Mind
Training for Tennis - Tip 13
Win
Matches Through Your Attitude
http://www.tennispsychology.com
Tennis
is the ultimate mind game - two players can be neck-and-neck until
the first set tiebreaker - yet whoever wins it will most often run
out an easy second set, 6-1!
You
see this score so often in the pro game, and I'm sure you
see it in your own tournaments too.
So
what's the different between the two players after the first set? Purely
mental attitude. Doubt creeps into one player's mind (and game) while confidence
sweeps through the other - and these thoughts are the difference between almost
every winner and loser.
As
soon as doubt creeps into your game, it's basically all over - you must refuse
to let doubt enter your mind during a match. Even small worries and irritations
(eg. a bad line call), if dwelled upon, can become a tidal wave of doubt
that renders your game powerless.
This
reinforces the fact that matches are decided by a very fine line
of confidence, and also doubt. Former Australian Davis Cup player
and captain John Fitzgerald said once "You have no idea
how close a player is to losing the match when they have
match point".
Close
to losing a match when you have match point?
How can that be?
Well,
when you think about it - this is quite true. If you are playing a tough match,
and you finally reach your first match point, it certainly doesn't mean
that you are overflowing with confidence, right? (and certainly not on
the second, third, fourth or fifth match point either, for that matter!).
So
remember this whenever you are down in a match (or even down match point) - the
match is not over. You can still easily turn an entire match around - even
just by winning two or three points in a row, you can change the momentum
of a match.
So
it makes sense that if your opponent can be close to losing at match point,
then the flip-side of this means that you can actually be close to winning
- when you are nowhere near match point!
Basically
this tip is designed to illustrate to you that matches are actually
decided by your thoughts, not shots - thoughts of confidence,
and thoughts of doubt.
If
you can manage to keep your thoughts free of doubt, it means
that you are giving yourself the best possible chance to win the
match (even from way behind in the third set), and it also allows
your opponent to be the one who experiences the doubt instead.
You
might be surprised just how fragile your opponent's confidence-levels
truly are - yes, even if they are leading the match. All
it takes is a very slight shift of momentum, and the entire
match can swing around the other way.
They
have no idea when or if you will stage burst of great
tennis, and so this means they will never feel 100% secure until
they have shaken hands and are off the court.
So
if you are a player who absolutely refuses to ever give up - regardless
of the score, and if you are willing to hang in there for an eternity -
you will be rewarded with a bunch of match victories that you never expected.
With
some particular types of opponents, all of their confidence is purely displayed
on the outside - and they have very little confidence on the inside, where
it really counts. These are the players who may try and intimidate you with their
game or even their behavior - before the match, during the hitup, and in the early
stages of the match.
With
players like this, it actually doesn't matter if you cannot get the early
break against them - often all you have to do is stay with them (by continuing
to hold serve) and make sure they do not get too far ahead (as these players are
often great front-runners).
If
you can manage to do this, and stay with them (score-wise) - finally,
when crunch-time arrives (eg. 5 all, or 6 all), the doubts will
most often hit them - and sure enough, these players often crumple
like a pack of cards.
And
when it happens, it's not pretty - they'll make a bunch of errors,
double-faults etc - and as soon as their racquet begins to fly,
you know you have them!
So
remind yourself that your attitude is one of your most potent
secret weapons, not just your game. Your attitude can win
you a ton of matches that you never expected to win.
Yes,
even against better players who are superior shotmakers.
So keep your confidence strong, refuse to let the doubts in, and
watch the victories roll in!
