Tennis is one of the most mentally demanding sports — every point requires focus, emotional regulation, decision-making, and nervous-system composure. Many players don’t struggle with technique in training — they struggle under pressure, expectation, score, or opponent aggression.
This isn’t a lack of ability — it’s a mental, emotional and state-based pattern that can be trained.
I work with tennis players in Reading, Didcot, and online to improve performance using NLP, hypnotherapy, sports mindset coaching, somatic awareness and flow-state principles.
MAIL@THEEXCELPRACTICE.COM OR CALL 07807 540142
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Common Tennis Performance Issues I Help With
Players often describe patterns such as:
- Playing well in practice but tightening up in matches
- Losing confidence after one mistake or double fault
- Struggling to close out sets or matches
- Overthinking during points instead of trusting instincts
- Emotional swings (frustration, anger, anxiety)
- Passive play under pressure (avoiding risks)
- Fear of losing or being judged
- Struggling with aggressive opponents
- “Choking” in tie breaks or break points
- Inconsistent serve under pressure
Nearly all of these issues are state-based, not technical.
Tennis-Specific Performance Blocks
Tennis has unique psychological demands. Some common block categories include:
1. Serve Breakdown Under Pressure
Confidence on the serve often collapses when:
- Score matters
- Opponent pressures return
- Internal voice turns critical
- Body enters “freeze” mode
Symptoms include:
- Double faults
- Deceleration
- Tension in shoulder/forearm
- Overthinking toss, grip, stance
- Fear of missing instead of intention to attack
This is rarely a technique issue — it’s nervous-system interference.
2. Playing Scared vs Playing to Win
Many players swing freely until:
- They have the lead
- Match gets close
- They’re being observed
- They’re playing a stronger opponent
Common internal patterns:
- Defensive shots at key points
- Pushing instead of hitting
- Fear of mistakes
- Loss of identity mid-match
This is a threat-state shift, not a skills issue.
3. Emotional Tilt & Momentum Swings
Tennis is emotional by design — points are constant feedback loops.
Players describe:
- Frustration after errors
- Anger at themselves or opponents
- Losing multiple games quickly after one mistake
- Difficulty resetting between points
Momentum control is a mental skill, not motivational.
4. Opponent Intimidation & Social Pressure
Many players perform differently depending on:
- Who watches
- Who they play
- Opponent’s style or aggression
- Club/team context
- Tournament environment
These patterns are identity-level, not performance-level.
How Tennis Mindset Coaching Works
You do not need to visualise, force confidence, or use “positive thinking”.
We work on:
- Nervous-system regulation
- Pressure tolerance & resilience
- Flow-state access
- Internal voice calibration
- Identity & belief structure
- Performance & sports performance
- Focus bandwidth control (broad vs narrow)
- Between-point reset protocols
- Competitive composure & emotional pacing
- Somatic confidence cues
- Attack vs protect decision states
Players typically describe the change as:
- Calmer under pressure
- Clearer decision-making
- More automatic performance
- More assertive shot selection
- Less reactive to mistakes
Who This Is For
This approach supports:
- Juniors
- Club players
- Competitive adult players
- College-level athletes
- Players returning from injury
- Coaches looking for an edge for their players
Not just pros — patterns are universal.
Tools & Methods Used
Depending on the player, sessions may include:
- NLP (language-state mechanics)
- Hypnotherapy for subconscious interference
- Somatic nervous-system work
- Flow-state activation protocols
- Breathwork for serve & recovery states
- Identity + belief restructuring
- Error recovery & emotional reset tools
- Pre-point & post-point routines
- Aphantasia-adapted methods (no visualisation required)
None of this replaces technical coaching — it enhances it.
Expected Benefits
Players often report:
- Stronger serve under pressure
- Better composure during momentum swings
- Reduced frustration & emotional tilt
- Cleaner ball striking from trust instead of fear
- Improved closing ability (from lead or behind)
- More consistent match performance
- Clear tactical decisions under stress
- Better sleep & recovery during tournaments
- More enjoyment & confidence
Match results often improve because nervous-system noise decreases.
Summary: The Mental Game in Elite Tennis
At the highest level of tennis, mental performance is trained deliberately, not left to chance.
Professional players regularly work with sports psychologists, mindset coaches, and hypnotherapists to improve focus, emotional control, resilience, and performance under pressure. Tennis places constant demands on attention, decision-making, and nervous-system regulation — often over long matches with rapid momentum shifts.
The difference at elite level is rarely technical ability alone, but who can stay present, reset quickly, and compete without emotional interference.
Why Top Tennis Players Work on Mindset & Psychology
Many of the world’s best players openly acknowledge the role of mental training in their success.
- Novak Djokovic is widely known for his use of mindfulness, breathing, and presence-based techniques to stay calm and focused under pressure.
- Carlos Alcaraz has worked with psychologist Isabel Balaguer to manage emotions and maintain a “short memory” between points.
- Iga Świątek integrates sports psychology as a core part of her training to support consistency and composure at the top of the game.
- Andy Murray embraced sports psychology to improve relaxation, focus, and competitive resilience.
- Serena Williams has spoken about using visualization and mental rehearsal to prepare for matches.
- Players across generations — including Andre Agassi, Martina Navratilova, and Jimmy Connors — have used hypnosis-based techniques to enhance focus and performance.
At this level, mental coaching isn’t about motivation or confidence talks — it’s about emotional regulation, attention control, and rapid recovery between points.
The same principles apply to competitive juniors, club players, and adult competitors — simply adapted to real matches and real pressure.
Sessions & Locations
I offer tennis performance coaching:
- Reading, Berkshire — Mon–Fri (day & evening)
- Didcot, Oxfordshire — Tuesdays with flexible times
- Online (UK & International) — Zoom or Teams
I support players across:
Reading • Caversham • Tilehurst • Woodley • Earley • Wokingham • Didcot • Abingdon • Wallingford • Wantage • and internationally via online sessions.
FAQ
Do you change technique?
No. I work on the layer above technique — state, confidence, pressure, identity.
Can this help with competitions?
Yes — juniors, adults, club, tournaments, LTA events, college tennis, etc.
Does this work online?
Yes — online coaching is used by many competitive players.
Do I need to visualise?
No — the work is adapted for non-visual thinkers (including aphantasia).
How many sessions?
Typically 3–6 sessions, depending on goals.
Next Steps
If you want to perform without interference, handle pressure better, and compete with clarity:
MAIL@THEEXCELPRACTICE.COM OR CALL 07807 540142