Tennis Tip

Presented by Audra Cohen, Co-Director

The mental side of the game – Presented by University of Oklahoma’s Head Women’s Coach, Audra Cohen

The mental aspect of tennis is one of the most important aspects of player development, yet it is often given less attention. “Players are not born 'mentally tough’, it is a skill that they train throughout their career,” says Cohen. “It is important that young players see mental toughness as something they must actively practice, and without it, oneself becomes an additional opponent in matches.”

Here are some of Audra Cohen’s tips on how to develop mental toughness:

• Routine Development: Write down specific between point, pre-serve, and changeover routines that you will do regardless of the score.
• Mistake Management Plan: Develop a mistake management routine that the player must use in practice and match play. This should be an individualized tool that addresses the player’s specific needs (For example, if mistakes elicit anger for a player, the mistake management plan should include relaxation/breathing technique).

Maintaining your mental toughness is a key to success. Find ways that work for you to grow the mental side of your game.

Audra Cohen will run two weeks of day and overnight camp at the University of Oklahoma for the summer of 2019. This camp offers a tournament training program that is geared towards players looking to improve their tournament results, learn winning strategies, and work on mental toughness.

For more great tennis tips go to our Coach's Corner page!