Bigger Better Tennis - Paul Dale

I recently worked with a young player who had made tremendous strides in improving her ball control. She had learned to balance her powerful game with better ball placement and reduce her unforced errors.  Her progress was obvious when she won a local tournament in her age group, defeating a national team member in the final. Notably, she won both the semi-final and final in the third set, showcasing her newfound ability to handle pressure and construct points more effectively. However, last weekend, she competed in an ITF event against a higher-ranked opponent and reverted to her old erratic self. Instead of maintaining her newfound control and confidence, she reverted back to making repeated unforced errors. It was as if all her progress had vanished under the weight of higher competition. Why does this happen? And more importantly, what can be done to guard against players slipping back into old negative habits? "One of the biggest challenges for tennis  coaches is ensuring...