The stars of the US Open show how important the right mindset is on the court. Here is how you can use their mental strategies for your own tennis game.
In tennis, the match is often decided in the head. Anyone who stands on the court knows the feeling: a simple mistake, a failed serve or a sluggish start can completely rob you of your concentration. However, the pros at the US Open show that mental strength, solid routines and the right way to handle pressure situations can be learned. By combining various reports from New York, it becomes clear how much your inner attitude decides over victory or defeat.
An extreme example of a working routine was provided by Alexander Zverev. According to reports from Tennis Majors, it was noticeable during the tournament that he bounces the ball extremely often before serving – an estimated over 12,000 times in his first five matches, sometimes up to 25 times before a single point. His semi-final opponent Karen Khachanov subsequently complained that this behaviour made many players nervous, as you could hardly prepare for the return. For Zverev himself, however, it is an unconscious anchor to compose himself. Even if such extreme extents can cause discussions in recreational sports, it still shows: a solid routine before serving helps to dictate the pace and to focus.
It is just as important not to get infected by the level or the hectic pace of your opponent. Jason Stacy, the performance coach of Aryna Sabalenka, explained to Tennis365 before the final that Sabalenka's strength lay in dictating her own pace and not letting herself be dragged down to her opponent's level. She entered the court with the attitude of simply doing her job. If you manage to focus on your own tactics instead of letting yourself be irritated by your opponent's style of play, you keep control of the match.
How to deal with setbacks is also shown when losing top positions. Sabalenka lost her status as world number one to Elena Rybakina at the US Open. Instead of complaining, she explained soberly to Tennis365 that she could not change the situation because she had not played well enough in the summer. Her solution: direct the focus completely onto herself, stay in the moment and try to constantly improve in the details. This acceptance helps to play with mental freedom.
Zverev also demonstrated this quality. After a bumpy start to the tournament with two five-set matches, he analysed soberly that it is an important skill to win matches even when you are not showing your best tennis. When he seemed briefly annoyed after a double fault in the semi-final against Khachanov, he quickly recovered and even fended off two set points in the tie-break. For you, this means: a bad start or a double fault is no reason to give up the entire match. Accept that not every shot can be perfect, and focus directly on the next point.
To strengthen your match mindset, you can adopt concrete approaches from professional sport. It is not about playing error-free, but how you react to errors. If you notice your nerves fluttering, deliberately take your time before serving. Develop a short, always identical routine – be it bouncing the ball three times or taking a deep breath. This signals readiness and calmness to your brain.
In addition, a healthy dose of determination helps. Jessica Pegula respectfully noted after her semi-final defeat against Sabalenka, according to tennisnet.com, that her opponent played as if she were "pissed off". This positive, focused energy and determination helped Sabalenka to dominate the match. Try to convert frustration over missed opportunities into positive determination to be fully present again for the next rally.
Your takeaway: Develop a solid routine before your serve and accept bad phases in the match to immediately refocus on the next point.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.