Distractions!

Hi again everyone and sorry I've not been around for a while - don't worry I've not been incarcerated in Wormwood Scrubs or Barlinnie - just busy!  Everyone is busy nowadays, it's that sort of world, and certainly "we have no time to stand and stare" as the poet said.
Anyhow, I was driving innocently down Morningside Road (posh part of Edinburgh) when a young lady walked straight out in front of me - and yes you've got it right - she was staring at her mobile, and in another world.  What was more worrying was that she still didn't see me, despite my Waitrose bags all being catapulted off the back seat. (I shop in other shops by the way).
She was distracted of course, just like all these senseless motorists who think they can drive and talk on their phones (or worse still text!)  Ok that's me getting on my hobbyhorse .......

Back to tennis, and how often have you been distracted by something during a match - it might be a bad line call, or a ball running onto your court, or perhaps something your opponent said at changeover.  Or it could be something in your private life, which keeps popping up in your mind, and affects your concentration.  Even the top pros can let a distraction affect them, to the point of losing a match.

I remember Gary Player talking about missed putts - the ones that are normally 'gimmies' - and how he was able to move on to the next hole and forget what had gone before. That's so wise but how many of us can achieve that.  A coach I know well talks about 'flushing' in his book "You Can Be Serious" (this is really worth a read).  Basically, when you make a silly mistake or you are distracted, just flush it down the loo, and get on with the game.  Or as Demi Lovato (hope i've got that right) suggested "Let it go"!

I am off to Portugal next week to play a bit of tennis.  Last year, it poured down - now that was a major distraction!  Here's to a good week, whatever the weather!!