Jo-Wilfried Tsonga put it best when he said the key to winning a match is being “really, really strong in the head.” Now, this doesn’t mean that you should return serves with your skull, or replace the forehand with your forehead.
What he means is that, when you get to a certain skill level in tennis, like that found in the US Open, the physical differences aren’t all that pronounced.
It’s the mental strength and tennis strategy that separates the “Djokovics” (ranked no.1) from the non-Djokovics (…the rest).
Tsonga says, “My game, you know, is very good when I have nothing in my head, when I just play my game.” Again, this doesn’t mean he’s not thinking when he’s out there.
It just means that he’s not thinking about anything else but the game at hand. He’s being strong in the head and is mentally tough. He’s ignoring that suspicious charge on his bank statement. He’s blocking out the show that he forgot to Tivo.
He’s ignoring the fan in the crowd with the really weird Flock of Seagulls haircut. He’s in Zen Tennis mode: Zennis Mode.
Even Novak Djokovic says, “There’s not much difference between No. 78 player in the world and Nos. 2,3,1,5.” This is quite a statement, considering Novak IS number 1!
What does he mean exactly? He’s talking about the fact that, physically, all of these stellar athletes (…Andy Roddick, Donald Young, John Isner, Serena Williams etc.) are relatively around the same skill level. A slightly faster serve here, a slightly better ground stroke there; that’s it.
What separates Novak from his pursuers is his mastery of the mental game and tennis strategy. “It takes mental ability to handle the pressure, to play well at the right moments, and that’s why I think there is a certain difference with top-10 players,” says Novak.
When he’s on the court, all Djokovic is thinking about is the match and the tennis strategy needed to win it. He isn’t thinking about the charges he made with Tsonga’s bank card or the botched up backhand from the point before 
.
Now, to go even further, simply managing your mental game isn’t enough. You must MASTER it! Like any physical muscle, you’ve got to keep working on your mental muscles.
Novak’s Thoughts On Mental Tennis Strategy…
Djokovic himself believes mental tennis strategy is the ticket, “I think mental strength is something you get over the years playing on the tour, getting experience, and using that experience in the right way.”
Like Novak, I believe the also best way to work those mental muscles out and achieve “Zennis” is by consistently competing.
Nadal’s Thoughts On Mental Tennis Strategy:
And this idea doesn’t stop with the face of Serbian and French tennis. It’s very well alive in Spain as well. Rafael Nadal knows this as well as anybody.
He says, “If you watch the No.10 player in the world and the No.500 in training, you won’t necessarily be able to tell who is higher up in the rankings. Without the pressure of competition, they’ll move and hit the ball much the same way.”
And here’s where it gets interesting. Nadal and Djokovic squared off in Wimbledon earlier this year and you could easily see that the match wasn’t fought on the court so much as it was fought inside their frontal and posterior lobes.
Djokovic’s brain ended up winning, but you’d better believe that it took every last bit of gray matter to ensure the victory. And why not? After all, in tennis, Gray Matters!
Of course, it can be tough to keep the brain focused on the court, even when you’re winning. And if you’re losing, this is where it really helps to master mental strength (…or relaxation).
Wozniacki is living proof that your mental tennis strategy MUST be top notch:
Caroline Wozniacki is living proof of this concept. Her match against Svetlana Kuznetsova looked like a sure defeat at first; she was down 4-1 in the second set after losing the first set 6-7.
But Wozniacki is ranked number 1 for a good reason - her “mental mojo.” And wouldn’t you know it, she started to remember the mental aspect of the game and came back to win 6-7, 7-5, 6-1 in a 3 hour comeback spectacular.
When asked how she managed to pull off this feat, she simply said what any child knows: “It’s important to stay positive. Tennis is a funny sport. You just have to keep going.”
Thus, Wozniaki became the little engine that DID! She isn’t necessarily stronger or faster than Kuznetsova, but she has the training and mental ability to play the right shot at the perfect time and relax (…rather than become tight) when things become overwhelming. Sure enough, she kept her no. 1 ranking and reminded us of why she’s on top.
So, as you’re watching the rest of the US Open and taking notes, pay attention to more than just the powerful strokes and pounding serves. Watch for the strategy and and critical mental tennis tactics being carefully executed.
After all, your mind is a terrible thing to waste.
Brian
TennisMindCamp
P.S. Check out our TMC Mental Strategy Secrets 101 (…19 H-OU-R-S of kick-butt tennis tips, tricks, and tennis strategy) and beef up your mental game like the big boys, so you can play like one of your favs at the US Open.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
thank you for reminding me how important mental preparation is in
order to achieve your goals