out there have any good advice for me now that I think this is what's happening??
I was greatly humbled by a guy 20 years older than me, losing 6-1, 6-1. At the time, this kind of loss was a little tough on my new and confident "ego". But, after a few days, I feel like this was a necessary experience right now. Strangely enough, it's kind of a pattern that I don't like playing guys who are a generation older than me, and I end up losing to them.
It's something that I need to figure out mentally. These guys seem to win all on touch and placement. They don't move around quickly, but when they hit it back, they never miss their spot. They are masters at the lob and the drop shot, and especially the easy passing shot.
But I tend to get angry as a player only when I play these guys who are 60 and older. I don't get angry when I lose generally - only when the old guys beat me, or when I think the older guys are cheating on a call, etc.
OK.. hold on to your hats..
I wonder if I get angry at these older guys because I spend a lot of my own mental and emotional energy trying to conquer the aging process in my body/mind/spirit. I'm driven at 45 to be better than I was before, and in so many ways I feel like I am. I have a skin regimen that I use daily that has helped me stay looking maybe 10 years younger than I am. I don't mind aging, so long as it's not affecting me, or as long as I still get the comments of "I would've never guessed you to be 45."
I always believe that tennis can be a metaphor for life, and I know that when I'm getting beaten by these guys in the senior leagues, that the real opponent I have is myself, and it has nothing to do with my tennis really....
Hmm.. anyone out there have any good advice for me now that I think this is what's happening??