10 Tips to Help with Nerves, Before and During a Tennis Match

Some tips to help you with nerves, before and during a tennis match.

Before the Match

1. Listening to music can help you relax and take your mind off your nerves.
2. Try not to look up your opponent’s rankings or results before a match. This can make you more nervous.
3. Write down goals before your match. This could be, “I’m going to give my all”, “I’m going to really move those feet” or “I’m going to go for that first serve”.
4. Focus on what you are good at. This could be anticipation, “variety of shots or your serve.
5. Nerves can be a positive thing! It shows that you care about performing well in your match.

During the Match

6. It’s good to smile now and again when you play. You could think of something funny, or if you hit a really bad shot, have a laugh about it!
7. Take your time in between points. Focus on your breathing. A simple exercise is to breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds and then out through your mouth for 4 seconds.
8. Your dominant arm can get quite tense when you play. A good tip is, in between points, swap the racquet over to your other arm to help relieve tension.
9. It’s quite common that players get nervous just before making contact with the ball. Try to play more aggressive and swing faster through the shot.
10. Focus on 1 point at a time. There’s no point in going over previous mistakes. It can make you more nervous. Have a plan for the next point and try to follow it.