Tennis Psychology

[The 777 Hoax]

I play tennis for my high school's team and have been trying to make it onto the varsity team. I am not a bad tennis player; I think my problem is that when I do make a mistake or I start to fall behind in the score, I get very angry with myself and play very poorly. And I am not the type of person to usually get mad at stuff like that, but tennis is just very frustrating for me. Could someone give me some tips on how to keep my cool while I'm playing in a match? thanks

 

[Jawz II]

Alcohol, just get lots of alcohol and get liqured up good, and see if you can play that way.

 

[Red Door]

I'm not a tennis player, but I can tell you that you just need to think "I'll get the next point" over and over in your head. If you get frustrated and worry about making mistakes in any sport, you'll mess up.

 

[Fugitive Sisyphus]

Come to the dark side. Use your anger to give you strength.

 

[b etor]

when you miss a point, you might get frustrated and agressive. try to trick your opponent rather than just try to thwack it at their face. that's what i did. but i stopped playing tennis in 8th grade, so it wasn't as big of a deal

 

[Abaddon]

I play tennis.. and i know its frustrating.. for me when my double-handed backhand-topspin return loops over rather than being a bullet.. or my (i say so myself) stupidly fast first serves becoming totally unreliable.

I find a drink helps. and step back for a point or two from trying to make the "killer" shot. Between points have a sip- nice n cool - relaxes.

Then after wasting a point, just simple shots to either side and force them to error rather than trying to win. This is much more relaxed tennis, and watch them get frustrated at being forced to make errors!

 

[CaptainF]

As a tennis player myself I occasionally have this problem.

The key is to not think about the last point you just played, but just focus on placing the ball, returning the ball. You need to have total concentration on the here and now when in the middle of a point.

Check out this book:

The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey

It really does help. He also has a sequel titled Inner Tennis: Playing The Game, which I haven't read.

 

[StarWorms]

I don't play tennis (or don't anymore) but one thing that keeps me going is that the game isn't over until it's over, and it's not over because you can still win.

I would also suggest trying a new tactic. I often get frustrated when tactics I've used before that used to work against the opponent no longer do.

 

[Atlas14]

I don't play tennis but I have problems keeping my cool, or frustration to a minimum while playing soccer, lacrosse, and running track.

What I try to do is visualize what you need to do to score the next point, or the next goal, or whatever you do in tennis

Your opponent is only human, and pisses the same way you day every morning. Don't let anything they do frustrate you or psyche you out.

 

[Kal'thzar]

I play badminton sometimes, a bit different but essentailly the same in terms of psychology.

Generally I get in the same situation as you, I lose a series of points and I get irritated. I try and focus just on the [ball] [1] and my feet. Clear your mind of any feelings whatsoever, and concentrate fully on the game, I tend to use this time to stratagise, (telling myself that I want to pull him close then make him run back, tire him out. Or some other more complex trick).

If you get yourself out of the losing streak it can usually get to your opponant, and if they can't handle the pressure they will become more and more irritaed as they watch their lead narrowing, vanishing and then you pulling ahead....Although I sometimes I lose it when I am a couple of points ahead as I relax again, might be something to work on.

[1] in my case it is of course a shuttlecock.