Lea Jansen Unleashes Her Old Self: Since clinching gold at the CIBC Texas Open in June, second-seeded Lea Jansen has been chasing another singles title on the PPA Tour without success. However, her fortunes might shift at the CIBC Atlanta Slam, where she advanced to the semi-finals after a gripping 11-4, 1-11, 11-8 victory over sixth-seeded Kaitlyn Christian.
New Approach to Positive Talk
In her post-match interview, PickleballTV’s Kamryn Blackwood observed that Jansen’s demeanor on the court appeared notably different, particularly during the crucial third set. Blackwood was struck by Jansen’s deliberate use of “positive talk” to regain her composure after losing an early lead.
Jansen explained her strategy, saying, “The past three months, I don’t really feel like I was myself on the court. I was trying to change a lot of things, and if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, so I wanted to really ramp up the positive talk. I play better when it’s energetic and when I’m yelling and screaming. I know that might be annoying to my opponent, but it’s how I can get the best out of myself. I just kind of wanted to go back to my old ways, and I felt like I found it today.”
Physical Training Adjustments
PickleballTV’s Matt Manasse noted Jansen’s impressive speed from the corners and inquired about her physical training improvements. Jansen revealed a significant change in her approach, highlighting her recent collaboration with a new trainer.
“I just got a new trainer about a week ago. That was the other thing that kind of went downhill. I changed up my training routine, and I actually have a much better trainer now,” Jansen shared. “We’ve just really been working on a lot of my hip mobility, my hip flexibility, a lot of that kind of stuff that I’m really bad at, so it’s really helping me dig into the corners, especially on my backhand.”
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A New Training Philosophy
Jansen’s new training philosophy seems to be yielding positive results. “The past three months, I was actually doing too much and working too much, and it was actually regressing me, so I kind of just went to less is more, which is what I used to have the approach of,” Jansen explained. “You don’t need to be a heavy lifter out here, you need to be elastic. That’s kind of what I’ve been trying to work on. I have a long way to go, but I really like the results I’ve been given in 10 days.”
Looking Ahead
As Jansen prepares for her semi-final match against No. 7 seed Parris Todd, she remains focused and anticipates a tough contest. “It’s kind of an ‘OG’ matchup, which is nice to see since the young guns have kind of been coming in. Parris is a great player. She’s super dangerous on both sides,” Jansen noted. “I know with Parris, even if I’m up 10-0 or 11-0, it’s going to be a battle.”
News in Brief: Lea Jansen Unleashes Her Old Self
Lea Jansen, after winning gold at the CIBC Texas Open, reached the semi-finals of the CIBC Atlanta Slam with a narrow victory over Kaitlyn Christian. Jansen credited a shift to more “positive talk” and a revamped physical training regimen for her improved performance. Her new training focuses on hip mobility and flexibility, which she believes has enhanced her on-court agility. Jansen will face Parris Todd in the semi-finals, anticipating a challenging match against the formidable competitor.
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