A competitive tennis match is the perfect breeding ground for pressure. This sport is so challenging and unpredictable at times that responding to crises becomes more rule than the exception. Proper mental training and preparation helps players feed off competitive pressure, improve focus, and raise their game to a higher level. Lack of readiness overwhelms the unsuspecting victim, and can lead to panic, choking, anger, or tanking. How can individuals prepare themselves best to manage the certain uncertainty and pressure so commonplace in our fierce sport? Enter Sports Psychology.
I attended the French Open and Wimbledon this year to help certain players manage the pressure elicited by these huge tennis stages. Our work began long before any on-site meetings in helping these players realize that the importance of the tournament, crowd size, and ranking points were useless distractions that can possibly feed negative pressure. Professional players love to peak at these major events, and club players want to do their best in the club championships, but the first step is to demystify the grandeur of these events and help them realize that pressure is self-imposed. Being sent out to play on center court of Roland Garros is ultimately the same as playing on Court 18 if a player has the proper mind-set and mental readiness. It’s just one match, the court dimensions are exactly the same, and it counts the same.
After overcoming potential barriers caused by the perceived importance of an event, players need to anticipate the physiological arousal seen in butterflies, nervousness, perspiration, and excitement brought on by competitive pressure. These natural responses increase as the match becomes more meaningful and the ability levels of the players are more similar. They are the normal results of sincere effort rather than pathological anxiety states. Evidence that competitive pressure can enhance performance is seen in the fact that most Olympic track records have been broken in front of massive crowds, when the pressure is greatest, rather than in practice. Researchers have termed this the “audience effect” or “social facilitation,” when performance accelerates in front of many onlookers. From this perspective, the highest levels of tennis have probably been played in the finals of major tournaments. Think back to your favorite match in history and you will probably find this is true.
Although performance is often improved following normal increases in intensity and excitement, the complexity of fine motor skills required in tennis dictates a guard against over-arousal. As such, responding to competitive pressure with additional increases in energy due to anxiety, worry, concern, or self-doubt inevitably shatters performance. It robs focus from what is really important in a match and wastes it on irrelevant fears. It can also lead to tightening of muscles and ruin the delicate coordination of the drop volley on match point, and the fluid power on the smash after a 15-ball rally.
It is unrealistic, and perhaps futile, to attempt to eliminate the natural competitive pressure and excitement caused by competition. However, studies suggest that the way an individual appraises stressful events determines whether the experienced emotion will be positive or negative. In other words, differences in the way players evaluate competitive pressure situations, rather than the situations themselves, explain why some athletes thrive while others dive!
Competitive pressure appraised as negative inevitably leads to unhealthy anxiety and less proficient tennis performance. In contrast, pressure welcomed as a necessary challenge of the thrill of competition guards against over-arousal caused by needless worries, increases attention to the task, at hand and improves overall performance. It’s a natural component of match play, which should be accepted and eagerly embraced in order to crush the demons of self doubt and anxiety—not to mention your opponent.
Here are some specific guidelines to help you manage competitive pressure more effectively in tennis:
- Play out many different kinds of points in practice. Training sessions should be as realistic as possible, with lots of competitive opportunities that mirror what might happen in the upcoming match. It is never possible to completely simulate center court at Wimbledon, but why not try?
- Do not allow your coach or practice partner to camp in one place on the court and feed balls all day. This is not tennis, and only ensures that you will look great in lessons and practice. It does little for your pressure management skills when the opponent will not cooperate like your coach.
- Play as many tournaments as you can to gain necessary experience in a competitive pressure environment. The only way to really learn to thrive on pressure is to experience it full force. There is no substitute for the real deal.
- Believe in yourself when the going gets roughest. Nervous energy is a natural part of the game. Trust your preparation, stay focused, and hang in there to win the internal battle. Interpret the excitement in tight situations as part of the test that makes you stronger in the future. What doesn’t kill you improves you.
- Welcome the uncertainty of competition as one of the most thrilling parts of the game. It never gets boring when you have a good struggle on your hands. Your ability to cope in adversity encourages creativity. Find joy in the struggle, and pressure will be an ally rather than foe.
Dr. John F Murray is a sports psychologist in Palm Beach, Florida and at *www.JohnFMurray.com*