Five-hour thrillers and tight game situations: What we can learn from the pros about focus, body language and mental strength in long matches.
When a match goes on for several hours and every point counts, the wheat is separated from the chaff. Whether in tennis at Grand Slam level or in international team tournaments – in tight game situations, it is no longer just about physical fitness. The ability to stay calm despite exhaustion and pressure from your opponent decides between victory and defeat. Reports from current tournaments show how differently pros deal with these extreme demands and what they take away from them for their development.
An impressive example of extreme endurance was provided by Alexander Zverev at the US Open. According to reports from Tennis365 and Ubitennis, the world number two fought his way through an almost five-hour, five-set drama against Lorenzo Sonego in the first round. Although Zverev was two sets to one down and was only two points away from elimination in the fourth set, he kept his cool. Despite falls and a sometimes unfriendly crowd celebrating missed serves, his body language remained professional. Zverev emphasised afterwards that exactly these tough fights are necessary to find your rhythm again and build self-confidence after dry spells in your game.
The French veteran Gael Monfils also showed enormous nerves of steel on his 40th birthday. After a weak first set against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, in which he admitted he did not move enough and tensed up, he trusted his shots. He kept his core tension high, improved his footwork and turned the match around confidently. These examples show that experience and trust in your own abilities help to pull yourself out of difficult phases.
Not only the length of the match, but also the setting can be a mental challenge. According to Ubitennis, the young player Alexandra Eala reported after her opening match in New York that experience helps to block out the noise and expectations of the crowd. Her goal is to focus purely on her own routines and concrete tactical points. As soon as you find your own playing rhythm, the influence of external factors automatically fades. Coco Gauff also explained that good preparation and trust in your own level quickly make initial nervousness disappear as soon as the match begins.
Valuable approaches for your own training and your next matches can be derived from the experiences of the pros:
Your takeaway: Accept difficult phases in a match and use them as an opportunity to specifically develop your mental strength and focus.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.