How do you improve your mental game?

[tacou]

No spoilers, but both of the men's matches so far today (Cilic/Gasquet, Stan/Goffin) saw all four players playing some really poor tennis from a mental perspective: failing to serve out matches, failing to hold on to multiple break leads, completely duffing deciding sets, etc.
Each of these players, to one degree or another, has established this sort of reputation over the course of their careers.

So my question: how do you work on this part of the game? Can you?
Is it a, You have it or you don't situation? Do you have to simply keep making it far into tournaments and hope you handle the pressure better over time?

I believe in psychology in many situations, but I'm not sure about sports psychologists. Does anyone know of a top professional athlete benefiting from their services? Anyone on here have personal experience with a sports psychologist?

 

[Service Ace]

You improve your mental game by improving your habits. That way when the pressure is on, you don't change what works. Unfortunately for most of these guys, they learned one way that worked up to a point and lack the the flexibility to change things up when the time has come for change. So in some ways it's a double-edged sword. Really you need to develop the right habits for the right situations and you need the clarity to know when to implement what. That's the mental game in a nutshell.

 

[tacou]

You improve your mental game by improving your habits. That way when the pressure is on, you don't change what works. Unfortunately for most of these guys, they learned one way that worked up to a point and lack the the flexibility to change things up when the time has come for change. So in some ways it's a double-edged sword. Really you need to develop the right habits for the right situations and you need the clarity to know when to implement what. That's the mental game in a nutshell.

Well put. I guess that's why a guy like Isner is usually pretty clutch. He knows his own game so well.
It's always interesting to me to see a world class player completely go to shambles, simply because they are in a position to win.

 

[Service Ace]

Well put. I guess that's why a guy like Isner is usually pretty clutch. He knows his own game so well.
It's always interesting to me to see a world class player completely go to shambles, simply because they are in a position to win.

Yup. Simply because it is so hard for them to even imagine getting into that position that suddenly they find themselves in a new situation for which they had no gameplan or developed habit and so they start changing what they did to get them there or in some cases, continue to do what was just enough to get them there but lacking the composure/killer instinct to close it out.

It's why I think Federer's break point record is so abysmal. I'd wager that when playing with a lead (or as the favorite) he has a tremendous break point record but something about having to break when behind or with pressure on him causes him to change his game. He plays VERY conservative in those situations and we've seen how that has worked out for him... And I also don't think he realizes he is doing it.

It's like they say, old habits die hard.

 

[tacou]

So would you say, a player at this level is too far gone? Can you start reforming habits and improving the mental game after you've already broken, say, top 50?

 

[Deleted member 410229]

Meditation is the answer

 

[tacou]

Meditation is the answer

I don't doubt it.
I find it interesting how "mentally weak" players tend to tighten up when they are in winning positions, and play better, freer tennis when they are about to lose.
The ducks.

 

[NEW_BORN]

Imo you have to experience some kind of immense trauma in your life, in order to change your mentality and your perception of the world.
Eg: For Federer, it was the sudden death of Peter Carter. For Nadal, it was the divorce of his parents.

 

[I am the Greatest!]

Focus, maturity, and confidence. You need those to be mentally strong in matches. Confidence is really the key here.

 

[Russeljones]

So my question: how do you work on this part of the game? Can you?

It's all about the onanism.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Meldonium.

 

[vernonbc]

Have you read Rafa's book? It's full of how and what Toni did to work as much on his mental strength as his physical strength, and sure enough, Rafa's mental strength has always been considered to be top of the game.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Have you read Rafa's book? It's full of how and what Toni did to work as much on his mental strength as his physical strength, and sure enough, Rafa's mental strength has always been considered to be top of the game.

That's no news Uncle Toni skillfully manufactured Rafa since childhood into the player he's been. When you're an adult, your mentality is no longer that plastic, so straight-out copying Nadal's approach won't magically work.

 

[Service Ace]

So would you say, a player at this level is too far gone? Can you start reforming habits and improving the mental game after you've already broken, say, top 50?

I doubt it. You're usually too far down a path at that point. You can make small changes to parts of your game but even those won't stick. Look at Nadal's 2010 for instance when he flattened out his serve and ground strokes just enough to win a US Open and then never hit that way again. All you can do is improve on the things you already do but in terms of drastically changing your habits (the good and the bad) time simply isn't on your side.