Struggling to conquer the nerves during tournaments? Well you are not alone … from professionals like Roger and Rafa to someone playing his first junior school level tennis tournament everyone gets entangled in the mind game. You will see huge variations in the game when you compare his/her play from a practice session and a tournament.
Rafael Nadal, in his biography (Rafa: My Story
) has mentioned that it will be really difficult to differentiate a player ranked 100 in the world and someone ranked 1 in the world when you see them at practice sessions. The real difference is visible during the match.
Look back at your own competitive match history and ask yourself, “How many tennis matches have you lost because you were psyched out, or you gave up mentally?” I am sure the answer is quite a few. The brain control the body in ways which we can never predict. You may be confident for one moment and the very next point you may lose it all.
Majority of players in India had never worked with a sports psychologist who can not only help them overcome their fears but also help them win more and reach a new level by providing a mental edge.
Let’s look at some of the points which can help you perform way much better and develop the required mental edge with practice –
You might have heard of this one before where your coach tells to you focus on the positive things. But trust me, during a match this is one of the most difficult things to do. Tennis Psychologists suggest the players keep their thoughts positive and this can be done by remaining aware of your thoughts while playing.
The more aware the player is of his thoughts the more he can push them to develop a more positive thought pattern. Examples include: positive self-talk prior to game point, pumping themselves up after winning a big point or simply fueling the mind with positive emotions and keeping an enthusiastic mentality during the tennis match.
Work on these points during practice as developing a positive mindset under the match pressure is something which will require a fair bit of practice
Find a way which keeps you calm and composed. The best way which I prefer is to take 1 point at a time. Go through the emotions, bad or good and then as soon as the point is done… clean your slate, wipe it out of your mind. Start again with balanced mind and re-live the journey again
At the beginning of any match, each player’s focus is the game but with time and uncontrollable factors, like time pressure or external pressure or the environment, they become less focused. Meditation and constant eagerness and alertness helps you to develop this level of focus. Start it off court and then slowly incorporate it on court
Players that are considered to have mental toughness are those that execute well under pressure and appear to have confidence (even if they feel terrible) Remaining calm and confident when facing a challenge is a simple and effective tool that many top players have mastered.
Lack of confidence clouds a player’s judgment and makes him question his action, even before he performs them, which make him lose time and energy. Doubt in his own actions can lead to the player not to take the required risks of this game. Surety of one’s actions makes the tennis player perform better.
I believe that in order to retain the level of confidence, start enjoying every single shot you hit. Feel the vibrations every time you hit the ball and you will slowly get into a beautiful rhythm which will boost your confidence and will make you love and live the game
Every tennis player strives to play a match while staying in the ZONE. The Zone is a feeling of both immense focus and concentration where the mind is focused solely on hitting the tennis ball.
According to The Inner Game of Tennis: The Ultimate guide to the mental side of peak performance
and many tennis psychologists the process to get in the zone starts from the very moment the player draws back his racket to hit the ball. They have laid down 3 techniques to get in it –
Try them out you are on the court the next time.
If the above points helped you develop the mental edge, do comment …
Also, looking forward to what to your views and techniques which you have been using to enhance your mental fitness
Subscribe and Share the Post
Rafael Nadal, in his biography (Rafa: My Story
) has mentioned that it will be really difficult to differentiate a player ranked 100 in the world and someone ranked 1 in the world when you see them at practice sessions. The real difference is visible during the match.
Look back at your own competitive match history and ask yourself, “How many tennis matches have you lost because you were psyched out, or you gave up mentally?” I am sure the answer is quite a few. The brain control the body in ways which we can never predict. You may be confident for one moment and the very next point you may lose it all.
Majority of players in India had never worked with a sports psychologist who can not only help them overcome their fears but also help them win more and reach a new level by providing a mental edge.
Let’s look at some of the points which can help you perform way much better and develop the required mental edge with practice –
Be aware of your thoughts
You might have heard of this one before where your coach tells to you focus on the positive things. But trust me, during a match this is one of the most difficult things to do. Tennis Psychologists suggest the players keep their thoughts positive and this can be done by remaining aware of your thoughts while playing.The more aware the player is of his thoughts the more he can push them to develop a more positive thought pattern. Examples include: positive self-talk prior to game point, pumping themselves up after winning a big point or simply fueling the mind with positive emotions and keeping an enthusiastic mentality during the tennis match.
Work on these points during practice as developing a positive mindset under the match pressure is something which will require a fair bit of practice
Balanced Emotions
Staying balanced on all points, irrespective you win or lose it is a key trait of a successful player. An overly excited player might make hasty uncalculated decisions and an under-excited one might not have the required level of motivation to play to his best abilities. The first step is to take a pause and analyse yourself.Find a way which keeps you calm and composed. The best way which I prefer is to take 1 point at a time. Go through the emotions, bad or good and then as soon as the point is done… clean your slate, wipe it out of your mind. Start again with balanced mind and re-live the journey again
Focus Focus Focus
When you try to focus on the match, there will be hundred different thoughts flooding your mind. You may start focusing on the surface, the weather conditions, your opponents habits, the sexy girl in the crowd and what not. The human brain works like a machine, but it is one better as it can be multitask. It can focus on many factors at one time. However, a task is best performed when most or all of the brain’s focus is on it.At the beginning of any match, each player’s focus is the game but with time and uncontrollable factors, like time pressure or external pressure or the environment, they become less focused. Meditation and constant eagerness and alertness helps you to develop this level of focus. Start it off court and then slowly incorporate it on court
Boost Your Confidence
If a player wants to be a victor of the tennis match, then he or she has to make shots and execute the various tennis strategies with confidence. Confidence is a big part of a strong mental tennis game.Players that are considered to have mental toughness are those that execute well under pressure and appear to have confidence (even if they feel terrible) Remaining calm and confident when facing a challenge is a simple and effective tool that many top players have mastered.
Lack of confidence clouds a player’s judgment and makes him question his action, even before he performs them, which make him lose time and energy. Doubt in his own actions can lead to the player not to take the required risks of this game. Surety of one’s actions makes the tennis player perform better.
I believe that in order to retain the level of confidence, start enjoying every single shot you hit. Feel the vibrations every time you hit the ball and you will slowly get into a beautiful rhythm which will boost your confidence and will make you love and live the game
Find the ZONE
Every tennis player strives to play a match while staying in the ZONE. The Zone is a feeling of both immense focus and concentration where the mind is focused solely on hitting the tennis ball.According to The Inner Game of Tennis: The Ultimate guide to the mental side of peak performance
and many tennis psychologists the process to get in the zone starts from the very moment the player draws back his racket to hit the ball. They have laid down 3 techniques to get in it –- silencing the mind
- trust in one’s strengths
- non-judgment
Try them out you are on the court the next time.
If the above points helped you develop the mental edge, do comment …
Also, looking forward to what to your views and techniques which you have been using to enhance your mental fitness
Subscribe and Share the Post
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