Ivanovic and Safina

For those of you at home trying to improve your tennis games, there is a great learning opportunity at 3-2 in the second set of the French Open Women's final. Ivanovic is serving with a game point to go up 4-2.

Take a close look at the next two points after this:

1) She double faults.
2) Then she makes an unforced error from the baseline.

It's now break point for Safina.

Here's where, if you're in Ivanovic's shoes, you have to stop and adjust. You have to kill this string of errors right here, right now. And on the next point, you must get a solid first serve in play. But in Ivanovic's case, she steps right up to the baseline, rushes into her service motion, and dumps first serve into the net.

Granted, Safina wasn't able to take advantage of the second serve that came next, and Ivanovic ended up holding serve a couple of deuces later. Lucky for Ivanovic.

But I mention this series of points because this is a typical situation players will face at all skill levels.

You are under pressure in an important game situation. You are nervous. You're a bit fatigued after a tough first set. So my advice here is to accept and understand in advance that this is situation when bad habits can creep into your game.

You might not keep your head up during your serve toss (as Ivanovic failed to do, causing the missed first serve), or you might not watch the ball as carefully as usual during the ensuing baseline rally.

It's at these points during a match that you need accept that this is the likely time you may fall victim to a "bad habit." Take a deep breath, take a little extra time before the point, and concentrate on your form and watching the ball.

Kill the string of misplayed shots and unforced errors before you let the game get away from you.

And your first serve will go in.

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