Tennis is a physical sport, but so many matches are ultimately decided by something you
rarely see on camera: the mental game. Whether it’s handling pressure, managing anxiety,
or staying composed in tight moments, players must learn to compete not just with their
opponent—but with themselves. Coaches play a vital role in helping athletes develop the
psychological tools needed to handle these moments with confidence.
Understanding Pressure: Why Players “Choke”
Pressure isn’t a flaw—it’s a biological response. When stress hits, players may:
✅ Tighten up physically
✅ Overthink their stroke
✅ Rush or slow down
✅ Fear losing more than they want to win
As one sports psychologist told me:
“Players don’t choke because they’re weak—they choke because they care.”
Recognising this is the first step toward overcoming it.
Technique 1: Build Routines That Create Stability
Players need anchor points—repeatable behaviours that calm the mind and regulate
nerves.
Examples include:
✅ Pre-serve breathing
✅ Bouncing the ball consistently
✅ Re-setting between points with a physical cue
✅ Visualising the next shot
Routines reduce panic and replace chaos with control.
Technique 2: Embrace Pressure Through Small Dose Exposure
Instead of avoiding pressure, we help players train into it:
✅ Sudden-death points
✅ Consequence scoring
✅ Serve out the set drills
✅ Tie-break simulations
Exposure decreases anxiety and builds emotional resilience.
Technique 3: Shift the Focus From Outcome to Process
Anxiety thrives when players obsess about:
❌ Winning
❌ Losing
❌ Rankings
❌ What others think
Coaches encourage athletes to focus on:
✅ Footwork
✅ Targets
✅ Routines
✅ Patterns of play
✅ Effort
When players stay present, pressure loses its grip.
Technique 4: Teach Controlled Breathing & Self-Talk
Two underrated tools make a huge difference:
✅ Breathing patterns (4–6 steady breaths before big points)
✅ Positive self-talk (“heavy legs, loose arms”, “play free”, “trust my swing”)
These simple methods are used by top sports psychologists working with elite players.
Technique 5: Review Matches with Emotional Awareness
Don’t just analyse technique—analyse triggers:
✅ When did the player panic?
✅ What thoughts appeared?
✅ How did body language change?
✅ What tools helped calm them?
This builds self-awareness, which is the foundation of mental toughness.
A Final Word
Winning the mental game isn’t about eliminating nerves—it’s about using pressure as fuel.
With the right coaching, players can turn anxiety into focus, fear into bravery, and tough
moments into opportunities for growth.
If you’d like support developing this area of your game or coaching, feel free to get in touch:
Steve Butcher
LTA Level 5 Master Performance Coach, Tutor & Mentor
