Overcome Mental Blocks During Moments of Pressure
This topic is something every tennis player has thought about at one time or another. However, thinking about a problem and doing something about it are two entirely different things.
Tennis players often realize they are experiencing a mental block, but either hope it resolves itself or don’t know how to fix it. Mental blocks rarely resolve themselves.
In fact, over time, these issues become more prominent and emotionally damaging on the court. Take, for example, Taylor Fritz… Fritz has been plagued recently by his inability to rise to the occasion on big points.
Fritz felt that trend continued after a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 defeat to Daniel Altmaier at the 2025 French Open. Fritz converted just one of five break points in the opening round, while saving just three of eight.
FRITZ: “It’s kind of what’s been going on a bit lately… When I’m break point down, or I’ve got looks on his serve, like 0/30, 15/30, 30/30, break point — all the pressure, important points… I don’t know what’s going on. I’m finding ways to just play the worst point possible.”
Fritz clearly understands the issue at hand, but is misdirected on how to overcome his mental block. Fritz is relying on hope to turn around his play during big points rather than on actionable strategies.
FRITZ: “The fact that I’m not just converting big points, not playing big points well, the only way to get rid of that is have a match or a couple matches where that just doesn’t happen and I perform well on some of those points. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. I’ll never think about it again.”
Furthermore, Fritz doesn’t believe there is a proactive solution to overcome the problem.
FRITZ: “It’s tough. It’s not something you can really fix in practice. I felt great about my game in practice. Overall I don’t think I’m playing bad 90 per cent of the match, by any means… It’s the 10 per cent which ultimately decides the tennis match, the really big points where it actually matters.”
Waiting for a solution to appear magically is no solution at all. Think of it this way… How did your tennis serve improve? Did you sit on the sidelines and hope it would improve, or did you put in the time and work to hone your serving skills?
Two strategies help tennis players overcome mental blocks:
1. Practicing Under Pressure – Simulating high-stress scenarios during training, like playing in tie-break situations, helps tennis players improve confidence, build mental toughness, and get accustomed to performing under match-like pressure.
This reduces anxiety during competitive matches and makes mental blocks less likely to disrupt performance.
2. Mental Practice – Also known as visualization, mental practice involves vividly imagining the successful execution of strokes, strategies, and emotional control. Visualization boosts confidence and allows players to rehearse overcoming mental blocks at any time during the day.
By integrating pressure-based training and visualization, tennis players can effectively break through mental barriers and perform more consistently in competition.
These strategies not only enhance focus and confidence but also build the mental toughness needed to handle the ups and downs of the game.
Before every practice or match, take a few minutes to visualize yourself staying calm and focused in challenging situations. This mental habit can become your greatest asset on court and help alleviate the anxiety when playing under pressure.
Related Tennis Psychology Articles
- Mental Toughness in Tennis Through Persistence
- Tennis Mental Skills and Between Point Routines
- Mental Keys to Staying in a Tough Tennis Match
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