Hey guys,

Ever been behind before, and you felt there was no coming back? Trick question, I know.  We’ve all been there. But only a few of us are actually able to get out of it, and turn things around.

Why is that? I mean, how did Venus Williams comeback from dropping a set this past weekend? How did Peyton Manning regroup and get the win after it looked like they we’re done before halftime started?

Well, as with most things, it starts in your mind. When you feel a match starting to turn into the opponent’s favor (…like you going down a break or lose a string of points all together), you tend to mentally panic.

You don’t like the fact that the much needed control is leaving you. And then, almost immediately, you see the whole “match” flashing before your eyes…

You see, and that’s where it goes all wrong for you. The “match” is too big of a concept. A “match” is like a lifetime in tennis.  It has so many different things going on, all the time.  The mind can’t simply wrap itself around it all.  It’s in that very moment when everything starts to go south.

How so? Well, when your mind envisions what it must do to win the whole match and take on such a tremendous task, (…without warning) it pictures this situation of being behind as a HUGE  (…and virtually impossible) hurdle…

…It sees all the service games that need to be held, the 100+ setup and recovery positions that need to be attained, the trips to the net and volley execution, the possibility of being down another break (or even two), having to execute weakness exploitation techniques over and over again, and even the possibility of technical meltdown and mechanical mayhem.

So as a result, the mind indirectly perceives this “match” to be a close to an uncirmountable task. And when the mind believes something isn’t likely to happen or where the odds are too far-fetched, your body will begin not to believe it either.

You won’t be as quick, your reflexes won’t be as fast, and the likelihood of the loss will be much greater. Your body is saying, “what for?” basically. Believe it or not, your body is smart just like the mind.

So if you want to be in the select group that can weather this mental storm and *REALLY* get yourself back in the match,  what do you need to do?

Take A Load Off Your Mind:

First you need to breathe to get yourself in a more relaxed state and to slow things down a bit. Then… Break that huge “match” concept down into smaller pieces.

I know it sounds clicheic, but you have to look at it on a point by point basis.  Don’t just say it and not feel it. You have to really own it.

Treat every point as it’s own “match.”  Look no further than  that 30-30 or 15-love than you’re in at the moment. Decide on your positioning and shot selection for that point only.

You really want to have tunnel vision here. Don’t look to anything that has already happened nor anything that has not yet come to pass (…sounds pretty Lord Of The Ringsish, I know haha).

But concentrate on those positions, those strategies, and what you need to do to win THAT POINT (…and that point only). Then once you’ve won it, move on to the next one. And repeat the process.

By doing this, your mind will actually see something that it can realistically wrap itself around, and you’ll “believe” (…like Melanie Oudin) that it’s something that could actually be done.

And once your mind believes it, then everything else will get better as well. Your technique will improve.  Your  TMC weakness analysis will be enhanced, and your focus will be magnified.

And the most important thing, the likelihood of you making that comeback and getting the win, would have sky rocketed!

And that is exactly what happened this weekend with Venus and Peyton (…even those I was rooting for the jets :)) The Pro Bowl Colts QB didn’t look to the 4th quarter when he came out onto the field after the halftime show, down 17-6.

He only saw the moment right in front of him.  He saw one play at a time and executed it to the best of his ability.  And with each down he played,  it brought him closer to the win.  …Which he eventually got!

Same thing with Venus… In the first set Sunday, she served 0 aces, double faulted 5 times  and was broken on several occasions - which is something that she’s very foreign to.  Now, after dropping the first set to Francesca Schiavone at the Australian Open 3-6, she didn’t look to backwards to a shot she missed or set her sights too far ahead of her, to the 3rd.

When asked if she was worried about NOT pulling out the final set and the match, Venus said, “No, I really was in the moment and just focusing on what I needed to do in that moment, on that point. You know, it worked out for me, so it was good.”

She knew that would be too big of a mental task to take on.  So, she took the smaller-goal approach. And that enabled her to give it her best, and send her to the next round - one step closer to that Australian Open Championship stage.

Now, this is what the champs are doing. It might be a good thing for you to do too. 

Have a great one guys, and enjoy the rest of the open! Was this tip helpful? I’d love your feedback!

-Brian

TennisMindCamp

P.S. Remember to text HAITI to 90999 on your cell phone  to donate just $10 to the people of Haiti in this time  of tremendous need. Every little bit helps a great deal.