From The Education of a Tennis Player – by Rod Laver

In the conclusion of his book he gives the following advice.  If I leave you with one thought it’s this:  keep your eye on the ball from the instant it hits the other guy’s racket until it hits yours…  You’re going to hit the ball pretty well if you watch it every second… There are three things that will make the game better for anybody, including you, Harold and Hattie Hacker-and Rodney George Laver.

1. Watch the ball — nothing else.

2. Bend your Knees as you hit.

3. Get your first serve in.

And, oh yes, if you do lose—and how can you after absorbing all this?—let your comment be that the other guy beat you.  That’s all.  He won. (Probably you beat yourself, but that’s beside the sporting point.  You may add that you never saw the guy play so unbelievably well, if you can’t resist rationalizing a little).  But let it go at that. He won.  Nobody in the world really wants to listen to your excuses.  Or Mine.

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