Tennis can be a lonely sport. It’s a solo game where everything rides on you. Some players see this as an advantage – they can take full credit for their wins and losses. But there’s a flip side: players train alone, travel solo, encounter different obstacles and failures en route to future success. Coach Marcin Bieniek explains why players have so many chats with themselves and what is the right way to make the most out of your self-talk as an athlete.
Introduction
When you’re on the court, you’re on your own. Even if your folks cheer from the sidelines or your coach claps to pump you up, you’re the one dealing with all that pressure. You’ve got to stick to your game plan, react to your opponent’s shots, figure out what to do after every point, adjust to the ever-changing atmosphere, and handle those feelings that crop up during crunch moments. All these things make players want to share the load, but since there’s no one right there, players start talking to themselves.
But let’s get this straight – words are just words. They don’t have magic power over your body or your mind. Still, like everything else, if you don’t react right to what you say to yourself, your game can suffer. Players need to know that the words they use can boost their performance…
