The US Open show how important the head is in tennis. Learn from the pros how to play your best tennis with calmness, self-confidence and the right attitude.
Anyone standing on the court at the US Open must not only shine athletically, but above all be mentally extremely strong. The atmosphere in New York is notorious: a loud crowd, constant restlessness in the stands and even a noisy air conditioning system in the closed stadium demand the players' full concentration. How the pros deal with this pressure and how you can use this mental composure for your own game is shown by the current performances of the stars.
An impressive example of mental strength is provided by Elena Rybakina. According to reports from tennisnet.com, the Kazakh secured her jump to the top of the world rankings by reaching the semi-finals in New York. Her reaction? A brief clenching of the fist and a quick walk to the handshake. Rybakina acknowledges the success with her usual composure and stoicism. She emphasises that she does not think too much about success and simply played with friends for fun as a child. This ease helps her to hold her own on the biggest stages in the world.
Alexander Zverev also shows how important the right attitude is. After his confident quarter-final victory against Botic van de Zandschulp, he explained to Ubitennis that reaching the late rounds of a tournament becomes more normal over time, but that this must never be taken for granted. Zverev emphasises how quickly self-confidence can disappear in tennis, but also how quickly it can return. He focuses on the essentials and takes the challenges step by step.
Sometimes things do not go perfectly in terms of play – as was the case with Coco Gauff, who had to fight her way through difficult phases in New York. According to tennisnet.com, she manages in such moments to use the loud support of the crowd in the Arthur Ashe Stadium to her advantage. When her game falters, she goes on the offensive and takes the energy of the fans with her. On the other hand, the early exit of crowd favourite Carlos Alcaraz against Ben Shelton shows that even the greatest charisma and the favour of the spectators are no guarantee of victory if the sporting focus is lost at the decisive moment.
You do not have to play in front of tens of thousands of spectators to learn from the pros. For your next match, you can take away the following mental strategies:
Your takeaway: Stay composed even in tight match situations, focus on the fun of the game and accept that self-confidence has phases.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.