July 2025
Quotes per day and their meanings
July 1 – “Preparation Requires Perspiration.”
To prepare for peak performance, you must dedicate time to the court, striving to improve and excel. Attaining higher levels of achievement has no secret formula: it requires working harder and sweating more.
​
July 2 – “If you cannot outplay your opponent, you can out-compete your opponent.” - Curly Davis
You can retrieve more balls even when your strokes are not as good as your opponent's, which makes the match more physically demanding.
​
July 3 - "Failure is a bruise, not a tattoo.”
You may lose a match, but remember that failure is not permanent
​
July 4 - "Triumph can not be had without struggle" - Wilma Rudolph
We will experience struggle in every endeavor, but know that struggle means you are on the right path to success.
​
July 7 - "You don't have to perfect, just better than the person on the other side of the net." - Andre Agassi
You will not win every point you play in a match; it is unrealistic to think you will. You are setting yourself up for disappointment. You will make mistakes, and they will hit winners. Just try to be better that day than the person on the other side of the net.
​
July 8 – "Points are won before they are won." - Curly Davis
When we get to the winning stroke in a point, we arrive there by shot or shots that were hit several shots before the finishing shot.
July 9 – “Striving for perfection but never achieving it” - Curly Davis
​
We should all strive to minimize mistakes on the tennis court, although we may never achieve perfection.
​
July 10 – “It’s the hating to lose that keeps us motivated.”
Competitors strive to win, but the fear of losing drives us to the practice court.
​
July 11 - "Why would you expect 100% results with only 50% effort? ” - Curly Davis
Players only play with half of their energy and lose. I wonder why they expect to win.
​
July 14- "Don't take your first opportunity; wait and take your best opportunity."
Far too often, a player will see a small opening to attempt to hit the ball through. I advise waiting longer to work the ball around the court to create the best opening.
​
July 15 – “Tennis…a game of this and that.” - Curly Davis
Your opponent will try to win the point by doing "this," and you should counter it with "that."
July 16- "Cheating is fleeting.”- Curly Davis
If you have to cheat your opponent to win, the feeling of accomplishment never happens because you know you did not show good sportsmanship.
July 17 – “Everybody has a plan until they get smashed in the face.” - Mike Tyson
Your opponent has a plan; you need to act before they can execute it. Attack them before they attack you.
​
July 18 - "If nothing changes…then nothing changes."
When things are not going as planned, there comes a time to think about changing what you are doing. Nothing will change if you do not look at changing your tactics or strategies.
​
July 21— "Failure is a part of success."
Sometimes, our best teacher is a failure because it teaches us what not to do or what we need to work on. It is disappointing to lose, but we should learn from it; if you do not, it is a failure.
​
July 22- "Don't agonize…organize."
When the match isn't going as planned, take a moment to gather your thoughts. When many players are asked what they would do better when losing, they often respond, "Play better!" If it were that simple, why didn't you start playing better from the beginning of the match? I suggest you gather your thoughts and consider what is working for you and what is not working for your opponent.
​
July 23 - "Go through the strength to open up the weakness.”
When playing against a player who attempts to hide their weakness, e.g., they step around their weakness to hit their strength. You hit the ball wide to their strength, opening up their weakness for your next shot.
​
July 24 - "Eyes stay focused, the brain stays focused." - Dr. Jim Lohr
You are not hitting the ball 75% of the time while on the court. While waiting for the point to start, we lose our concentration by our eyes looking around to see who is watching and our surrounding area. To keep our focus while waiting for the point to start, we should keep our eyes on our racket strings, and the ground.
​
July 25 - "A good mistake can lead to good results.”
Introducing unpredictability by attempting an unconventional shot– whether it’s a drop shot, lob, or risky angle– you force your opponent to log the possibility of that shot occurring again mentally. Even if the shot fails, the opponent is now aware its part of your repertoire, which could cause hesitation or overthinking during future point.
July 28- "Never hit a ball harder or closer to the line than you have to.” - Curly Davis
In tennis, there are no three-point plays. Whether you hit the ball at 1 mph or 100 mph, and regardless of whether it lands one inch or one yard from the line, it is still worth only 1 point.
​
July 29- "Chao's is good when it's in your opponent's court." - Curly Davis
We apply chaos in three ways: 1) Position, playing at the net, or closer to the baseline. 2) Power, hitting the ball with more velocity, will arrive quicker to the opponent than expected. 3) Placement: Target your shots where it's difficult for your opponent to get them back.
​
July 30- “First play principles, then play the person.” - Curly Davis
If you don’t know your opponent or haven’t scouted them, play high-percentage tennis. Once you recognize their weaknesses, then you can exploit them.
​
July 31- “If they don’t show it then you don’t know it.” - Curly Davis
​
Play in the present. Focus on your opponent's actions and respond accordingly. Trust your skills; ​your opponent will reveal their abilities soon enough. Don't let imaginary threats cloud your judgment or shake your confidence. ​​​​​
​
​
​
​
​