Psychology of tennis: What it takes to win the game
Dozens of players step into the tennis court and only one man came out as the champion. What is the difference between the true winner and all the rest in the game of tennis? Is it the skill that matters or is it the lack of training
and practice which lead down players in big matches? No. It is the mental psychology and toughness of a player which matters at the end of the day.
Whether a player has to play a club match or the final of Wimbledon, he needs to handle the pressure he faces from playing a big match. Mental toughness is the key to cope with pressure situations and it surely the differentiating
factor between a winner and his opponent.
Winning just not require tips and tricks of the game but it involves effectual methods of domineering the state of mind a player is in during a match. Players need to take several factors into account for developing a constructive
frame of mind and transferring pressure to the opponents.
Firm concentration is the very first thing to be required for pressure handling. Many players have good concentration at the start of the match but tend to lose it during the course of the match. Extreme pressure situations and
emotional flare are most common causes which can cause a player to deter his point of convergence. Players need to keep their focus in all sorts of situations.
The other major psychological influence is the level of energy the player is in. Technically known as arousal activation, is actually how energetic a player is, both physically and emotionally. Higher levels of emotions cause anger
building up within a player and he starts committing errors. Throwing rackets is a clear symptom of anger. Arousal activation should not fall below a reasonable level otherwise frustration starts capturing a player’s mind. Players need to learn to control
their arousal activation for positive tennis psychology.
There are certain aspects beyond the control of a player, such as court conditions, wind and opponents play. These factors may cause a deviation in the concentration of a player and irritation starts building up. Loosing focus
out of these reasons must be avoided as a player’s frustration can do nothing about these factors but spoil his own game.
Good display of tennis is connected with a player’s thinking. Negative thinking does have a significant effect over a player’s skills by engulfing his decision making powers and building frustrations. Once a player is aware of
his thinking, he can convert it into a positive approach and deduce fruitful results out of it. This is what great professional players do to gain advantage of their opponents. However it is easier said than done and is one of the hardest essentials to excel
in tennis psychology.
Developing strong insight and visualization is another key art to master for strengthening the tennis psychology. A player’s skills, mental alertness and game plan are directly affected by his imagery proficiency. This ability
is effectively used by the contestants to have a quick review of the errors they have committed during the game and bring efficiency within themselves not to repeat those mistakes. For instance, if a player has committed a fault by over-hitting the ball too
beyond the side line, he may use his imagination to figure out with what power he should hit to keep the inside the court.
And last but not the least, sheer confidence and self belief is required by any contestant competing in a match. Lack of confidence creates an air of confusion for the players. Hesitation increases and players avoid playing aggressive
tennis, letting their opponent to take the better of them. Boosting up confidence enable players to deliver the best they can, no matter how worse the conditions prevail for them and this is the point where the match scenarios are changed dramatically.
So winning in tennis is all about pressure handling and demonstrating one’s superiority over the opponents. Getting edge over competitors is what a true tennis psychology is all about.
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