'Extra Effort'

I have observed that in the majority of the tennis academies where most of the intermediate and so called focused players have an easy going approach towards their game and have a sloppy attitude on the court. It seems that tennis is on the back seat of their priority. The intensity and the effort from these players is almost nil. I feel suffocated when I see the young talented kids playing in this dormant mode.

However, in Ahmedabad I have seen Allan Gomes, Etti Mehta, Vaidik Maunshaw and Abhijit playing tennis at high intensity and putting up great effort. Watching them playing is just like hearing melodious music (the sound of consistent hitting of the ball) and watching a sensational rhythmic dance (their movement and flowing footwork)

I have seen them running for every ball and chasing the impossible one also. This attitude is the dividing line between the elite players and the so called focused players.

I was shadow of Allan when he started tennis until he was 14 years of age (after that he went to Pune to be coached by Hemant Sir). Allan use to chase every ball as never say die attitude right from the age of 7. He was always at the net in time to receive the drops and was on the spot to receive aggressively an angle shot hit by his opponent. This extra effort on movement made him a better player and a ferocious competitor.

This ‘Extra effort’ by and by helped Allan to improve his agility and quickness which gave Allan supreme confidence in his game and over his rivals.
The famous inspiring example of – ‘212°- The Extra Degree’ which very adequately relates to the ‘Extra Effort’ result.

“At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water, comes steam. And with steam, you can power a train. One extra degree makes the entire difference. In the same way ‘Extra effort’ can change you from ordinary to elite player.”

Below is the famous Al Pacino Speech ‘Inch by Inch’ about the ‘Extra effort’

“….You know when you get old in life things get taken from you.That’s, that’s part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losing stuff. You find out that life is just a game of inches. So is football. Because in either game life or football the margin for error is so small.

I mean one half step too late or too early you don’t quite make it. One half second too slow or too fast and you don’t quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are in every break of the game, every minute, every second.

On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us to pieces for that inch. We CLAW with our finger nails for that inch. Cause we know when we add up all those inches that’s going to make the ******* difference between WINNING and LOSING between LIVING and DYING.

I’ll tell you this in any fight it is the guy who is willing to die who is going to win that inch.And I know if I am going to have any life any more it is because, I am still willing to fight, and die for that inch because that is what LIVING is.
The six inches in front of your face.

Now I can’t make you do it. You gotta look at the guy next to you. Look into his eyes.

Now I think you are going to see a guy who will go that inch with you.
You are going to see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team because he knows when it comes down to it, you are gonna do the same thing for him.

That’s a team, gentlemen and either we heal now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That’s football guys. That’s all it is.
Now, whattaya gonna do?”



Ok Tennis buddies make a commitment to go for that ‘Extra effort’ try harder, give more and, ultimately, enjoy more and that will make a world of difference for you.

To Your Tennis Success
Alex Gomes
9824060060
alexgomesee@gmail.com

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