Some tennis players, even top pros, maintain the false belief that they are weak mentally if they have to use a sports psychologist or mental coach for tennis performance. Even Andy Murray believed this idea earlier in his career, but not today after winning the 2012 US Open! Murray has embraced the idea of using a sports psychologist in 2012 with the help of Ivan Lendl’s suggestion.
No. 3 in the world, Andy Murry admits that he’s used a sports psychologist in 2012 in order to feel more focused and relaxed during matches. He says that if his mind isn’t right, it causes frustration lack of focus on the court, “I feel like when my mind isn’t free of anything that might be frustrating me away from the court, I can’t focus as well as I need to,” said Murray.
Ivan Lendl, former No. 1 in the world, who coaches Murray today, actually encouraged him to get mental training, because he himself traveled with a sports psychologist during his successful tennis career, “It’s something that I spoke to Ivan [about] at the beginning of the year, he’d traveled with a sports psychologist throughout his career,” Murray said.
No matter how much you train or how much talent your have, if you struggle mentally in matches, you won’t reach your potential. Tennis players, who are committed to becoming their best, know that they have to train their mind as well as train their body with the help of a sports psychologist for tennis.
Murray says that his mindset for matches has a direct affect on his performance. He believes that what happens off the court is critical for on-court performance. “When my mind’s clear I can go on the court and play, not worry about anything else. I can play and think a lot better on the court,” said Murray.
If you want to be at your best in tennis, take action with your mental game. Learning how to stay focused, confident, and composed will take your game to new heights. Check out our mental training system, “Tennis Confidence: Mental Toughness For Tournament Players” or contact Dr. Cohn to work directly with tennis psychology expert.