Hesitation is defeat…

The idea of how the mental aspect of doubt plays an almost all-important role to succeed in tennis can be expanded. As discussed, the moment of contact is in the range of milliseconds if not less. Our mind is a more or less continuous machine, making micro-observations, taking micro decisions in the matter of microseconds. Just like in movies when time slows in the moment of tension; in the face of imminent disaster, real life can also offer such sensation of time.

Let us take a real-life situation in the tennis court. Your opponent has missed the first serve on a break point. The second serve is coming. Now is your chance to pounce. You have two options; either defend the serve with some control and continue with a rally after gaining an upper hand which you can lose any moment however or go for a winner and capture the game. Initially, you decide on the first option. The opponent serves. Oh no! The serve is weaker than expected. What do you do? What do you do! Change course of action!! Hit a winner! The ball bounces well inside the service box. You move your feet forward. Prepare to push off the ground and hit a winner across court. Suddenly, you see your opponent moving towards the same side of the court. Do you change direction now? Or go for an even tighter angle? You decide to do neither. You go for the dropshot. Your concentration on the ball is nerve-wracking. Your pupils are dilated. That ball is your world now. All else is void. Wait! Your brain says. Can you actually make that shot? Is the ball high enough? Are you in a good enough position? Too late to change the decision now. Just go for it! Your opponent was certain that you would go for the winner. He is flabbergasted! He starts running towards the ball. Your drop shot wasn’t the perfect specimen for sure. Your opponent almost reaches it. You are watching the ball and praying he does not reach it. He touches the ball with the racket. Fortunately, the net comes to your rescue. A sigh of relief!

The whole process involving so many decisions and thoughts took just seconds. These are the decisions players must take on every single shot. You were able to win the point overcoming your doubt this time, but you cannot be so lucky always! The doubt which can be reinterpreted as a fear of not making the shot that you are planning to can be termed as anticipatory anxiety in psychological terms which can lead you to actually missing the shot. This is what makes Confidence so crucial to be successful in tennis.