1. Losing makes you more determined to work harder and get better. Where is the incentive to improve if you are always winning?

2. Losing makes you more willing to change your game and further develop it. For example, if you are losing to players who are causing you problems by coming to the net, you might decide to add serve and volley to your set of skills. If you get to the net first, an opponent will find it difficult to also move forward.

3. Losing provides the opportunity to see exactly what you need to do in order to improve. If you can correctly analyse why you lost, you have a readymade list of what you need to improve in order to win the next time.

4. Losing some matches provides opportunities to learn to face defeat with grace, dignity and even style.

Since we are all going to lose at times, why not focus on the positives that you can take from the experience?

For individual advice on any aspect of tennis, please contact your local Tennis Coach Ireland coach - see www.tenniscoachireland.ie

Peter Farrell

Leinster Tennis/Tennis Coach Ireland