31 May 2019

It's the thought that counts

Anthony Crawley

Always keen on tennis, Anthony hit his stride when he started playing matches, testing himself under-pressure, while still determinded to go for every point

As a child, I played a small amount of tennis and loved the sport and when I went to uni, I played as part of the society. After graduating but before full time employment I decided to try to learn properly. This became a passion and I couldn't spend enough time on a court! After playing and learning in an informal setting I realised I needed some competition to really improve.

I like the mix of physical and mental challenges given by the sport, and it is a skill that is never mastered. We can always tweak and improve on tennis skills or tactics and all aspects of the sport. No two points are the same! 

You need a metric, by which to judge improvement, and competition is the best way to see if your practice is paying off. Can I still perform under the pressure of competition? 

I would say I am quite a thought-out player. I like to have a plan of how I want to play a point, but definitely like to go for a big shot if I get a chance.  I try to never hold back or play within myself. Win or lose, I like to leave knowing I did my best. 

Playing matches has certainly helped me improve. It is great practising and practising but so often I could fall apart under the pressure of points. Being in the league has helped me with that. 

I have played some fantastic matches over the years from some early starts on a Sunday morning playing in the sun to some frosty slidey evenings playing til the lights turn out. Hard to pinpoint an exact match but they have all been great!

I would wholeheartedly recommend the league. Anytime I meet someone new to the area or the game I encourage them to get involved as soon as they feel comfortable as it is Fantastic!
 

To play in the next round of the Pavilion Tennis League, which starts on June 20, click here