Turning matches around when things get tight: What Alcaraz, Shelton and co. demonstrate and how you can stay calm in club matches.
Anyone who regularly steps onto the court knows this moment all too well: the first set is gone, your serve is wavering, or your opponent suddenly has match point against you at 3-5. In such phases, it is often no longer forehand technique that decides the outcome, but the mind. Recent matches at the Paris Masters and the scenarios ahead of the WTA Finals in Indian Wells provide impressive case studies. The reports clearly show that even the absolute world elite struggle massively with nerves – the only difference lies in how the pros handle it.
Carlos Alcaraz experienced how quickly the thread can snap in the Paris quarter-finals against Taylor Fritz. According to reports from Tennis Majors, Alcaraz led 5-4 in the first set and served for the set when the nerves kicked in. He lost the set in a tiebreak 10-12 and even faced match points at 3-5 in the second set. In total, the Spaniard fended off two match points and eventually won the match 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.
His own explanation after the match is remarkable for any recreational player: he had to consciously remind himself that tennis is ultimately just a game. Only when he saved the first match point at 3-5, let go of the pressure, smiled again and tried to enjoy the rallies did he rediscover his best performance. Nerves often tighten up the muscles and lead to passive choices. Actively programming your mind to release tension and find joy in the challenge turned the match around for Alcaraz.
A second major issue when trailing is tactical orientation. Many club players tend to turn passive under pressure and merely push the ball carefully back into the court – hoping the opponent will make the mistake. Qualifier Rinky Hijikata demonstrated in Paris that this approach often backfires. After losing the first set 2-6 against Novak Djokovic, he turned the encounter around into a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory. Speaking to Tennis Majors and Tennis365, Hijikata explained that he had become too passive under pressure in recent months. The key to the win against Djokovic was trusting his own game, keeping the balls deep, and staying bold and aggressive in the decisive rallies.
Luca Van Assche also proved just how tenaciously you can absorb deficits. After dropping the second set against Hijikata, the Frenchman trailed 0-2 in the deciding set, withstood the pressure in front of his home crowd, minimised his errors, and still took the third set 7-5. Novak Djokovic also self-critically admitted after his exit that he completely lost control after leading by a set, while his opponent consistently maintained his level.
An analysis by tennisnet.com concerning Ben Shelton reinforces that losing the first set is no reason to give up. The American is currently considered a comeback specialist: in the current season, he has managed to win 14 matches after dropping the opening set (with twelve defeats). That corresponds to a success rate of 53.8 percent after losing the first set. According to ATP data, Carlos Alcaraz holds the statistically highest rate at 55.6 percent (five wins from nine matches after falling behind). For Alexander Zverev, on the other hand, the record looks weaker: he turned four matches around, but lost ten after dropping the opening set.
On the women's tour, overcoming a set deficit is likewise absolute routine for success. Ahead of the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, tennisnet.com highlighted that world number one Elena Rybakina regularly trailed against tough rivals like Coco Gauff or Jessica Pegula on her way to the top, having to recover from tight tiebreaks or set deficits before securing victories.
The pros' experiences can be applied directly to club championships or your weekend league match:
Your takeaway: Being a set down or facing opponent match points is not a foregone conclusion – stay active in your stroke and break free from the pressure loop in your head.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.