Dealing with Match Anxiety - Mental Game Help

Hi everyone,

I've been playing tennis for 3 years and while I'm decent in practice, I completely fall apart in matches due to anxiety. Looking for mental game strategies.

## The Anxiety Symptoms

1. Hands shake before serving


2. Overthinking every shot


3. Tight shoulders and rushed breathing


4. Second-guessing my shot selection


5. Getting frustrated after mistakes


## What Triggers It

6. Playing against better opponents


7. Close scores (especially at deuce)


8. When people are watching


9. Important points (break points, set points)


10. After making a few errors in a row


## What I've Tried

11. Deep breathing (helps a little)


12. Positive self-talk


13. Visualization before matches


14. Focusing on process vs outcome


## Looking For:

### Pre-Match Routines

15. What do you do to calm nerves before playing?


16. Any specific warm-up rituals?


17. Mental preparation strategies?


### During-Match Techniques

18. How to reset after bad points?


19. Staying present and focused?


20. Managing pressure situations?


### Between-Point Routines

21. Consistent routines to stay calm?


22. How long should I take between points?


23. Physical movements that help?


### Long-term Mental Training

24. Books, apps, or resources you recommend?


25. Working with sports psychologists?


26. Practice drills for mental toughness?

I know the physical skills are there, but the mental side is holding me back. Any advice would be incredibly helpful!

Thanks for reading! 🧠🎾