Madison Keys’ Mental Game Keys For Tennis

Madison Keys’ Confidence Boosting Strategy

Do you wish you were more confident with your tennis game?

Do you know how to become a more confident tennis player?

Can you recall a time when a coach told you… You just need more confidence to play better? Maybe he suggested that you could win more matches with a higher level of confidence.

You probably agreed with your coach’s sentiments then searched fruitlessly for some way to boost your confidence…

Maybe you thought, “If I win a few matches, I will increase my confidence.”

But how can you win matches if you need confidence to win matches?

Of course, confidence will greatly enhance your tennis game.

The truth is that confidence is a skill not a genetic trait.

Confidence can be developed through focus, repetition and hard work.

There are many things can contribute and boost a tennis player’s confidence:

• Preparation
• Improved technique
• Good physical conditioning
• Recalling past successes
• Proper focus
• Giving yourself credit for small accomplishments
• Playing to your strengths
• Your approach to tough matches

Madison Keys is a 19 year-old tennis player who can provide valuable insight into increasing confidence. Keys recently won her first WTA title at the 2014 Aegon Championships.

Keys went into the Aegon Finals with a positive and confident attitude:

“I’m just going to go for it… Really, I have nothing to lose.”

Keys’ confidence paid off as she defeated Angelique Kerber 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 and moved into the Top 30 for the first time in her young career.

Try these tips to boost your confidence

1. You must prepare meticulously (physically, mentally, technically, strategically).

Keys identified her preparation as a major component to her confidence.

KEYS: “It’s one of those things where when you’re training and you don’t want to be there, you’re tired or everything hurts, it’s one of those things where you think of this moment, and, you know, it really helps push you through all the hard times.”

2. Focus on your abilities, strengths, and strategies for matches, not shortcomings.

Instead of focusing on her opponent’s rank or ability, Keys stated she maintains her focus on her game during matches.

KEYS: “I think everyone [top ranked tennis players] goes into matches the same no matter who we’re playing. We’re solely focused on ourselves.

3. Focus on what you are doing now… in the present! Focusing on the present helps you let go of the anxiety about outcomes.

Keys plays one match at a time instead of getting anxious over upcoming tournaments.

KEYS: “I think today I’m just going to be extremely happy [over Aegon victory], and then tomorrow morning I’ll probably be extremely happy as well. Then, you know, once I get on the Wimbledon grounds and start practicing and think, you know, kind of put this into the back of my mind, I’ll really just focus on playing Tuesday.”

In previous matches, Keys had difficulty closing out matches, but stayed in the present moment and focused on the current point.

KEYS: “I wasn’t really focused on winning or losing the match. It was more just one point at a time and staying calm.”

Successful tennis players have learned how to perform with ultimate confidence in tournaments. We’ve developed Tennis Confidence: Mental Toughness For Tournament Players to help you do this.

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