Tennis:Winning the Mental Game [2013 edition]

Have you ever walked off a tennis court in disgust because you lost a match you felt you should have won? Has your mind ever wandered during a match to think about other things or even a previous point? Have you ever gotten tight and maybe even choked at a critical point in a match? Have you ever lacked the commitment or desire to hang in a long tough match or practice consistently. Have you ever gotten mad and lost your cool over a bad line call? If you answered yes to any of the above, don't feel bad because you are not alone. It would be virtually impossible to find a tennis player who has not suffered through one or more of the above scenarios multiple times. Anyone who has played tennis with any intensity or passion understands that beyond the purely technical and physical side of tennis lies the mental game which can often overshadow the physical aspects. As a competitive tennis player and coach myself, I have often observed that the player with better strokes, footwork, form and coordination does not necessarily win the match. Players with superior skills would invariably walk off the tennis court in disbelief mumbling to themselves, How could she possibly beat me. She doesn't have any strokes? But that is just the point. Strokes do not necessarily win tennis matches. Often you have to win the struggle against yourself, rather than against your opponent. Therefore, the primary purpose of this book is to teach you the mental skills that will help you cope with the mental challenges that the game of tennis provides. Unfortunately, although most players and coaches acknowledge the importance of the mental side of tennis, few actually practice it. Therefore, an action-oriented approach is taken highlighting specific mental exercises, strategies and techniques that players and coaches can incorporate into their regular practices. This research-to-practice-approach will take the latest knowledge in sport psychology and apply it to the mental game of tennis. It requires practice but the journey is worth it.