Setbacks and injuries are part of tennis. How pros like Alcaraz, Draper or Stefani deal with them shows you the way to new mental strength.
Anyone who is regularly on the tennis court knows this: A simple mistake at the wrong moment, and frustration instantly boils over. Or even worse: An injury forces you into a long break, and your hard-earned rhythm is gone. In professional sport, these mental and physical hurdles are part of everyday life. But how the stars of the scene deal with such crises provides valuable lessons for every amateur athlete. It is about emotional control, the courage to truly regenerate, and the patience to overcome psychological blocks.
When a match does not go to plan, disappointment is often discharged impulsively. A current example of this is Aryna Sabalenka. According to reports from tennisnet.com, the Belarusian faced heavy criticism after her defeat in the US Open final against Elena Rybakina because she smashed her racket immediately before and after the handshake. Rennae Stubbs, Serena Williams' coach, clearly criticised this behaviour: such a temper tantrum directly in front of the opponent overshadowed the winner's moment of triumph and was unpleasant. Stubbs pointed out that in the past, Sabalenka had also vented her frustration off the court in the locker room – a much better solution.
Carlos Alcaraz showed that there is another way after his comeback from injury. Following a four-month break due to an arm injury, he was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the US Open after a tough five-set match at 3:30 am against Ben Shelton. Despite the defeat, Alcaraz left the court with a smile. Stubbs emphasised in her podcast how positive it was that Alcaraz was simply happy and grateful to be standing healthy on the court again and to be able to fight. For amateurs, this shows: Accept the defeat and the frustration, but channel the emotions into orderly tracks and do not lose the fun of the game.
Sometimes the body is simply exhausted, and continuing to play only forces new setbacks. The British pro Jack Draper had to experience this painfully. As tennisnet.com reports, Draper plummeted from number 4 in the world rankings to number 155 after a series of injuries. Following persistent problems with his humerus, he decided to cut the 2026 season short in order to return fully regenerated only in 2027. Draper explained on Instagram that the constant setbacks and pain had exhausted him extremely mentally and that he now had to use the time for a conscious "reset" and healing.
This is also an important signal for recreational players: Anyone who ignores pain and tortures themselves back onto the court without a full recovery risks chronic problems and loses their mental ease. A strategic break is not a failure, but the foundation for a strong comeback.
Even when the body is fit again, the head often remains blocked. The Brazilian doubles specialist Luisa Stefani suffered a serious cruciate ligament tear in the semi-finals of the 2021 US Open. Five years later, she is once again among the absolute world elite and reached number three in the world rankings, but the psychological scars remain. She confessed to tennisnet.com that returning to the court of the incident still triggers difficult emotions and an inner block.
When you start playing again after an injury, you should be aware of these mental hurdles. It takes time to regain trust in your own body. Do not put yourself under pressure if your movements still seem hesitant at first – this is a completely normal process of mental healing.
The routines and decisions of the pros can be easily transferred to your own training. Try to focus on your health and the fun of the sport instead of letting yourself be eaten up by mistakes. When your body sends signals of overload, take the time out you need. This is the only way you will remain injury-free and mentally strong on the court in the long term.
Your takeaway: Accept emotional setbacks and consistently use physical breaks as a strategic reset instead of ignoring pain and frustration.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.