Mental Toughness in Tennis – 9 Secrets to Winning More Tennis Matches
There is a vast amount of literature on mental toughness online and in bookstores. However, most of it comes from sports psychologists writing in general terms. It rarely comes from elite tennis players and coaches who have competed at the highest level. This article fills that gap. It is written by the top tennis coaches in Singapore from TAG International Tennis Academy. Our coaches work daily with Singapore’s top competitive players and competitive tennis juniors in Singapore.
Furthermore, engaging the best private tennis coaches and committing to a comprehensive tennis training program that addresses mental toughness is a key ingredient for winning more matches.
Authorities on Mental Toughness (General)
In our opinion, the best general book on Mental Toughness is “Champion-Minded” by Allistair McCaw. It provides a very good starting base for sport psychology. However, it does not specifically apply to tennis.
In Singapore, the leading authority on mental toughness is Edgar Tham of SportsPsych. Edgar is Singapore’s pioneer Sport and Performance Psychologist. He was employed by the Singapore Government as its first local sport psychologist in 1995. In addition, he served as team consultant to national teams preparing for the SEA Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Olympic Games.
Authorities on Mental Toughness Specific to Tennis
Two key external sources offer excellent information on mental toughness for tennis. The first is Jeff Greenwald, author of “The Best Tennis of Your Life.” He is a former world-ranked ATP Tour pro and the No. 1 ranked player in the men’s 35-age division on the ITF Tour. The second is Craig O’Shannessy. He is widely recognised as the world leader in tennis strategy analysis. His course “Between the Points” focuses on the mental routine players need between points to stay mentally ready.
Singapore’s Own Authority on Tennis Mental Toughness – Coach XT
Coach Tan Xu Teng, known as Coach XT, is the Founder of TAG International Tennis Academy. He is also Senior Coach of the ActiveSG Tennis Academy. He was Singapore’s number 1 tennis player in the Men’s Open Category in 2018 and world #56 in the ITF Men’s 35 Division. Moreover, Coach XT developed several competitive junior players to the number 1 position in their age group rankings in Singapore. As a result of this track record, he was invited to present at the prestigious WTA Coaches Conference in 2018. Learn more about Coach XT’s coaching philosophy.
Mental Toughness Is a Learnable Skill
Many tennis players struggle with the mental aspect of the game. They play brilliantly in training. However, in matches, nerves take over. The ball sails long or lands in the middle of the court. If this sounds familiar, you need to work on your mental toughness. The good news is that mental toughness is a learnable skill — not a fixed trait.
The 9 Mental Toughness Secrets for Tennis
Secret #1: Mental Toughness Can Be Learned
The tougher you become mentally, the bigger you will dream. As a result, you will enjoy tennis more and perform better. Mental toughness is essential not only in tennis, but in all aspects of life.
Secret #2: Train Harder Than Your Competitors
As a survival instinct, the mind makes the body give up when it has about 30% reserves left. Champions train past this threshold. They know where the bottom of the tank truly is. Furthermore, serial winners have a clear mental picture of what they want and how to get there.
Secret #3: Develop Immense Concentration
Champions focus on what they want and block out everything else. Therefore, write down your single most important goal for the next twelve months. Commit to achieving it no matter what. One key secret of success is daily exposure to your goals.
Secret #4: Stay in the Present
Athletes call it being in the zone. Psychologists refer to it as a state of flow. It begins by letting go of the outcome. The focus shifts to the process — on doing, not on the scoreline. This shift in focus is one of the most powerful mental tools in tennis.
Secret #5: Use a World-Class Mentor
The best private tennis coaches turn a small flame of desire into an inferno. Champions are the most open to world-class coaching. In addition, a good coach who improves your fundamentals, tactics, and situational skills is the most direct path to improvement. To win more matches, seek out the best tennis lessons in Singapore with the best tennis coaches in Singapore.
Secret #6: Choose Discipline Over Pleasure
Discipline keeps you focused and performing at a high level. Moreover, the decision to pay any price in the name of victory is made long before the game starts. Each day, the great ones reinforce their success habits — exercise, proper diet, consistent training. Therefore, ask yourself: how badly do you want to win more tennis matches?
Secret #7: Keep Progressing
Winners know what they want, why they want it, and how to get it. They become obsessed with attaining their goal. Furthermore, winners resolve weaknesses quickly and move on to solving bigger problems in their game.
Secret #8: Use Self-Talk and Visualisation
Serial winners use two primary methods of self-reprogramming. First, they create self-talk scripts and repeat them daily. Second, they use visualisation to adjust how they experience events. As a result, intensified focus turns into burning desire, which turns into consistent action.
Secret #9: Seek Strategic Advantages
At the highest levels of tennis, only a razor’s edge separates the good from the great. Therefore, champions understand the importance of aggregating marginal gains in training, preparation, and match tactics. The most effective way to improve this is to hire the best private tennis coach available to you.
How to Build a Pre-Match Mental Routine
A structured pre-match routine is one of the most powerful mental tools you can have. It creates a consistent psychological state before every match. An effective pre-match routine includes four key elements. First, a physical warm-up of 20–30 minutes of light cardio, dynamic stretching, and shadow swings. Second, a nutritional protocol — light, easily digestible food 90 minutes before match time (see our complete tennis nutrition guide). Third, mental preparation — five minutes of quiet focus while reviewing your game plan. Fourth, a proper on-court warm-up, starting with slow rallies before increasing pace. Additionally, check our tennis bag match-day checklist to make sure you have all your essentials.
The Between-Point Routine: 20 Seconds That Decide Matches
Craig O’Shannessy’s research shows that the average tennis point lasts just 4–5 seconds. However, the time between points is 20 seconds. That means elite players spend roughly 80% of a match between points. Therefore, what you do in those 20 seconds enormously impacts your mental state for the next point.
A strong between-point routine involves three steps. First, a physical reset: walk to the baseline, fix your strings, and take a breath. Second, a mental release: let go of the previous point completely. Third, a forward focus: visualise your intended serve or opening pattern. Furthermore, practising this routine in training makes it automatic under pressure.
Handling Pressure Moments: Break Points, Tiebreaks and Match Points
The most common mental failures in tennis happen at the most critical moments. However, with the right approach, these moments become opportunities. First, slow everything down and take the full time between points. Second, commit fully to your intended shot — half-committed shots cause most unforced errors. Third, focus on the ball and your target, not the consequence of the point. Finally, use your between-point routine to reset after every point.
Moreover, TAG coaches incorporate pressure-scenario training into lessons. As a result, practising tiebreaks and break-point situations makes pressure feel familiar rather than overwhelming.
How TAG International Teaches Mental Toughness in Singapore
At TAG International Tennis Academy, mental toughness is woven into every training session. For junior players, coaches design practice scenarios that simulate match pressure from early in development. This builds resilience before players encounter it in real tournaments. For adult players, TAG coaches focus on practical routines that yield immediate results. Our competitive tennis training programme and the hitting partner and matchplay programme both include structured mental toughness components. Therefore, to start developing your mental game, WhatsApp us at +65 8962 8400.
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