How To Keep Focused On The Game? Just Do It!
I have a question…. I am a freshmen at my high school. I am on the tennis team and my current spot is #9. I play very well with my friend who is in the #2 spot.
I can volley and serve really well. But when I try to play a match (exhibition) I seem to always lose! I tense up after I make the mistake and make errors with even the simplest of volleys!
Is there a way I can keep myself from tensing up and losing and keep my mind focused on the game?
You’ve almost answered everything. 
You say: “Is there a way I can keep myself from tensing up and losing and keep my mind focused on the game?”
Exactly. Just do it.
When the tension arrives, loosen up. Take a few deep breaths and focus on relaxing.
And how to keep your mind focused on the game?
Do it.
When the thoughts about the mistake come, REPLACE them with the thoughts of how you are going to play the next point.
Or just watch the ball. Even when it’s still on the ground… Just keep your eyes on the ball.
I believe you are asking me if there is something special you can do so that tension and negative thoughts don’t happen. There isn’t.
Tennis is a battle.
It’s a battle with your opponent but eve more important, it’s a battle between your negative mind and tension and your positive mind and relaxation.
It’s hard work and sometimes you will lose this battle. But keep working at it and you’ll become a much better mental fighter and eventually a mental winner!
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April 19th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Try and relax and enjoy the game. Rather than get worked up when you make a mistake. Maybe this way you can focus less on “making mistakes” and more on beating your oponent.
April 20th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Well, I witnessed it again; a better player loosing to a lesser player. I coach a girls high school tennis team. My #1 singles player is a freshman this year. She has a very good basic game. However, in the sectionals this year my player lost 2 matches she should have won. She had numerous unforced errors and double faults. I gave her some pointers to follow. When she did, her unforced errors decreased, but for whatever reason, she’d go back to her loosing game and then really get upset, a nervous mess because she couldn’t hit her power forehand anymore. The rest, as they say, is history.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Hi Skip,
Thanks for stopping by.
Here’s one of the reasons why this might happen: many players feel the need to do something in the rally to prove (to themselves, to the opponent, to the coach, …) that they are better.
So they go for shots too early and thus make unforced errors.
Their typical question in the head is: “How am I going to make a point?” Or in a more broader sense: “How am I going to beat him / her?”
The way to counter that type of thinking, which leads to many unforced errors is to ask them a question: “How are THEY going to beat you?”
A few weeks ago Roddick won against Federer. But he didn’t beat him. Federer lost. He made 3 unforced errors in his last service game and Andy played one good point.
Andy just played solid game and let Federer beat himself. This is in fact the most common way of winning in tennis…