There are several phrases that get thrown around in tennis. They turn into clichés, regurgitated without a second thought. A notable example goes along the lines of: “Nick Kyrgios would win Grand Slam titles if he cared enough, and if he had the focus.” If you stop to examine this kind of statement, you might begin, ironically, to unearth the inconsistencies of it. To say that a player would be one of the world's best if they had the focus is to say that they are completely missing an element of their game required for success.

The mental game of tennis is all about awareness and acceptance of the thoughts and emotions that we experience on the court. Our mind is made to wander and experience a range of emotions. Djokovic, Williams, Rafa and Federer all get nervous and frustrated at times, but it’s their ability to accept the emotions and return their focus to the next point that sets them apart from the rest.

Your Mental Skills Challenge

The mental game plays such a huge part in tennis. Without a strong mental performance, we can’t maximise our physical, technical and tactical capabilities. The mental game plays a large role at all levels. From 8-year-old mini tennis players, all the way to the top of the professional game.  One of the most prevalent examples of this is a guy we all know well. Someone I’ve played against and spent time with: Nick Kyrgios. 

What if I was to tell you that that in order to be happy, you can’t try to be happy. The more you pursue happiness the more likely you are to be unhappy. Sounds a bit nuts, right? Like a bit of a paradox? I’m still amazed by this discovery myself. It completely goes against common sense.