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