The tennis senior league season is almost complete, and as with most seasons, the year has been filled with new experiences for me on and off the court. The competition level was high and the travel to tournaments was demanding. This year was no exception.
“I watched my competitors strengthen their game and improve their fitness by competing against top-level players for a full calendar year. I learned a lot about myself and how I can improve my game to reach my goals this season and beyond. Thankfully, friends, family, teammates, and coaches – everyone who has played a part in this journey with me – supported me and helped make it possible. Although the results did not always match my hard work, the process was rewarding each step of the way,” says Dr Marshall Hubsher, a fine tennis player and a member of the senior mixed league.
In this article, Dr Hubsher, will share more tips for tennis senior league players.
Play more!
“I have always loved to play. It is one of the things that I enjoy most in life. Getting out on the court and competing has always been a dream of mine. The senior league season was a great opportunity to make this a reality. I feel fortunate that I was able to play as much as I did. Unfortunately, I was not able to play as many events this season because of the severe knee injury I sustained in the fall of 2016. This was a huge disappointment, but it also served as motivation to focus even more on practicing and playing in the off-season,” says Dr Marshall Hubsher.
Find the right balance between training, recovery, and rest
Although our bodies need rest to heal, and training is necessary for players to reach their full potential, it is not the only thing that happens during a player’s off-season. In fact, there are a number of other activities that can be very beneficial to your game.
Be realistic about my expectations
“I was aware that this was a long season and that it would be difficult to play more than 21 events. I also knew that the level of competition would be much higher and that I would have to work hard to win many matches. I set realistic expectations for myself and made sure to stick to them. During the season, I was able to see that working hard and playing at a high level dovetailed nicely,” says Dr Marshall Hubsher, who is ranked 20th in the nation for his 70 + category of singles tennis players. He is also a retired psychiatrist who has graduated from State University of New York Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine in 1975.
Stay humble and positive
One of the hardest things for any athlete to do is stay positive when things are not going well. After all, we want to be trying hard and believing in ourselves when things are going well. However, we also have to be honest with ourselves and recognize when things are not going as well as we had hoped.
“I was very fortunate this season to have the help and support of my wife, daughter and son. Being compared to players my age is honestly the best thing that could have happened to me – it motivated me to become a better player and person. Injuries happen and players get criticized for not playing enough. It is important to remember that you have to play in order to win,” indicates Dr Marshall Hubsher.
Bottom line
Senior leagues are a great opportunity for players to get involved in competitive tennis at a higher level. It is also a great way to improve as a player and have some fun doing it.