Mental Tennis Tips

The field of tennis psychology is not just common advice and tactical or mental tips. It is based on general and sports psychology and then applied to tennis specifically.

There are many common elements in the psychology of tennis which can be found in other sports too. An athlete that wants to perform at his peak needs to learn:

1. How to refocus
A player needs to learn how to quickly and effectively refocus to be able to play his best tennis.

2. How to control his arousal - to manage his intensity and body energy
Learning to find the »ideal state« is the key in controlling one's arousal and one of the most important aspects of tennis psychology.

3. What elements of the tennis game can a player control
By being focused on the events that a player cannot control he wastes his energy which could be used on elements that he can control - his attitude and effort, how he intends to play...

4. How to control his thinking
Negative thinking affects players much more than they are aware of. By being more and more aware of what he is thinking a player can then change his thoughts to a more positive and solution based thinking.

5. How to use imagery
Imagery or visualization is extremely useful in almost all aspects of the tennis game. A player can improve technique, strategy, physical abilities and his mental preparation of certain events.

6. How to build confidence
Confidence is one of those elements where tennis psychology can help really quickly and with very simple tools.

When a player builds his confidence he is able to play at his best and doesn't lose his hope when a big challenge appears.

7. How to find and get rid of limiting beliefs

Having no limiting beliefs means that the player is in total acceptance of everything that happens. Outside events are just events with no meaning. The player accepts them and deals with them.

8. How to empty the mind - Inner Game principles to enter the zone
There are three main principles of the Inner Game - quieting the mind, non-judgment and trusting the body. The player must first learn to apply them in training. And when he experiences these effects in training he knows what to look for in the match.

These are the fundaments of tennis psychology and by understanding these principles and applying them daily a player develops mental toughness. He knows how to apply the tools and as a ve