Injuries and deficits are part of the sport. Professional experiences show how you can stay mentally stable and make the right decisions on the court.
A long break due to an injury forces even the strongest players to watch from the sidelines. Returning to the court is then not just a physical, but above all a mental challenge. How do you deal with doubts about whether your body will hold up? And how do you manage to keep your nerve in tight game situations and turn the match around tactically? The experiences of pros on the tour provide valuable approaches that can also be applied to your own game in the recreational sector.
A prominent example of a long period of suffering is Holger Rune. After tearing his Achilles tendon at the tournament in Stockholm in October of the previous year, the Dane had to take an eleven-month break and undergo surgery as well as intensive rehabilitation. As he confided to Danish media on the occasion of his comeback at the Davis Cup against Bulgaria, the phase in the sixth and seventh month was mentally particularly tough: he was back on the court, but could hardly do anything in terms of play. Only in the last month and a half before his return did the fun return, when he could play points again and fine-tune details.
Grigor Dimitrov, who closely accompanied Rune's recovery in their shared residence of Monaco, also emphasised, according to reports from SpilXperten, that patience is the most important factor in rehabilitation. The transition from hard training to real competition nevertheless remains a big step. Rune admitted before his first match that despite intensive preparation – including training sessions with Carlos Alcaraz – he was nervous and had butterflies in his stomach. This shows: even absolute top athletes have to get used to the load and the backdrop step by step after breaks.
Sometimes, after a break or in a playing crisis, it is not enough to simply play solid. When your usual shots are not enough to threaten your opponent, tactical flexibility is required. An interesting perspective is shown in the discussion about Alexander Zverev. Although he played a successful season with two Grand Slam titles, coaching icon Rick Macci analysed his style of play against the absolute world elite for Florida Tennis.
Zverev tends to stand extremely far behind the baseline when returning. Macci advises changing the positioning, standing closer to the line and taking the ball on the rise. In addition, he demands more courage to move to the net on short balls from the opponent and mix in volleys. For your own game, this means: if you notice that you are not winning points from the defensive, change your position. Stand more offensively, take away your opponent's time and dare to make your way forward.
A tight score requires mental strength. But what this looks like varies completely from person to person. While many players need absolute calm to focus, there are exceptions. Jessica Pegula explained in "The Player's Box" podcast, using the example of Aryna Sabalenka, that some players show their best tennis precisely when they are visibly angry. Pegula herself does not succeed in this – she tends to rush when annoyed. Sabalenka, on the other hand, uses this emotional energy positively.
Liudmila Samsonova proved at the tournament in Guadalajara that tight matches can still be turned around even when facing imminent defeat. Only two points away from losing the match, she turned the match around against top seed Marta Kostyuk and ultimately won in three sets. Such moments show that giving up is not an option as long as the last ball has not been played.
When you return after an injury break, you should give yourself enough time. Do not put yourself under pressure in the first match and accept the initial nervousness – it is completely normal. If you get stuck tactically in a match, do not be afraid to actively change your position on the court and act more courageously. In addition, find out which emotional state helps you: do you need absolute calm or does a controlled push help you to be fully there again?
Your takeaway: Give yourself time for your rhythm after breaks, courageously change your position on the court when behind, and fight for every point until the match is over.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.