Tennis Psychology - The Foundation Of Winning Tennis

The field of tennis psychology is not just common advice and tactical or mental tips. It is based on general and sports psychology and then applied to tennis specifically.

There are many common elements in the psychology of tennis which can be found in other sports too. An athlete that wants to perform at his peak needs to learn:

1. How to refocus

Many players start the match with good concentration but they drop their level of concentration because of disturbing outside events, pressure situations, emotional reactions to various events and so on. A player needs to learn how to quickly and effectively refocus to be able to play his best tennis.

2. How to control his arousal - to manage his intensity and body energy

A player's arousal can be too high or too low and in both cases he is not able to play his best tennis. Arousal affects his body and mind abilities - a player may have too much muscle tension and his decisions are usually not tactically intelligent.

Learning to find the »ideal state« is the key in controlling one's arousal and one of the most important aspects of tennis psychology.

3. What elements of the tennis game can a player control

A player may get upset (and it happens often) about an event that he cannot control or even influence. For example - the noise of the planes flying over the court, windy conditions, court conditions, his opponent's luck and so on.

By being focused on these events he wastes his energy which could be used on elements that he can control - his attitude and effort, how he intends to play, ...

4. How to control his thinking

Negative thinking affects players much more than they are aware of. It affects body abilities in two ways - being aware of them (feeling tension) and being unaware (the pendulum experiment); moreover it evokes negative feelings - emotions that cloud the player's judgment and affect his body abilities - again.

By being more and more aware of what he is thinking a player can then change his thoughts to a more positive and solution based thinking. The awareness of our thoughts is quite a challenge in the psychological approach to tennis.

5. How to use imagery

Imagery or visualization is extremely useful in almost all aspects of the tennis game. A player can improve technique, strategy, physical abilities and his mental preparation of certain events. Another use of imagery is when a player misses a shot and then quickly sees in his mind how he hit the ball correctly.

Using imagery is an incredibly efficient technique, not only in the psychology of tennis but in everyday life too.

6. How to build confidence

Confidence is one of those elements where tennis psychology can help really quickly and with very simple tools. A player who is not confident will hesitate in his decisions, will be afraid to take risks and his shots will usually miss by just a little. Doubt can be seen in reality as small misses that happen regularly.

When a player builds his confidence he is able to play at his best and doesn't lose his hope when a big challenge appears.

7. How to find and get rid of limiting beliefs

Limiting beliefs are one of the most limiting and troublesome aspects of human's psyche. They are mostly deep in the subconsciousness and are sometimes hard to find. A limiting belief for example is when a player believes that he is not good in tie-breaks and he will then self-sabotage himself in those crucial moments to prove himself right.

Having no limiting beliefs means that the player is in total acceptance of everything that happens. Outside events are just events with no meaning. The player accepts them and deals with them.

8. How to empty the mind - Inner Game principles to enter the zone

There are three main principles of the Inner Game - quieting the mind, non-judgment and trusting the body. The player must first learn to apply them in training. And when he experiences these effects in training he knows what to look for in the match. He then plays the inner game - how to perform at his peak.

These are the fundamentals of tennis psychology and by understanding these principles and applying them daily a player develops mental toughness. He knows how to apply the tools and as a very positive side effect gains a lot of self confidence.

He now knows that he has ways of dealing with his own mind and that most of his competitors do not. He is aware that he has the edge in the most stressful situations in the match and that gives him inner strength and belief that he can persevere through tough matches.

Tomaz Mencinger is a sports consultant and a tennis coach. He teaches tennis players how to apply tennis psychology to make their mind their best ally. More resources on mental tennis game at his website http://www.tennismindgame.com

Sports Psychology and Tennis - How and Why to Hit a Great Drop Shot - 18 Tips For Tennis Players

A drop shot is a thing of beauty and it can be a powerful weapon in every level of tennis. Being able to hit a well disguised drop shot on your forehand and your backhand can be a great asset for you and for your tennis game.

As its name implies, in this shot, the tennis drops over the net and stays low to the ground. It usually has little or no pace. This shot is all about touch, feel and accuracy.

Here a some suggestions for mastering the shot that can help you to win more tennis matches:

1. Soften your grip so you can feel the ball and develop the touch you need to execute this shot.

2. Turn sideways toward the net.

3. Keep your head very still throughout the stroke.

4. Hit this shot as far away from your opponent as possible.

5. Effective drop shots will bounce three times in the service box.

6. Disguise your shot by setting up as if you are about to his a ground stroke.

7. Use a continental or western grip when you want to hit this kind of ball.

8. Practice hitting the drop shot off different kinds of balls.

9. Use a short back swing and a short follow through.

10. Do not use this shot when you are well behind the baseline. This is a low percentage shot.

11. Use this tactic when you want to draw your opponent into the net. Then you can pass them or lob over them.

12. When you are close to the service line and your opponent is at the baseline or behind the baseline, consider the drop shot.

13. This kind of shot is a good tactic against taller players who don't like to bend down for a low ball.

14. The drop shot is a great tactic for changing the pace and the geometry of a tennis match.

15. This kind of shot can neutralize a hard hitter who likes to stay behind the baseline.

16. A drop shot is a great tool for a player who is losing power and velocity from his or game and who wants to develop a balanced and well rounded attack.

17. Experiment with this shot during a match. If it works well, continue to use it.

18. An effective drop shot can frustrate an opponent and give you a psychological edge.

Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist and the founder of http://www.StayInTheZone.com. He is also the author of Zone Tennis. He has coached many top tennis players and can be reached at 888 580-ZONE. To get a free copy of his book and learn more about how he help tennis players, visit his site.