The pros in New York show how to handle extreme pressure, nervousness and deficits. These mental strategies will help you in your next match.
Anyone following the US Open sees not only spectacular rallies, but above all extreme mental drama. Whether it is wet and cold rainy weather, long play delays or matches that only end deep into the night – the conditions demand everything from the pros. But it is precisely from these extreme situations in Flushing Meadows that you, as a recreational athlete, can draw valuable lessons for your own matchplay. Because in the end, a tight match is almost always decided in the head.
Even absolute world-class players are not immune to mental blocks. Madison Keys openly reported, according to Ubitennis, about the great nervousness and the palpable tension before the first round of a Grand Slam tournament. The rackets would feel almost slippery in the hands, and the tension was palpable throughout the players' area. Coco Gauff also struggled massively with her serve for over a year and, according to Tennis365, led the WTA statistics in double faults with 308 failed attempts. Her solution? She got biomechanical help and worked specifically on her mental attitude. Instead of serving with fear ('I hope it goes in'), she now focuses on an offensive mindset again ('I'm going for the ace').
For your game, this means: Accept that nervousness is completely normal. If your serve is shaky, do not tense up. Concentrate on the movement and try to put a positive, active intention behind the shot, instead of just wanting to avoid mistakes.
That a match is only over with the last point was impressively proven by two pros at the US Open 2026. Flavio Cobolli was already two sets down in his first-round match against Francisco Comesana. According to Tennis Majors, Cobolli had previously experienced such a deficit eight times in his career at a Grand Slam and lost every single time. On the ninth attempt, after over four hours of fighting, he managed to turn things around. Alexander Zverev was also just two points away from a first-round exit in the fourth set against Lorenzo Sonego, kept his cool and won after 4 hours and 50 minutes shortly before two in the morning.
Such marathon matches show that momentum in tennis can shift at any time. If you are far behind in the first set or your opponent seems to be playing flawlessly, stay patient. Often, a single weak service game from your opponent is enough to find your way back into the match.
How to keep your cool despite a false start was also demonstrated by Gael Monfils on his 40th birthday. After losing the first set against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, he only gave up three games in the following three sets. According to Tennis Majors, Monfils analysed his success purely technically: despite the break points against him, he did not worry, but simply focused on improving his footwork. As soon as he moved better, the momentum tipped in his favour.
Your takeaway: Accept your nervousness as part of the game and, when you are behind, stubbornly direct your focus onto your footwork and the next point.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.