How to combat the jitters

Do you get violent when you play? Many people are great ralliers but can't play when it counts. They two most feared words on the tennis court is "Play these". People get too emotional.
Tennis is a difficult game to play when you are overly excited. Your body doesn't respond. Although your head knows what to do, your obstinate arms and legs won't listen to what your telling them.
Is it possible to force yourself to relax and keep your poise? Sure it is. Athletes in all sports have subtle tricks to remind themselves to stay relaxed. Here are some things you can do to relax and play up to your potential in tennis.

(1) Don't serve the ball until you are ready. Your opponent can't do anything until you serve the ball, so take your time. Calm yourself by bouncing the ball a few times before starting. Take a deep breath and think the ball to your target and plan the kind of point you are going to play. Look forward to the next point and not look back at previous blown opportunities.

(2) Relax your grip. Gripping your racquet firm all the time is a major cause of tennis elbow and a characteristic of a nervous game. When serving check to see that you are allowing the grip to breathe. During the point you can develop the automatic reflex of turning the racquet in your hand between shots. You only need to grip the racquet hard just before a split second before you contact the ball. After hitting the ball relax.

(3) Relax your legs. A tennis player bounces between shots. After he hits the ball, he recovers his court position and bounces (hopefully) gracefully on the balls of his feet. This action reminds him to relax and helps his mobility.

(4) Shrug your shoulders. Before serving and returning serve, check your nervousness by relaxing your shoulders and neck. Think jello.

(5) Don't watch your opponent. Don't become paranoid anticipating your opponent's next move. Many inexperienced players habitually take their eyes off the ball to see where their opponent is. Watch the ball! You see many professional players moving their strings on the racquet. This is a form of keeping their thoughts inward and focused on the task at hand, which is the next point. With USTA League tennis, tournaments, and high school tennis arriving this spring hopefully this will give you some time to practice some or all of these techniques to make you perform when it counts.