The game within the game: Mental skills training for tennis athletes
Photo credit Gary Gentry Photography
Tennis is a mental game. The rollercoaster of emotions in a match can be stressful. For that matter, winning a single point can be mentally challenging. The psychological aspect of tennis is said to be a game within the game, and for that reason, each volley is built on strategy.
Tennis players at all levels experience the mental stressors of the game, including those at the pro level. Novak Djokovic has recently talked openly about how he works on his mental performance and has credited that part of the game to his success over the course of his career. With the influence of elite athletes like Djokovic and the realization that all aspects of sport performance need to be considered, the implementation of mental performance training programs is becoming increasingly popular in the tennis community.
Mental skills training components that have received focus within the tennis world are goal setting, positive thinking and self-talk, concentration and routines, arousal regulation techniques, and imagery. Implementing one or multiple strategies could be the difference in serving for match point, or playing from behind.
Success on the court speaks for itself, but to test the validity of mental skills training within the sport, a 15-month Mental Skills Training program was implemented by elite junior tennis players, and the results showed increased confidence, improved focus, and they were better able to control their emotions on the court. Tennis can be an emotional game, and emotion regulation can play a significant role in assisting tennis players to successful outcomes.
A case study of a 14-year-old female tennis player who was ranked No. 25 in 14U and No. 50 in 16U examined why she was reluctant to hit winners. Instead, she opted for lob shots with the hope her opponent would make a mistake. She struggled at the net, and avoided playing up unless she absolutely had to. But her biggest struggle was double faulting. Unlike avoiding the net, she couldn’t avoid double faulting. On average, she was double faulting twice per game and 10 times per set. Overall, she was missing 66 percent of her second serves. That wasn’t exactly a recipe for success, and it affected her confidence not only on her serve but in her overall performance. Through mental skills training, she was able to overcome her fear of playing at the net, and ultimately improved her issues serving . She didn’t completely eliminate her double fault issues, but they improved significantly from 10 per set down to one.
Imagine yourself serving for match point and faulting on the first attempt. What would you do in that situation? How would you ensure a successful second serve? The ability to stay focused and control emotions during this critical moment could be the difference in having a successful second serve, or double faulting and sending momentum back to the opponent.
Elite level tennis players are dedicated and train year-round to be their best. Much of the effort is given to the physical side of the game. But, managing the mental side could be what separates you from your competition and long-term success.