Tennis is a game of endurance and strategy. You definitely have a better chance of winning if you practice to gain confidence and keep your errors down. Everyone can do that. The way you can gain an advantage is to master the mental game of tennis.

Of course you need to be fit to play tennis at the highest levels but it is nearly equally important to have the right frame of mind. Shot selection and execution are key components to having a complete game. We see time and time again on the pro tour the next great phenom coming up through juniors and then we never hear about them. It’s because they didn’t have what it takes. It’s not good enough to blast groundstrokes from the baseline, but you also need to have mental strength and stability.

When you’re in a close match that can go either way, it’s often the immediate decisions that you make on court which will determine the outcome. If you’re playing with confidence, you can sometimes go for a winner at the wrong time. It may be your favorite forehand but the shot just isn’t there and you rush it. On the other hand, if you have no confidence at all, the tendency is to play tentative, and that could give momentum to your opponent.

The best way to improve your mental game is to think about the game, the shots, the risks, and positioning on the court. If you’re in trouble then it’s best to go for a high-percentage shot and work your way back into the point. If you have your opponent in trouble, then move to take over and control the net. If you are playing through an injury, then you may want to keep the points as short as possible.

Mental tennis means not beating yourself on the court. Play within your ability where possible. Keep your head clear and focused on the immediate point. Whether or not you played good or bad on the last point, you can’t change it, so move on to the next point. Make sure you have a strategy before stepping on the court, and then be prepared to revise that strategy as the match goes on.

The mental side of tennis is just as important as the physical side. You can actually give yourself the advantage by being tough mentally even if your strokes aren’t as good as your opponent. Spend some time off the court thinking about strategies for specific situations. Understand the court dimensions and how to use angles at the right times.

You can improve your tennis results by becoming a more rounded player with a strong mental game.

Have fun on the courts!