Strategies for Developing Consistency in Tennis
“I’m playing great tennis one minute then the next minute I can’t seem to do anything right. I just can’t seem to be consistent in my game. Is there anything I can do to improve my consistency on the court?”
This is a common question we receive from tennis players.
All tennis players search for consistency, but it seems elusive for many.
Why is consistency so difficult for so many players?
Is consistency even possible for a tennis player?
First, let us define consistency because this often trips up many tennis plays.
Consistency does not imply ALWAYS.
If you think of consistency in terms of some performance level that should ALWAYS be met, you are setting yourself up for failure and disappointment.
This is the main reason why consistency is difficult for many players.
When you think in terms of always, a few mistakes will hurt confidence and detract you from playing in the moment.
Consistency is a level of play that does not vary greatly over a period of time.
This definition takes into account that you will not always be on top of your game–you can’t have your A-game every match you play.
Consistency takes place over time so a few bad points, games or even matches will not crush a player’s confidence and lead to further up and down play.
Consistency is attainable and within the reach of all tennis players.
Consistency starts with your mental preparation, meaning how you approach matches and the manner in which you cope with challenges.
Next, you need to stay focused in the present moment instead of keeping mistakes and bad matches alive by reliving them in your mind.
Lastly, to be consistent you need to practice consistency.
That is, practice the way you want to compete.
If you want to stay focused in matches, practice with greater focus.
If you want to manage your competitive emotions, learn how to control your emotions and reactions to challenges during the match. And then apply those strategies in practice.
If you want to be more aggressive on your second serve, practice an aggressive second serve.
Consistency was the key factor that helped British No. 1 Kyle Edmund move up the rankings and win the first ATP title of his career beating Gael Monfils 3-6 7-6(2) 7-6(4) in the final of the 2018 European Open.
Edmund lost the first set but maintained his composure, stayed focused on each point, kept fighting and won the second in a tiebreak and the third set in a tiebreak.
EDMUND: “I’ve not been able to string together my matches to win tournaments. There’s always been something to let me down. It’s been one of my goals to be more consistent. Today [at the Europeon Open], I had to really dig deep and it’s great I’ve been able to have this experience and come through. It gives you so much belief and confidence for the next time it happens.”
Consistency doesn’t just happen.
You need to work on developing consistency if you truly desire to play consistent tennis.
How to Develop Consistency in Tennis:
First, keep moving forward. Hanging onto past mistakes will slow down your momentum and lead to under-performance.
Second, prepare the same way mentally for every match. Remind yourself to focus on one point at a time, let go of outcomes, trust in your strokes, and visualize yourself playing well before the match.
For more strategies to improve your consistency, check out Tennis Confidence Audio and Workbook Program:
Learn Proven Tennis Mental Game Strategies To Perform Your Best On The Court!
Are you (or your players) performing up to your ability in competition?
Do you bring your best and most confident game to matches?
I often hear players complain about the following problems when they play in matches…
“I get so tight or tense before matches that I can’t think straight or have any rhythm in my game.”
“I get so frustrated with hitting bad shots or with errors and it snowballs.”
“I expect so much when I play that I unravel and lose confidence when the match does not go as planned.”
“My confidence seems to disappear when I go from practice to matches and I don’t know why.”
Successful tennis players have learned how to perform with ultimate confidence in tournaments.
If you are ready to improve your mental toughness and perform with ultimate self-confidence in matches, Tennis Confidence: Mental Toughness For Tournament Players can help you do this!
- Players: Learn how to take control of your confidence, focus your best, and win more close matches.
- Parents: Help boost your junior tennis player’s confidence for tournaments. Just load the program on your player’s IPod!
- Coaches: Boost your team’s confidence using simple, proven mental strategies.
- Instructors: Learn how to give your students the mental game advantage.
Use Tennis Confidence to help boost your mental toughness in tennis and discover powerful and proven mental game strategies that have helped professional athletes win!
Tennis Confidence: Mental Toughness For Tournament Players
What are mental game customers saying?
“So far the program has been going really well! My son is doing the workbook and listening to the audio part and has been enjoying it! He has played better the past couple of weeks and he said the program is helping him focus and not get quite so frustrated.”
~Tara Mariano, Sports Parent
“I have really enjoyed listening to your tennis psychology podcasts on iTunes and reading your E-books. I just found your web site and I already have improved in my mental game. I played in a tennis tournament this past weekend and played with the amount of confidence I should have in myself.”
~Melanie Lewis, Junior Tennis Player
Boost Your Self-Confidence And Focus With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
Master mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues with personal coaching.
You can work with Dr. Patrick Cohn himself in Orlando, Florida or via Skype, FaceTime, or telephone. Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
What are our mental coaching students saying?
“We are amazed at how much ‘The Confident Athlete’ program has helped my niece play her best tennis during matches. She literally made it to the farthest round of a tournament (semifinals) after finishing the CDs and workbook. We are going to do all 3 in the series.”
~Jason Bourguignon, Uncle
“Maggie had such a great weekend. As always, after she works with you she just seems more grounded and focused. She’s less likely to look around and get distracted during her match. She’s more focused on one point at a time. Also, as a parent, I’ve learned to encourage her process goals and not outcomes. Consequently, she played well and won her first doubles match, upsetting a seeded team in a really really close match!”
~Katherine Johnson Cannata, Maggie’s mother
“Danielle did really well with controlling her emotions during the matches today. We were very proud of her for not showing her frustrations during the match; I think that was a big accomplishment. She really looked in control of her emotions even when she double faulted or made mistakes. The changes we saw on Danielle’s behavior in less than 24 hours were AWESOME! Thank you for your guidance!”
~Jennifer Alamo, Tennis Parent
Leave a Reply