Mental Strategies in Tennis: Smile and be Grateful

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: Smile and be grateful.

It is natural to get caught up in the moment when you are playing, especially when you are in an intense match, and grow frustrated when you lose a point. 

However, in the video you are watching, you see the top players like Wawrinka and Djokovic giving a little smile even after having lost the point, as they are able to take a step back and appreciate great tennis from their opponents.

We train players to reflect on what they enjoy about tennis, so they can remind themselves that they are fortunate to be able to play the sport they love.

In our everyday lives, we are going to lose some battles as well. That’s when we should try to be aware of the larger picture - that we are still alive and breathing and we can do something better the next day.

This helps put things in perspective, as we remember that there are many things in our lives that we should be appreciative of.

This lockdown period is definitely stressful as many of us have lost our freedom and perhaps some income too. Let’s try to be appreciative of the things we have right now - and it could be anything that you value - perhaps your health, your kids, or your pet dog.

So guys, remember to smile and be grateful. This simple practice can help put us in a more positive state of mind.

I hope you will find this mental strategy useful. Stay safe and see you all soon.