Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis--Lessons from a Master

by Brad Gilbert

My approach is different and I believe better for the average club player’s game. Most players make mistakes when they start getting aggressive and hitting harder. My goal is to continue doing exactly what I did to get ahead, only better. I don’t work on increasing my power. I work on increasing my awareness and concentration. I don’t want to change my game (after all, it got me ahead). I want to work on my mind so that I stay on track. You should do the same. Players at all levels start feeling a great urge to experiment with new tactics and shots when they get ahead. It’s strange thinking. They get a lead doing one thing and then want to hold or increase that lead by doing something else, usually something they’re not as good at or they’d have done it originally! When you’re ahead, keep doing exactly what worked to get you ahead. I go even further than that. I don’t change anything when I’m leading. I usually keep the same shirt (even if it’s soaked), the same racket, the same towel to wipe off sweat, and I want to keep the same ball in play after I win a point. Change nothing.

Hard to do but the right thing is to continue playing the same game that got you the lead.