How does Thinking Affect Tennis Performance?
Before we get into this topic, let’s understand some facts regarding “thinking.”
- For one, you cannot “not think.” You are always thinking, whether you are aware of your thoughts or not.
- Thoughts can be categorized as positive (thoughts that are productive or self-enhancing), negative (unproductive or performance-detracting), and neutral (thoughts that are observational and have no impact on performance).
- Thinking impacts emotions and motivation. Negative thoughts such as “I’m imploding again” or “It’s impossible to return that serve” bring about frustration and resignation, which destroy your inner fight. Positive thoughts such as “I am going to battle until the last point” breed confidence and motivate you to stay in the match mentally and physically.
- You have a choice on what thoughts to focus on. You can’t stop thoughts, but you can choose to focus on thoughts that will enhance performance. That includes conscious and confident self-talk that helps you win the battle of the mind and improve your play on the court.
Thinking affects how we interpret a situation (“I’m down a set. There is no way I can win”), make decisions (It’s not worth battling for each point”), and predict outcomes (“I’m going to lose”), which shape your level of competitive play.
However, you can turn the tide through the mental skill of self-talk. Self-talk is like being the director of a movie. You consciously present yourself with a script that helps you maintain confidence, stay on task, and fight for each point.
At the 2025 Madrid Open finals, Casper Ruud beat Jack Draper 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 despite feeling frustrated by Draper’s toughness during the match. Casper Ruud became frustrated in the second set by the strong play of Draper.
RUUD: “I was getting a bit frustrated in the second and beginning of the third set as I felt I had the momentum of the first set, and then I was thinking time to dominate [Draper] even more, and I wasn’t able to in the second.”
Rudd decided to use his self-talk to regain his focus and momentum. Ruud has won more clay-court matches on the ATP Tour since 2020 than any other player and used all that experience during the final few games against Draper.
With a clearer mind, Ruud was able to tough out the last set and win the match.
RUUD: “Ultimately, I was just thinking I am the clay court player here. I have played more hours on clay than him. He is obviously great, but this is my surface, and it’s time to back that up.”
Your thoughts are not just noise in your mind; they’re powerful forces that direct and shape your athletic performance.
Remember, the way you think affects your emotions, decision-making, and ability to compete, so it is crucial to become the master of your thoughts rather than allowing thoughts to bring about self-defeat.
Start training your mind like you train your body. Use deliberate, positive self-talk during practice to build a strong mental habit that enhances peak performance under pressure.
Self-talk can be the difference between losing and winning tough tennis matches.
Related Tennis Psychology Articles
- How Productive Self-Talk Can Improve Tennis Performance
- How to Set the Tone Early in a Tennis Match
- The Mindset of Top Tennis Players – Coco Gauff
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