Mental Strategies in Tennis: Keep your Cool

Welcome to the show, Mental Strategies from the Game of Tennis. In today’s episode, we will look at one of the mental strategies. Very simply, it is: Keep your cool.

In tennis, it’s very easy to be taken over by your emotions and lose your cool during the match. You might have been training hard for weeks before the match, only to keep missing your shots when you are playing. Or perhaps you might think that you received an unfair line call.

Be aware of your frustrations, and use your mind to wield control over your negative emotions. Do not let all those negative emotions run over you and blow your match away.

In the video, Serena Williams got mad at the lineswoman for calling a foot fault. Serena verbally abused the lineswoman, resulting in the umpire penalising a point, which gave the set and match to Kim Clijsters.  

After the match, Serena’s mother said of her daughter: “She could have kept her cool.”

During this lockdown period, you might find that you are losing your temper more often. It’s because it can be really frustrating to be stuck at home and deprived of social interaction.

Yes, some of your freedom might have been taken away, but you still have your mind and that is your greatest asset. Try to use your mind to keep your cool.

So how do you use your mind to keep your cool during the match? Keep your eyes on the strings of your tennis racket after a bad point. This keeps you focused on your next point instead of dwelling on what just happened.

Similarly, in your life, think of what you need to do just today. Focus on what is ahead of you and do not be carried away by your rush of emotions. 

So remember, keep your cool, guys. I hope you will find this mental strategy useful. Stay safe and see you all soon.