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| Welcome to the April 2021 update from Tennis Server, http://www.tennisserver.com/
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Greetings,
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In his April column, John Mills looks at strategic positioning in doubles, particularly when players get older and lose mobility. See: " Position Matters".
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In his reprised column in this newsletter below, Tennis Warrior Tom Veneziano explains why the ability to recognize emotionally charged moments by monitoring yourself mentally as well as emotionally is a key to success in the competitive arena. See: "An Emotional Moment!."
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Last week I got my second COVID-19 vaccination shot (that's me getting my second dose of the Moderna vaccine in the photo below). By next week, I'll feel safe visiting with my vaccinated friends and family members again who live outside of my house without risking my life or theirs.
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I'll feel safe eating indoors in a restaurant again. I'll feel safe traveling again, and I am in fact planning my first trip to adventures abroad right now. And I'll feel safe going to concerts, sports, and theatre events again for the first time in more than a year.
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The new COVID vaccines, delivered and tested in an astonishingly short time and through an immense investment, are a truly heroic scientific achievement of our age. And they are astoundingly effective at protecting humans from death and illness from the COVID-19 virus.
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As of this week, every person in America who is at least 16 years old is eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at no cost, and I urge you to be part of the solution and go get vaccinated yourself as quickly as you can, if you have not done so already.
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There is a vaccination site within 5 miles of more than 90% of those who live in America. (Use VaccineFinder at https://vaccinefinder.org/search/ to see where you can get vaccinated in your area.)
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And don't forget the perks! In many areas, Uber and Lyft are offering free or discounted rides for those getting vaccinated. Many other companies are offering a variety of freebies, including cash, to those who have gotten vaccinated. See: 7 deals and food freebies you can score with a COVID-19 vaccine card, All the COVID-19 Vaccine Card Free Treats and Discounts You Can Snag Now, and A running list of free stuff you can get for showing your COVID-19 vaccine card. Below I've included a photo of the complimentary Raspberry Honey Swirl loaf of bread I picked up at House of Bread just by showing my completed vaccination card.
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Failing to get vaccinated not only puts your own health at risk, but also that of your family and your community. When you get vaccinated, I encourage you to share the fact that you have gotten vaccinated on your social media, so those in your social network will be encouraged to follow your example and make the same choice.
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If you have concerns about getting the vaccine, I encourage you to review these pages: COVID-19 Vaccines: Myth Versus Fact, 10 Common Vaccine Myths Busted, and Vaccine Myths Debunked.
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This has been an insanely difficult year for so many artists, musicians, theatrical performers, museums, and artistic-event venue owners who have experienced not only the hardships of the pandemic that we all have shared, but also a year that has been virtually without income.
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Elton John, Celine Dion, and the Dallas Cowboys are going to be just fine... but the less renowned artists who play at smaller clubs are really hurting, as are the owners and employees of those venues. Our museums are hurting. Our restaurants are hurting. Our community arts associations and the actors, dancers, and so many others who support them are really hurting.
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Event ticket sales, which last summer were down to 1/50th of pre-pandemic levels, are now finally showing signs of returning to normalcy, as people buy tickets for sports, concert and theatre events that are scheduled to return this summer and fall. I urge you to help your community rock again by supporting restaurant dining, live events and the arts with renewed enthusiasm as soon as you can safely do so.
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Please be careful out there. Be sure to read this guide from the USTA: Playing Tennis Safely during the time of COVID-19: Player Tips and Recommendations.
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Have fun on the court!
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Cliff Kurtzman
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
Tennis Server
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The Tennis Warrior by Tom Veneziano
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Tom Veneziano |
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The Tennis Warrior is brought to you by Tom Veneziano (tom@tennisserver.com). Tom is a tennis pro teaching at the Piney Point Racquet Club in Houston, Texas. Tom has taught thousands of players to think like a pro with his Tennis Warrior System.
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An Emotional Moment!
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One of the main problems players have when attempting to maintain the correct mental attitude is the inability to make correct decisions in the face of failures and mistakes. Intellectually they know they should forget their mistakes and move on, but when confronted with the emotional reality of their mistakes, they lose it! With this quick tip I want to challenge you to separate yourself from the pack by making two crucial decisions: Recognize, retreat and move on.
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First, in your next match when you begin making mistakes and feel your emotions looming up, Stop, look and listen - THIS IS AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT! The ability to RECOGNIZE this emotionally charged moment by monitoring yourself mentally as well as emotionally is a key to success in the competitive arena. Don't justify your angry, frustrated feelings, just RECOGNIZE you are going AWOL (absent without leave) from objectivity. To be aware of what is occurring is the first step toward solving the emotion problem.
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Second, you must RETREAT AND MOVE ON from THAT EMOTIONAL MOMENT. But how? You must learn to let go of your mistakes and MOVE ON by overriding your emotions with your mind. You must mentally act! An excellent technique to help you through this moment would be some internal calculation. Repeating the phrase, "the next shot is more important than the last mistake!" can reorient you back to the correct mental environment. I teach players to not serve or return serve until they have cleared their mind of the last mistake. With practice you will learn to bring yourself through these emotional moments by repeating the phrase, "the next shot is more important than the last mistake."
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The key to advancing toward mental toughness is to make objective, rational decisions when you are ACTUALLY CONFRONTED WITH THE EMOTIONAL SITUATION. Despite your emotional quagmire you must instantly RECOGNIZE your predicament and override your feelings with a quick reaction mental solution. "The next shot is more important than the last mistake!"
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The Tennis Warrior understands it's not just about KNOWING THE PATH, but WALKING THE PATH.
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I have so enjoyed spending these few emotional moments with you. :)
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Your Tennis Pro,
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Tom Veneziano
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In Tom Veneziano's book "The Truth about Winning!", tennis players learn in a step-by-step fashion the thinking the pros have mastered to win! Tom takes you Step-by-step from basic mental toughness to advanced mental toughness. All skill levels can learn from this unique book from beginner to professional. No need to change your strokes just your thinking. Also available at a discount as an E-Book.
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Audio CDs by Tom Veneziano:
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Becoming a Tennis Server Sponsor/Advertiser
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Linking to the Tennis Server
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See you on the courts,
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--Cliff Kurtzman for Tennis Server
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