"It's a league game, Smokey" Part 2

Lichtenheld d. Myklebust 6-1 6-2
Myklebust d. Jordan 6-3 1-6 6-0

This round my first match looked like this:

including the floating zeros, Activision logo, and net built from alabaster. My second match was livelier but also more precarious:
and featured a rain delay, biblical flooding and skyfire, and ball-stealing wind. Due to God's temper, we played the match over two days.

So what was the difference between the two matches? Why did I dominate in the second and get dominated in the first? My second serve and break point conversion. Nearly every game went to deuce in my first match, but I broke only twice. On serve, I consistently drove my flat first one into the net, forcing me to go for too much on my second = too many double faults. So I spent the time between matches working on adding extra topspin to my second serve, which causes the ball to kick up after bouncing into the service box and increases the ball's margin over the net = significantly fewer double faults and more confidence = higher first serve % = holding serve.

Lessons from this week:

1. Varying the height on serve is as effective as varying the ball's placement or speed.
2. After hitting a strong, deep, fast, and flat first serve, for Christ, follow it in for a volley.
3. Trust in the forehand approach: statistically, the odds of winning the point increase by forcing a winner.
4. Trust in the overhead, but not too much: unless otherwise instructed, it will send the ball straight forward, where your opponent waits.
5. Unless prepared to hit a topspin winner, rely on the backhand slice until you force a strategic advantage. Imitate Wilander. Despise Lendl.
6. Don't be disappointed to be broken yourself immediately after breaking your opponent. With the break comes a surge of adrenaline, then a drop that leaves you feeling sluggish and depressed. Expect this, but fight through it.
7. Ditto for closing out a set.
8. Focus less on the technical part of service and more on service rhythm.
9. Unless your opponent serves with heavy slice, crowd the court with a split step return.
10. Vamos.