Fixed pre-serve rituals, dealing with emotions, and mental strength during big points decide matches. Here is how you can improve your record on the court.
Every amateur tennis player knows this situation: the first serve lands in the net, your pulse rises, and suddenly your hand shakes during the second attempt. In tight match situations, tennis is decided primarily in the head. If you do not have your emotions under control, you throw away important big points. But mental strength and consistency are not innate superpowers reserved only for the pros on the tour. Through targeted routines and the right mindset, you can stabilise your own game – no matter the level.
A current example from the pros shows how extremely routines can be lived: Alexander Zverev regularly causes discussions because he bounces the ball extremely often before serving. According to US Open statistics, he bounced the ball over 12,000 times in his first five matches up to the quarter-finals – on average more than 15 times per serve. Opponents like Karen Khachanov showed frustration, as it disrupts the rhythm when returning. Zverev himself explains that he does not use this as a conscious tactic, but does it automatically when he is under pressure or needs to concentrate hard.
For you as a recreational player, this means: a fixed routine before the service – be it bouncing the ball three times, taking a deep breath, or consciously adjusting your racket – gives you security in stressful situations. It helps you to refocus and mentally move on from the previous rally. Even if you do not have to take it to the extreme like Zverev, a fixed routine helps you to reduce your error rate on the serve.
How differently players handle their feelings on court is shown by the duel between Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka is considered an emotional player who lives through the match on court, but can also fail due to her outbursts. In her final defeat in New York, she smashed her racket in frustration and received a warning for hitting a ball into the crowd. Rybakina, on the other hand, is considered the exact opposite: she maintains outward calm even in extreme pressure situations, barely celebrates, and plays every point with the same self-control, regardless of the score.
For your next match, this shows: emotional outbursts cost valuable energy. If you notice anger or disappointment gaining the upper hand, try to take a deep breath like Rybakina and focus exclusively on the next point. If you let errors drag you down, you lose your thread.
Another key to success is dealing with expectations. When you go into a match as the favourite, it often blocks your natural ease. The British wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett reported after his US Open victory that he had to look in the mirror after a bitter defeat at Wimbledon. He had played too timidly and shyly there. Only the return to his brave, decisive game brought him his next Grand Slam title. Ben Shelton also benefited from advice from veteran Rafael Nadal, who emphasised how difficult the mental restart is at the next event after a tournament victory. You have to focus on the basics over and over again.
The next time you stand on the court as the favourite or feel a slump after a success: accept that every match starts at zero. Focus on your strengths, act bravely in the big points, and do not let the fear of making mistakes hold you back.
Your takeaway: Develop a fixed routine before every serve and consciously take a deep breath during tight scores to keep your concentration high.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.