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

by Brad Gilbert

When I feel that a match is slipping away from me (or in danger of slipping away) I want to make changes, strategically, mentally, and physically. In order to do that I have to be observant. I have to ask, “Who’s doing what to whom?” If I can answer that correctly I’ll know where the adjustments in my game plan need to be made. First I ask myself: 1. Am I following my game plan? Then, if I am following my plan I ask: 2. What is my opponent doing to defeat my strategy?

CHANGE YOUR SHIRT When I’m behind and looking for a change, I shake up my attitude. And I do that by going to my equipment bag, my Tools of the Trade. I may change into a dry shirt. Or put on a fresh pair of socks, have a Jolly Rancher, or just put a new sweatlet on my wrist. Just a little change to feel like it’s a new start, a fresh beginning. When I’m trying to get a break back I’ll often tie both of my shoes. I’m telling myself it’s time to bear down and work hard.

CHANGE OF PLANS At what point do you have to go further and actually change strategy? It varies from match to match and player to player. If you want a specific point in a match it’s this: when you’re down a set and a break. That’s not always the time to change, but it’s a good guideline. You may have lost the first set in a tiebreaker and then lost serve because of great shots by your opponent. This is still a close match. But if your opponent won the first set easily and is doing the same in the second, you better change. Wait much longer and you’re terminal.

Occasionally you will want to make a change in the first set. If you’re down 0–5 and just getting wiped out, make some adjustments to see if they work.

6. Tiebreaker Tactics During the 1993 A.T.P. tournament in San Francisco I had to play a total of three tiebreakers. I won them all, including one in the finals against Andre Agassi. My success in those tiebreakers and others was because I had a plan. Here it is. I think of a tiebreak as a mini-set. Everything is compressed, but the components of a set are all still present. During a tiebreak you serve for the first time and receive serve for the first time. You need to break serve (a mini-break) to win. The tiebreak has a Dictate Game (or Dictate Points) at its beginning, it has the Set-up Point, and it often requires that you hold a lead or stop the tiebreak from slipping away. The dynamics are very similar to those in a regular set, but condensed and more potent. Because the results of a tiebreaker decide who wins the set and because it’s so compressed I’m extremely aware of the tempo of the match during this period: D.R.M. is my watchword. Playing quickly and carelessly can immediately put you at a disadvantage from which you won’t recover. Three double faults in the third game of the first set may only cost you the game. Do the same during a tiebreak and the consequences will almost always be much more severe.

with the thought in mind that you are going to play blue-chip tennis. Let your opponent be spectacular. The first two points of a tiebreak are Dictate Points. You can seize control and put your opponent at an immediate disadvantage, in a position where they may pressure themselves into making mistakes because they’re behind. Those first two points bring increased tension to the match and so I want to be extremely careful not to go for a high-risk shot just because I’m nervous and want to end the point quickly.

themselves, but don’t try to jam in a winner just because you get impatient.

And of course the point in a tiebreak that precedes a set point is one that I treat as very special. A Set-up Point in a tiebreak (for example, 5–3) is almost always undervalued at the club level and even sometimes at the pro level. It can move me (or my opponent) up to an opportunity to win the set or match. I want no stupid mistakes, no unnecessary risks. Squeeze your opponent like a boa constrictor. At this crucial moment in a match, where you can move up to a set point, make sure your game is under control and you’re thinking correctly.

Always remember: A fish fights hardest when you get it next to the boat! And a tennis player (at any level) does the same.

A Final Fact About Footwork Tips are tips. You’ll find one in Tennis magazine that works for you and you’ll tell a friend. It won’t do anything for them. Players differ so much in their physical skills, the amount of time they play and practice, and their motivation level that it’s rare that a tip will help everyone. But there is one tip I’ll give you (again) that does work for everyone. It’s this: Good footwork improves your tennis. All of the problems you face with strokes have many solutions. But the first and most important thing to check is your footwork. If it’s bad it can hurt every shot you hit. Or, it can improve every shot you hit. Whenever you start having a problem with any shot, check your footwork. You know how to do it: get on your toes (the balls of your feet). If you stay light and on your toes you will increase your chances for good stroke execution significantly.

PRACTICE LIKE JACK NICKLAUS The greatest golfer in the history of the game may also have been the greatest practicer in the history of the game. He practiced with a purpose. He knew what he wanted to work on and he isolated it on the practice range. He was very methodical about fixing the problems that occurred during a match by addressing them in his practice session. You can make a great improvement in your tennis game by doing the same. Working on a specific problem even for thirty minutes once a month will give you terrific results. If you can do it twice a month you won’t believe what can happen. How to Improve? 1. Check on swing mechanics by taking a lesson. Your club pro will get you swinging correctly. 2. Practice what you learned during the lesson. Use a ball machine, the backboard, or a wall. Don’t just flail away without a plan. Start by swinging easily and go for consistency. Play little games with yourself. Try to hit the shot you’re working on two times in a row. Then three times in a row. Isolate it and concentrate on it. When I was a kid I spent hours and hours hitting against backboards and walls in Piedmont, California. I would play entire imaginary matches in the U.S. Open against an imaginary Ilie Nastase. The wall was Nastase and it was great practice because the wall would never miss. 3. Play someone you know you can beat without much trouble. Look for opportunities during the match to work on the shot that you practiced against the backboard. You may...

When you get a ball that’s coming deep to you the natural tendency is to back up and wait for the ball to drop before you hit it. Instead, force yourself to move into the ball and take it just slightly earlier—10 percent earlier. When practicing make it a goal. Look for balls that you might otherwise be a little lazy on. Step into them and hit 10 percent sooner than you normally would after they start descending.

The Lesson From Agassi 1. Practice taking the ball 10 percent earlier for more damaging groundstrokes. 2. Move your racket and your feet simultaneously.

As I mentioned, when he comes out and begins the first several games he will not miss a ball. That’s because he’s hitting at only 65 percent to 70 percent of his full power. You should approach the beginning of your own matches the same way. Set your timing, rhythm, and confidence in place before going for more power. Second, Ivan has a favorite little spot on the court that is sort of his own personal pitcher’s mound. Have you noticed how he likes to move about four feet left of center on the baseline? He is actually running around his backhand just slightly (sometimes more than just slightly). He just loves to park himself there and start cranking the forehand. From that spot he loves to move you back and forth as he opens up the court.

In your own game look for the spot on the court that gives you your favorite shot and work to get there. If you love the forehand, set up your own pitcher’s mound and fire away. If it’s the forehand volley, start really looking for opportunities to come to the net. Don’t wait for an invitation (a very weak shot). Force the issue a little. That personal pitcher’s mound for me is just behind the service T. It sets up my best weapon, the forehand approach shot to the ad court. I’m always looking to get that shot. I call it my equity shot because if I get it enough I’ll usually own the match. When I do get it I have great confidence in hitting it. Most players are the same. Know what it is that works for you and then actively try to get in position to use it.

I’ll watch two club players during a point and suddenly one of them will try and end it when they had no advantage, no opening, no reason to do so. They just got impatient. Lendl in the ’80s knew when to strike. He was patient. In fact, one of the reasons his game has suffered in the ’90s is that he isn’t as patient as he used to be. Maybe he just can’t wait to get home to his family, but he definitely doesn’t have the patience that he used to possess.

Learning From Lendl 1. Start the match at 65 percent of your power potential. 2. Know where your own “personal pitcher’s mound” is and get to it. 3. Stretch a lead by taking intelligent risks. Pressure your opponent when you’re ahead. 4. Be patient. Don’t force a shot that isn’t there.

Basic Becker 1. Believe in yourself. Think positive thoughts about your game and your ability to win. 2. When you get a lead, go for it. Don’t be timid.

Mac’s Attack 1. Probe. Aggressively search for your opponent’s weaknesses. Put pressure on them. 2. Be flexible. If what you’re doing isn’t working, change. One of the remarkable things about John’s game was that his great tennis skills were complemented by his intelligence on the court. He knew what he had and how to use it most effectively to exploit his opponent.

Edberg’s Excellence 1. Develop a style of play that best fits your strokes. Have a clear idea of who you are out on the court. 2. Have a plan. Stay with it. Don’t get nervous if it doesn’t work immediately. Make your opponent beat you at what you do best. 3. Don’t let your opponent know you’re discouraged. Your body language (and your verbal language) can give a boost to the opposition. 4. Know where you are vulnerable and reduce your exposure there.

Learning From Jimbo 1. Never give up. Repeat. Never give up. 2. Aggressively search for your opponent’s weaknesses. When you identify them, keep attacking them. 3. Improve your service return. You can turn your opponent’s serve to your advantage. Jimmy Connors is the tennis version of a hired gun. He comes out with one purpose: to win. And so should you. That may sound obvious, but with Jimmy you can just feel the incredible desire to beat the other guy. He cares only about winning.

Copying Courier 1. Desire. Come to play. Give the match everything you’ve got. Lock into the match from the very first point and don’t check out mentally or physically until after the last point. 2. Mix it up. Use all of your shots and work on developing more weapons. And then incorporate them into your game. Don’t let your opponent see the same thing over and over. 3. Guts. Don’t back away from opportunity. When the points or situation are big tell yourself to hit away. Try Courier’s approach. If you go down, at least you go down with your guns blazing. 4. Take your shot when you see your shot. This really is part of number three, “Guts.” When you get a chance to make a play, to start taking charge of a point, take it. Develop your sense of smell. Then when you even sniff a little opportunity, capitalize.

Pete’s Principles 1. When you’re holding serve easily, increase the pressure you put on your opponent’s serve. Take some chances and get more aggressive. 2. When you miss three or four serves in a row, shift gears. Don’t be as ambitious with it—instead, spin a few serves in and get a little rhythm and confidence going. 3. Play inside the lines. Don’t let outside distractions bother you. It takes energy and it breaks your concentration. Pete the Heat is one of the great ones out on tour. He has great skills, great composure, and he’s a smart player. That’s the combination for becoming a legend.

He also has great anticipation. He is almost always prepared for what happens on court. But where Brad excels, where he is as good or better than anyone in the world, is in his mental approach to the game. He understands the importance of matching up your strengths to the opponent’s weaknesses. He knows when to attack and when to be cautious. He has great court awareness and really understands the dynamics of the match. His pre-match preparation is superb. When Brad arrives at the court he is totally prepared for the task ahead. Brad’s basic approach to the game is one every club player should copy. Brad Gilbert abhors unforced errors. He hates stupid mistakes. He absolutely can’t stand to give his opponent the free point. When you play Brad Gilbert you have to provide it all yourself. You can’t borrow anything. For a recreational, high school, or college player I believe there is nothing that could improve results sooner than fully understanding and applying that philosophy. Don’t donate points. Brad makes very sure he gives away a minimum of points.

Basic Brad 1. Learn to hate your unforced errors. 2. Be observant of your own game and your opponent’s. Know what’s going on during the match. 3. Try to play your strength to your opponent’s weakness. 4. Read number one several more times. Brad Gilbert understands the great degree to which a tennis match is played in the mind. Observation and analysis are fundamental to his success.

3. Don’t Beat Up on Yourself You know you’re in trouble when you start yelling at yourself like you’d yell at a dog that bit your leg. Don’t do it. You already have one opponent on the court trying to beat you. If you gang up on yourself there will be two people on the court trying to beat you. So don’t pound on yourself. I still do it too often and it doesn’t work. It’s a bad habit and it hurts my cause. “I’m the worst. I really stink up the place. Moron!” Those are typical of my complaints on a bad day.

You might compare my approach to Tim Gallwey’s in his book The Inner Game of Tennis. He focuses on the right brain, or intuitive process. I focus on the left brain process.

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The Early Edge As you get ready for a match, make sure you are mentally and physically prepared. It’s an opportunity waiting to be capitalized on, so give yourself the early advantage. Usually that opportunity is ignored, wasted. But for the smart player it is there, waiting to be used. 1. Pre-Match Mental Preparation: Think about your opponent and develop your game plan before you get to the court. 2. Tools of the Trade: Your equipment can save matches for you. It can also cost you matches. I can usually tell by looking at what a club player brings in their equipment bag how serious they are about winning. 3. Stretch for Success: Warm up the muscles and then stretch them for better performance and less risk of injury. 4. Get the Early Lead: Begin your match intelligently with the goal of grabbing a quick break and establishing early dominance.

Playing Smart Always believe that most of the time there is a way for you to win. You just have to find it. 1. The Key to Victory: During a match accumulate information about how you’re winning and losing points. Ask “Who’s doing what to whom?” 2. Destroy Your Opponent’s Game Plan: Know what to do when your opponent is winning points by attacking you in various ways. 3. The “Hidden” Ad Points: Recognize the overlooked dynamic moments in the match and know what to do with them. But mainly, be aware of them when they occur. 4. The Player’s Pit Stop: When the wheels come off a particular stroke, recognize it and make an effort to correct it before it’s too late. 5. Learn From the Legends: Watch the top players and apply tactics that work for them to your own game.

Gilbert’s Golden Rules 1. Have a Plan A player who has a plan is a thinking player. Even a bad plan is better than no plan at all. A bad plan will be recognized and changed by a thinking player. The result will be a better plan. Better plans win matches. This applies to every aspect of your tennis. Have a plan for your mental preparation, stretching, warm-up, and the start of your match. Have a game plan during the match and a routine for assessing your effectiveness during the competition. Know what you’re doing out on the court. 2. Don’t Rush Know what is the best pace or match tempo for you and stick with it. Don’t let yourself get rushed into or through points. Be thoughtful, deliberate, observant, and analytical—incorporate left brain thinking into your tennis. You can’t control your pace when you’re playing aerobic tennis.