16 April 2021

Focus in Decisive Moments

George Chilikov

Local Tennis League matches have been great fun and have helped me build consistency on the court.

 

What got you started with Local Tennis Leagues?

I have always been passionate about tennis, but it was not until Grigor Dimitrov’s win at the Queen’s Club in 2014 that I started playing more regularly. For a couple of years I was playing mostly doubles. It was great fun, but I felt it didn’t really help me build consistency and mental strength on court during competitive singles matches with my friends. I had heard about the League from friends and gave it a go.

 

What do you love about it?

The LTL matches have been super helpful to learn to stay focused on court, in particular at decisive moments in the game. The players are quite different most of the time so this your helps you get used to different playing styles. LTL provides you with the opportunity to meet and play with similarly keen and passionate tennis players. You get to the point where you would win the right amount of matches to stay motivated, but also meet stronger players which make you stretch and improve. I also like it because often you do not know the person you are playing with and so it is easier to focus on your own game.

 

Tell us about some match highlights.

A few months ago I played against someone who was apparently more experienced and consistent than me. I always get a bit intimidated when I can’t keep the rally during warm ups. I was losing 2-3 during the first set, on my serve at 0-40 – tough place to be in. Well, I managed to pull it off and win! The match was great fun until the end. Since then, I started having a little more confidence when lagging behind.

 

Would you recommend LTL to other players?

I would recommend to everyone who likes to practice consistently and play competitive matches to join any of the Local Leagues. After a few games you will realise you are better than you thought! Moving up and down the groups also ensures you have a chance to play against people with a variety of playing styles. Tennis is one of those things you enjoy more as you get better at it.

 

Looking to improve your tennis and start playing competitively? There's a Local League for you.