Bigger Better Tennis - Paul Dale

At the beginning of a match, both players think they can win. What changes? You see it more clearly when the players are young and new to competition, but it’s common to all levels of tennis.  Two players are locked in an on-court battle for some time, and then one of the players wins the mental battle of wills, and the match is essentially over. Don’t be fooled by appearances. The remainder of the match may seem competitive, and the points may be exciting, but the match was over once the mental battle of wills was decided. That early “arm wrestle” decided the outcome of the match. Think about that for a moment. Winning that mental arm wrestle can decide who wins the match. In most cases, both players start the match believing they can win. Both players can even start the match, convinced that they will win. However, in nearly every match, something changes that self-belief in one of those players. But is the importance of winning the game of wills really anything new?