Volume 2, No. 3 - United States Professional Tennis Association

A player doesn’t need to say anything, but Loehr offers
guidelines if you do: If you lost the point due to a mistake,
say to yourself “No problem,” or “Let it go.” If you lost the
point due to your opponent’s great shot, say “Nice shot.” This
takes the pressure off you. If you won the point, say “Yes” or
“Come on.”
However, pumping fists and saying “Yes” should only be
done for oneself and not in the face of an opponent or for the
purpose of gamesmanship.
The goal is to keep a consistent level of positive energy during
a match since big fluctuations can impede performance. The
level of positive physical response that is helpful to a player will
be determined individually, depending on a player’s personality
and ability to focus.
Players should continue a positive posture while walking to the
area behind the baseline. You can shake out your hands, stretch,
spin the racquet in your hand, bounce the ball on the strings,
or towel off at the back of the court. It is also important to
breathe deeply and slowly. To maintain excellent concentration,
your eyes should be on a fixed object such as your strings or
on the ground. It is also important to keep your feet moving. In
high-stress conditions, blood flow will pool in the feet and legs
and slow you down if you stand still. The more stressful the
previous point or the more important the next point, the more
time you should take in the stage. Think only relaxing, calming
thoughts such as “Settle down,” “It’s OK” or “Relax.”
Most people respond well to winning a point, but will need to
practice a positive physical response after the loss of a point,
game or set. With experience and a coach’s help, players will
find what works for them, and it may have to be practiced like
any shot or tactic.
Additional examples of positive physical responses after losing
a point are:
· Shadow the missed shot and visualize hitting it
successfully.
· Do not show any emotion.
Reacting the same way to points won or lost can help stabilize
emotions over the course of a match.
Players maintain concentration by focusing on strings or other fixed objects.
Player relaxes his grip by holding racquet in nondominant hand and
high on racquet throat.
Moving the racquet to the nondominant hand is a great way to
relax the dominant hand. This is a good response to winning or
losing a point. Just as common, and likely just as effective, is
loosening the grip of the dominant hand and letting the throat
of the racquet settle into the hand.
B. Relaxation
A relaxation response allows the body to recover from the
physical and emotional stress of the previous point and return
to the optimal arousal level, according to The Mental Game.
4
There are 25 seconds between the end of one point and the
beginning of the next in which to perform all of the functions
related to the foreperiod. Players will establish an optimum
rhythm (be it slower or faster) for moving to the baseline to
begin the next point. As long as the rhythm is working and the
player is performing at a high standard, there is no reason to
break this rhythm by speeding up or purposely taking all 25
seconds allotted.
On the issue of deep breathing, Angus Mugford, Ph.D., mental
conditioning coach at Bollettieri Tennis Academy, suggests
the following breathing technique: “Let your stomach expand
as you inhale. As you exhale, say the number five, on the
next breath exhale with four, then three and so on. This fivecount
technique will help break down the lactic acid in your
body, provide oxygen to your brain and focus on the now!”
This technique is helpful in maintaining concentration and
overcoming nervousness or choking.