WHY YOUR PLAYERS FOLD UNDER PRESSURE—And How to Coach It Out

 


The Mental Trap That Stops Good Tennis Players From Succeeding

Talent and hard work are not always enough in competitive tennis. Many players—some of them highly skilled—never reach their full potential because they struggle with stress and pressure during matches. 

It’s not just nerves before a big point. It’s a mental pattern that builds up and slowly takes over: frustration after mistakes, fear of losing, negative self-talk, and panic when things go wrong.

This article combines two powerful ideas that can help coaches and players develop a healthier, more successful mindset for dealing with competition stress.

1. Tennis Is a Sport Where You Lose… A Lot

Here’s a fact that surprises most people: In Novak Djokovic’s best season—when he was the number one player in the world—he lost 46% of all the points he played.

That’s right. Nearly half the time, even the best player in the world didn’t win the point.

Tennis scoring is unique. You can lose more points than your opponent and still win the match. You can even lose several games in a row and still win the set. The ability to lose points but not let it affect you negatively is one of the biggest mindset shifts competitive players need to make:

Losing points is normal.
It’s built into the game.

Success in tennis isn’t about winning every point—it’s about not falling apart when you lose one. The players who learn to lose points without letting it affect their confidence are the ones who succeed.

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The Ray Mancini Wake-Up Call

A powerful example of how dangerous negative thinking can be in sports?

Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini
In the 1980s, boxer Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini was a rising star. But during a brutal fight with Duk Koo Kim, his opponent suffered fatal injuries and later died. The trauma haunted Mancini.

Before his comeback fight against Héctor Camacho, he hired sports psychologist Jim Loehr to help manage the emotional aftermath.

One night, in the early hours of the morning, Loehr’s phone rang.
It was Mancini.

“Jim,” he said, “I just had a negative thought.”

Loehr, confused and groggy, replied, “Can we talk in the morning?”

But Mancini said something unforgettable:

“Jim, you don’t understand. If I have a negative thought during a fight—my hands go slow, my feet go slow, and I get hit. And I could die.”

At that moment, Loehr realized that negativity isn’t just a mindset issue in boxing—it’s a survival issue.

Now, think about this in the context of tennis.

Sure, no one is going to die on a tennis court. But the idea is powerful:

What if tennis players treated negativity like it could kill their chnaces of winning matches? 

What if they trained their minds to stay clear, alert, and fast—no matter what just happened?

That level of mental discipline in tennis could change everything.

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2. Negative Thoughts Build Up Like Steam in a Pressure Cooker

Imagine this: at the start of a match, your mind is clear. But as soon as the first mistake happens, a little negativity appears. Miss another shot? More negativity. Double fault? You start to feel annoyed. Lose a close game? Now you’re tense.

If nothing is done, this negativity builds and builds until it takes over. Your footwork slows down. Your decisions become rushed. You play defensively. And worst of all—you don’t enjoy the match anymore.

So how can players release this pressure before it breaks them?


3 Mental Tools to Manage Stress During a Match

These three simple but powerful techniques can help players stay mentally clear and prevent the buildup of pressure and negativity:

1. Use Your Breath

When stress kicks in, the body responds by tightening up. Your breathing becomes shallow, and your brain starts racing. The fix?
Take a slow, deep breath—especially after a mistake.
Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds. Hold for 1-2 seconds. Breathe out slowly through the mouth for 6 seconds.

This simple reset calms your nervous system and clears your mind so you can focus again.

2. Slow Yourself Down



One of the first signs that pressure is building is that players start rushing—between points, during their serve, or when they’re preparing their shots.

...when you feel pressure, do the
opposite, slow everything down.

Walk slowly between points. Take your full time between serves. Take an extra second to set your feet before the next shot. Slowing down helps you regain control of your game.

3. Want the Ball

This one is a mindset shift—and it’s powerful. When players are nervous, they start to hope the ball doesn’t come to them. They fear missing. Their feet get slower, their hands tighten, and their brain starts reacting late.

"I WANT TO HIT THE NEXT BALL"!

The key is to tell yourself:

“I want to hit the next ball.”

You need to want the ball to come! This simple statement changes your body language, keeps you alert, and makes you active instead of reactive. It puts you back in the mindset of attacking instead of fearing.

Final Thought: Play Without Mental Contamination

If there’s one lesson for competitive players to learn, it’s this:

You don’t need to win every point—just get 
better at losing points without losing your mind.

Learning to accept mistakes, clear out negativity, and stay focused on the next point separates the mentally tough players from the rest.

Coaches: teach this to your players early.

Players: Practice it every time you step on the court.

Real progress in tennis comes when you learn to play without mental contamination—with a clear mind - no matter what happens.

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