How often do you play without losing focus

[dozu]

I am 36. During the summer season the most I can play is 5days/week, with 2-3 days playing sets. But I always feel if I play sets on 3rd day in a row, I wouldn't have the same level of focus as on the 1st day.

This leads me to wonder how the pros maintain their mental focus on top of maintaining the physical condition. It's amazing since they are playing for a living and I am sure every game, every point means a lot more than for us recreational players.

Maybe it's just an age thing... I can certainly remember myself playing with better focus when I was 26.

[kevhen]

They do usually get a day off between matches. Plus they do it for a living with money on the line so that might make it easier to focus but also more stressful.

[kevhen]

Plus their strokes are so well drilled they can play in their sleep.

And there are plenty of pros who lose their focus like Safin.

[Bungalo Bill]

I think that is what seperates the top 10 or pros in general from the rest of the "pack". The ability to stay focused. Mental strength and stamina or mental toughness is what the difference is.

I know that some may not be as strong or as fast, but in men's tennis especially, it is mental strength and toughness that is the big issue.

Several players that come to mind immediately that have the capacity to face head on the day in and day out distractions of life, their personal habits, and tennis to remain at the top of their game has to be:

1. Sampras

2. Agassi

3. Federer

4. Lendl

5. McEnroe

6. Borg

7. Conners

On the womens side:

1. Graff

2. Navratilova

3. Evert

4. S. Williams

Obviously, the list is huge and others can put there "mental" favorites as well. The mental capacity is what seperates the 5.0's from the 6.0's and up.

[GrahamIsSuper]

I'm 16, futures junior level, and I also have trouble focusing, so it's not really an age thing. Little tricks my coach tought me (former pro in South America, also had focus problems) for focusing during matches are as follows:

Inbetween your points, you must completely clear your head. Every point is a new point, dont think about your last miss or his bad line call in the first set. It will lose your match for you. Keep your eyes on the ground or on your opponent while waiting for the rally to start, and don't let things bother you.

Also, inbetween points, you can take a ball and bounce it on the ground slow to fast, saying some mental thing to yourself every time you bounce it (My coach and I use "kill" )

Whatever you do, DO NOT let the last point enter your mind, EVERY POINT IS A NEW ONE!

[JohnThomas1]

Hey BB would you think Becker would be out of place on that list? I know he had a couple of down periods but he was one of the finest big match players i have ever seen, as witnessed by his ASTONISHING Davis Cup singles record amongst others. Am keen to see your opinion

[kevhen]

Agassi didn't have that focus until Brad Gilbert became his coach. And he still loses his focus from time to time especially in the smaller tournaments. Now Pete Sampras had focus. It's easy to focus when the match is big, but harder to focus when it's not. That is what focus means to me. Being able to focus on every point in every match no matter if it's for Wimbledon or just to be hitting the ball around.