Startin Fast...
It’s no surprise that getting off to a quick start is important in terms of winning matches. However, it is still a little surprising to learn that the last 15 men’s singles champions at the U.S. Open have won the first set! What is so important about the first set? Frequently, players start out a match a little tentatively because of nerves or simply adjusting to the opponent’s style of play. Therefore, many players relax a bit after
the first set, especially if they’ve won it, and subsequently play even better during the rest of the match. Conversely, if a player loses the first set in a best of five set match, then in addition to worrying about getting back into the match, the player also has to contend with playing at least four sets in order to win. Many players, including some champions are “slow starters,” but as players develop their games, it is important to learn how to “start quickly.”
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