The US Open relentlessly show how the tennis elite deal with extreme pressure of expectations and injuries. These mental strategies will also help you on the court.
Tennis demands everything from both body and mind. This becomes particularly clear at the US Open: while some pros struggle to find their feet after long injury lay-offs, others try to remain mentally stable despite sporting dry spells. The approaches of world-class players show that success is often decided in the head – and how important a realistic expectation of your own body is.
A big topic in the run-up to the tournament is the return of Carlos Alcaraz. After a four-month break due to a wrist injury, the Spaniard is venturing straight back into a Grand Slam tournament. According to reports from Tennis365, Alcaraz admitted that the decision to make a comeback was not easy. He trained intensively to see how the wrist would react. But the competition is sceptical: Daniil Medvedev pointed out that in a Grand Slam over best-of-five sets, the strain on the rest of the body – such as legs and glutes – is an enormous challenge after a long break.
In addition, former pro Greg Rusedski warns of the risks of an early start, according to Tennis Majors: wrist injuries often need just as long for full recovery as the injury break itself lasted. In Alcaraz's case, that would be another four months until he is pain-free and fully capable of performing again. Elena Rybakina also had to act extremely cautiously after her injury-related withdrawal in Cincinnati, after which she could barely walk pain-free for days. She emphasises how important it is to decide from day to day how intense the training should be.
Alongside physical issues, mental pressure is a constant companion. Aryna Sabalenka has been waiting for a tournament victory since the end of March and looks back on a difficult phase. According to tennisnet.com, however, she is using this dry spell as motivation. She emphasises that she has reset herself mentally and accepts difficult challenges in order to come back stronger. Her mindset remains consistently positive despite the failures of recent months.
Diane Parry chose a completely different approach for her surprising tournament victory in Monterrey shortly before the US Open. As Tennis Majors reports, the Frenchwoman arrived without any expectations and played with freedom. This light-heartedness helped her to keep her composure even after a clear 0-6 set loss in the final and to win the title in the end.
The experiences of the pros can easily be transferred to your own training and recreational matches. When you return after an injury, you should not rush anything. Just because training works pain-free does not mean that the body can immediately withstand the extreme strain of a real competition again. Give yourself the necessary time to recover.
In addition, Parry's example shows that too much pressure of expectations often blocks you. If you go onto the court without rigid targets and with joy in the game, you usually play more relaxed and more successfully. If things do not go well, Sabalenka's attitude helps: do not see sporting setbacks as failure, but as valuable lessons to work specifically on your weaknesses.
Your takeaway: Do not take full risks too early after a break and try to consciously reduce the pressure of expectations during the match.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.