Tennis IQ Podcast

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss handling pressure. Some common barriers to performing well under pressure, including unrealistic expectations, are reviewed. They break down higher-pressure matches and tournaments and give some tips for how to mentally prepare for these instances. Mentally rehearsing and preparing for high-pressure moments in matches including break points, deuce points, and tiebreakers are suggestions that are offered. Lastly, the two hosts discuss how the expectations or perceived expectations of others can often lead to feeling more pressure.  

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #tennisIQ​​​ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes!

Marius Barnard is a former ATP pro who spent 13 years on the tour, winning 6 titles, and reaching the men’s doubles quarterfinals at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open. During his playing career, he also had doubles wins over 6 world number ones, including Roger Federer. While playing on the tour, Marius studied psychology and business management. After his career was over, he used his expertise in performance psychology and business to become a coach and mentor. Today, Marius is an executive coach helping CEOs, Directors, and Managers improve their performance with tailored development programs and managing their work pressures with self-belief, optimism and resilience.   

Interview Highlights: 

2:11 - Marius explains his introduction to tennis and transition from a professional tennis player to an executive coach 

5:40 - The Clear Links model and the importance of self-belief to tennis players 

11:10 - Utilizing interventions including visualization within the Clear Links model 

22:02 - Developing a "highlight reel" from your matches to build confidence 

23:58 - Focusing on the present moment in competition 

28:56 - Helping athletes develop awareness 

30:52 - The differences between confidence and self-belief 

35:57 - How is optimism connected to self-belief? 

42:11 - The parallels between life as a professional tennis player and working as an executive coach 

46:27 - Resilience during a global pandemic 

56:07 - Finding the silver lining from difficult situations  

https://www.mariusbarnard.com/ - Marius Barnard - Performance Executive Coach

The 2021 Australian Open has concluded with Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic claiming the singles titles. We discuss how dominant each of these champions have been (Djokovic is 9-0 in Australian Open title matches and Osaka is 4-0 in her first four major finals), and how their mental strength has allowed them to become the champions that they are today. We also reflect on other storylines from the Australian Open including Aslan Karatsev's run to the semi-finals, Daniil Medvedev's performance throughout the tournament and final, and Jennifer Brady's run to the final.  

Links to videos mentioned in this episode:  

Naomi Osaka: "I was extremely nervous" press conference (F) | Australian Open 2021 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idmw9aWm3K8 

Aslan Karatsev: "I'll try to enjoy the moment" press conference (QF) | Australian Open 2021  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEy6hw2AP48 

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and Sport Psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes!

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the importance of focusing on the process. First, they break down the improvement process of becoming a better tennis player, which is slow and gradual. Next, they address the importance of enjoyment during the development process and how aiming for 1% improvements on a daily basis leads to significant long-term results. Lastly, they talk about the importance of having trust and faith in the process as improvements often can't be noticed until a later time.  

Don’t Dream Big | Eric Butorac TEDx Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3OoH_O9Y-U 

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #tennisIQ​​ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes!

Cristina Rolo and Dave de Haan co-founded Rolo Mental Coaching in 2005, and their coaching focuses on performance enhancement and quality of life. Both Cristina and Dave are internationally recognized experts in the area of performance psychology and mental coaching, especially in tennis. They have extensive experience at the elite and ATP professional level, and they co-authored the book, Mental Training in Tennis: Applied Strategies for Success.  

Interview Highlights:

1:27 - Cristina and Dave explain how they initially got involved in sport psychology 

7:11 - Tennis as a microcosm of life 

13:30 - How adversity can spur the transformation process 

19:42 - Helping athletes develop their own personal philosophies 

24:54 - Working with players on the ATP Tour 

36:02 - Having a person-oriented holistic approach to athletes who are entering retirement 

43:54 - "Why mental training" and how the chair analogy can be used to demonstrate the importance of mental training 

54:28 - The philosophy of viewing everything as practice 

58:18 - Helping tennis players develop mental skills from a young age as part of their athletic foundation  

Rolo Mental Coaching - rolomentalcoaching.com  

Mental Training in Tennis: Applied Strategies for Success - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088XR3WXW/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss routines and break down routines into three parts. First, they review pre-performance routines and how to prepare mentally and physically leading up to a competition. Next, they address during-performance routines, and specifically the "16 second cure" developed by Dr. Jim Loehr to help tennis players manage their time in-between points. Lastly, they talk about post-performance routines and how to systematically learn from competition.  

The 16-Second Cure with Dr. Jim Loehr - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AviGTb3GKhQ 

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #tennisIQ

In this episode, Brian and Josh explore the topic of mindfulness. They broadly define and discuss the importance of the topic and discuss how mindfulness can be trained for tennis players. Additionally, thoughts are provided on how mindfulness can be practiced in a number of ways including meditation, mindful walks, mindful eating, and choosing to "savor" the present moment. Lastly, Brian and Josh talk about their own introductions to the topic of mindfulness and their experiences practicing mindfulness/meditation.  

The Mindful Athlete - George Mumford - https://www.amazon.com/Mindful-Athlete-Secrets-Pure-Performance/dp/1941529259/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611972272&sr=1-1 

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #tennisIQ​ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes!

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how to handle playing against difficult opponents and cheating. They discuss the mentality needed leading up to the match to perform at a high level against difficult opponents, including having contingency plans and the ability to reset after a cheating incident. They also share anecdotes of situations from their own playing and coaching careers when they handled playing against difficult opponents in a better or worse manner.  

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #tennisIQ

In this episode, Brian and Josh explore the topic of "mental toughness" and break the concept into key attributes and characteristics of mentally tough tennis players and athletes. Mental toughness is often cited as a differentiating factor between tennis players of similar playing levels, but defining the concept and outlining it's attributes/characteristics can be challenging. This episode includes Brian's outline of the character traits of mentally tough athletes, and Josh's outline of the attributes of mentally tough tennis players.  

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes!

Episode 22 of the Tennis IQ Podcast discusses senior tennis through the perspective of self-determination theory (SDT). We discuss autonomy, competence (mastery), and relatedness as critical factors for helping senior tennis players stay motivated. We also discuss the importance of training perceptual skills, decision making skills, and mental toughness as a way for players to continue to perform at a high level and even improve as a they get older.  

Links:  

Tips for maintaining your edge: https://www.fredericknewspost.com/public/ap/older-amateurs-offer-tips-for-maintaining-your-athletic-edge/article_cc86a80a-3a9d-56c3-9ca7-03a72ed6ee03.html  

Motivation and morality in senior athletes: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1612197x.2014.956326?casa_token=dU3COke3lY4AAAAA%3Af67dgFQcXdeQxmcCnKfH1jX9-_C3jzLkfckHpW1ExYNJHju_5G8S-R11Bm2bCsSAQdGgLfR-NEwC&  

Articles on why tennis is a great sport for long-term health:  

https://www.mdlinx.com/article/people-who-play-this-sport-live-longest/lfc-3433  

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/well/move/the-best-sport-for-a-longer-life-try-tennis.html  

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes!