Tennis
Tennis mental toughness techniques for peak performance
If you want to improve your mental game, read ahead for a guide to tennis mental toughness techniques to make you a better player.
Victory on the tennis court requires intense stamina and endurance. You have to be strong enough to rapidly make it from one point to the next on the court, both physically and mentally. If anything, half the battle in tennis is fortifying your mental toughness so you can outwit your opponent and see their next move coming.
Stefanos Tsitsipas performs in Marbella, Spain on April 25, 2022
© Antoine Truchet / Red Bull Content Pool
Understanding mental toughness in tennis
Mental toughness in tennis is how you stay focused and calm no matter which way the game is going. That means you keep a level head whether you’ve just committed a double fault or landed a Bucharest Backfire shot.
Mental toughness in tennis might not be as straightforward as perfecting your serve, but make no mistake — it’s a skill you can learn. It’s also important to remember that even if you’ve achieved a certain level of success, your mental training never ends.
Mental toughness techniques for tennis players
Matteo Berrettini
© Gabriele Seghizzi / Red Bull Content Pool
Visualization — seeing yourself making a move — is the first step to a successful tennis match. After all, your mind and body are connected. If you rehearse the perfect serve in your mind, your muscles are more likely to follow through on the court. Plus, positive visualization is a great way to boost your confidence ahead of time.
If you don’t believe it, just think about how powerful your thoughts can be when you do the opposite and imagine things going badly. Chances are that this makes you nervous and more likely to make one of the mistakes you’re picturing. If negative thoughts can cause you to make the wrong moves, positive visualization can lead you to the right ones.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t think about making mistakes. Instead, it’s important to consider how you frame them. Try to replace your focus on feeling bad about a fault with a vision of dusting yourself off and getting it right next time. Positive visualization is a great way to practice quick recovery and coping skills.
Some tennis players like to write out a whole script detailing each potential high and low moment of the match. Depending on your personal preference, you can record the script and listen to it before a match or simply read your visualization narrative. The more you practice positive visualization, the easier it is to hone your mental focus.
01
Mindfulness and concentration
Matteo Berrettini
© Gabriele Seghizzi / Red Bull Content Pool
One of the most important aspects of mental toughness is acting in control — and “acting” is key here. You might not be able to control everything on the court, but you can most definitely project confidence. This alone can make it easier to handle the parts of a match that are truly in your power. The key is training yourself to stay focused on the present moment, not the future or past. This is a key component of mindfulness practice.
Adopting a meditation practice is a great way to hone your mindfulness and strengthen your concentration. Through meditation, you can learn to observe your thoughts and bring your focus back to your breath. Again, it’s not about eradicating feelings of anxiousness. It’s about learning to let those thoughts of worry pass through so you can recenter yourself in any environment.
02
Positive self-talk
Like visualizing the perfect match, using positive affirmations to improve your mental toughness can greatly impact your game. As professional tennis player Reilly Opelka notes, it’s all about perspective.
Reilly Opelka at Red Bull BassLine 2021 in Vienna, Austria
© Matthias Heschl / Red Bull Content Pool
“I try to turn negative things into a positive,” he told Red Bull.
If you regularly repeat positive affirmations, it makes a positive mindset shift second nature in the long term. You can even write your own affirmations so you’re repeating a mantra that resonates with you. These can be as simple as “I am a strong player.” Alternatively, you can get specific with something such as “my drop volley is powerful and accurate.”
03
Emotional regulation
Feelings can run high in the heat of a match, and you can’t always predict what emotions will come up. If you prepare ahead and start with a calm baseline, you’re less likely to go from zero to 100 if something goes wrong. Adequate preparation starts with taking care of your physical state since, again, it’s all connected. Rest up and make sure to hydrate so you’re starting at your best.
During your match, be aware of your body language. It’s normal to tense up when you feel nervous, but counteracting that tendency can help you keep a cool head. If you keep your feet moving and relax your grip on your racket between points, your body and mind will get the signal. If all else fails, refocusing on your breath can help you find your focus. A simple breath in through your nose with an elongated exhale through the mouth can help relax your nervous system.
Dominic Thiem at Red Bull Bassline 2023 in Vienna, Austria
© Philipp Carl Riedl / Red Bull Content Pool
04
A healthy outlook for long-term goal-setting
Whether you’re trying to improve the precision of your serve or add more power to your swing, achieving your goals is all about the long-term game. Expecting immediate results overnight will only cause frustration. If you’re working toward a specific goal, create a realistic timeline based on your skill level and learning style.
It’s also essential not to dwell on any setbacks if you don’t achieve your goals exactly according to your plan. After all, even professional tennis players have their off days. Finding peace in discomfort is a great way to practice mindfulness.
Practice mental fitness for a better tennis game
Mental strength isn’t about forcing away the anxiety. These not-so-pleasant feelings ultimately mean that you care about your game. The important thing is learning to quiet those anxious thoughts so they’re not roaring so loudly that you lose sight of the present. Building mental toughness takes time, but it’s worth the long-term payoff.