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What is Competitive Tennis Pressure?
“Competitive pressure is the lousy partner of great opportunity.”
In amateur sports, pressure is either self-imposed or nurtured by unaware parents or coaches. Pressure manifests when we imagine what might happen if we don’t achieve the outcome we desire or what others expect.
Like clockwork, Brian’s frustration begins before each tournament match. This solid athlete can’t understand why he’s not able to duplicate his practice level in tournament competition. Friday on the practice court, Brian grooves his fundamental groundstrokes for hours. Essentially playing “catch” back and forth. In this setting, Brian thinks, “Tennis is easy. Forget juniors…Man, I’m going pro!”
Fast forward to Saturday morning. Brian’s internal and external stressors ramp up because the practice court environment of catch is nowhere to be found. The friendly face on the other side of the net is now replaced by an intimidating, confrontational warrior who is determined to torture poor Brian. Come game day, that cozy, cooperative game of “catch” turns into a violent struggle of “keep away.” Brian would be wise to practice in the manner he’s expected to perform. This requires practicing “keep away,” delivering and receiving on the move. In addition to stationary fundamental stroke development.
Preparing for Pressure # 1 Rule: Practice in the manner you’re expected to perform.
What Causes Pressure In Competition?
“Performance anxiety is the habit of worrying.”
Pressure begins with the arrival of the athlete’s inner critic. That little “Devil on their shoulder” appears like clockwork when the match doesn’t go as planned. Some athletes stress about every minute detail while others confront setbacks in warrior mode. Due to the fact that no two athletes are exactly alike, preparing for pressure begins with an assessment of the athlete’s and their entourage’s stress level as it pertains to the reality of tournament competition.
Competitive Pressure Triggers Include:
- The Games Scoring System
- The Opponents Style of Tactical Play
- Gamesmanship
- The Draw/Seeding
- Spectators
- The Environment/Conditions
- The Court Surface
- Current Fitness/Energy Levels
- Untrustworthy Strokes
- Outcome Anxieties
I’ve found that taking an inventory and talking through possible tennis stressors, in a mental/emotional training session, is a great start to overcoming issues and developing confident solutions. Which of the preceding ten triggers cause pressure for your athletes?
Identifying the athlete’s personal stressors leads to a customized developmental plan which will
maximize their potential.
