What it takes to be a great competitor

What are the 3 qualities all great competitors possess?

What it takes to be a great competitor IN TENNIS?

This article I explore what it takes to develop into a great competitor and how a player can improve in this area.

How well someone competes under the pressure of a real match will usually determine how far they progress in tennis. Whilst all the other aspects of the game are important (technical, tactical and physical), if the mental side of a players game is their weakest area, it’s unlikely they will ever reach their full potential or be successful at the highest level of tennis.

To progress through the tennis ranks and eventually into the top 100 and beyond, a player will need to win a lot of “close matches”.( I define a “close match” as one where a set goes to 7-5 or 7-6 or a match goes to 3 sets). My research tells me a players “close match winning record” is going to have to be up around the 75% or better mark in order for them to progress through the future, challenger and ATP/WTA circuits to the top of the game. Also, over 50% of matches played will end up as “close matches”. That means a players’ ability to “compete consistently well” over the course of their career is going to be a major factor in how far they progress at the elite level of professional tennis.

Have you ever heard the expression from coaches saying “the mental side of the game is everything”. I disagree with this, mental toughness plays a huge role (my opinion is about 50% of how good a player is) but it is not everything. To highlight this here is an example. If I am ranked 300

in the world and I go and play against Djokovic, it doesn’t really matter how well I compete, I am going to lose because my skill level in the other areas is going to be well below Novak’s. Even if he has an “off day” mentally and plays below his true ability and I compete the best I possibly can, his other skills are going to be better than mine and therefore it’s extremely likely I will lose. So the other 50% of how far a player progresses will be made up the technical, tactical and physical skills a player possesses.

When players are fairly evenly matched (which is true in many matches at all levels of tennis), those who can “unlock” their full mental capacity and therefore be able to use the skills they have to their maximum potential, is likely to have an edge over their opponent, and get themselves up to that 75% or better winning ratio.

So what are the characteristics of someone who consistently competes really well in tennis?

This is a very difficult question to answer and nobody truly has “the answer” – however in my experience of playing, coaching and watching tennis over the past 35 years, here is my assessment of what a “mentally tough” player is (in a match scenario):

A player who believes in their shots and has the courage to go for them when it matters under pressure (self-belief and courage)
A player who never gives up (guts)
A player who can tolerate all the difficult thoughts and feelings that inevitably enter their head in a competitive match, and then focus on what they need to do on that point and execute their skills (I call this composure)

These 3 factors (courage, guts and composure) cover the 3 elements of what makes up a great competitor, during a competitive match. I believe all great players (by great, I would like to think players who compete at top 10 in the world level regularly and regularly go into the 2nd week of Grand Slams) possess these qualities. I also think to make it to the top 100 in the world (a great achievement) you definitely need these 3 qualities – however these players may not display them as consistently as the very best.

These 3 critical things do not take into account the many other characteristics the top players, some of whom possess more of these than others. These could be classed as “great personal characteristics” and also play a major part in how far a player progresses, these include:

Resilience
Discipline
Perseverance/persistence
A positive attitude
Tactical knowledge of the game
Determination
A great work ethic/a tolerance to do more work than others
A great passion for the game

The list could go on and on and all are important. As coaches, we have all coached and heard about players that possess the full set of “personal characterisitics” however lack the “competitive skills” to really perform in pressure situations. Sometimes, they may have 2 out of the 3, but lack 1, which makes all the difference. Imagine a player with all the guts and courage in the world but a lack of composure? Or what about the composed player who lacks courage and simply won’t take the risks required? These athletes may go on to be fantastic people and very successful in other professions – however may never consistently perform to the level needed, in the high pressure matches that tennis offers week in and week out.

So how can we teach (as a coach) or develop (as a player) – the 3 critical competitive skills being GUTS, COURAGE AND COMPOSURE?

This is truly the million-dollar question and one that all sports coaches, parents and players grapple with year after year. Is a person just born with these skills, or can they be unlocked and developed through skilled coaching and an environment that develops these skills?

There is so much that goes into a human beings make up (nature and nurture) which makes this such a difficult question to answer. Each human is an individual with a million different experiences and a thousand or so genes that make us truly individual. There are books written on the subject which go into far more detail than I will here. However if I can be specific to tennis, here is my opinion on what a player needs to have the best chance to develop these competitive qualities:

To be a born competitor and to want to compete. Without this, forget becoming a professional athlete!!! I believe some of us just love competing and some of us just don’t!
To have coaching that is tough and a player is pushed, but not so tough that it’s extreme and they are driven by fear. A coach has to train their players hard and at a high intensity – but it also has to be an enjoyable and positive environment. Getting these aspects balanced right is one of the hardest aspects of creating a great tennis training environment.
Parents have to instill a self-belief in their children that anything is possible and they can do it – however creating a fake ego and going over the top with this aspect will no doubt create a false sense of self belief and bravado, and quite possibly a truly underlying lack of self-confidence within that player – which will be evident in tennis matches when the going really gets tough.
Parents and coaches must find a balance here – not instilling enough confidence will have the opposite effect – the key is to find a balance and try to produce a confident and independent (but not cocky, or so independent that they wont listen to anyone) individual. Parenting an elite tennis player is a truly difficult job!
The tennis and home environment they grow up in definintely needs to have an element of toughness about it (because the world of pro tennis is tough) but not so tough that they don’t want to be a part of it

One of my sayings as a coach is that a tough tennis match will often reveal a players character. There is nowhere to hide out there in a competitive match, and these underlying qualities (good and bad) of us as human beings are often revealed at these critical times.

When you step-up to serve for a match against a higher ranked opponent – do you really believe you can do it?

When great composure and a positive attitude is required in a tense tie-break -can you execute the difficult skills to play those great shots that we need to win those important points?

When you are down, do you have the guts to keep fighting, keep chipping away – or will you just throw it away because it is all becoming too hard?

These are the questions that as a player you are asked over and over in every close match you play. Your individual make-up combined with your experiences throughout your life, will determine how well you respond in these situations.

So how does a player develop these mental toughness skills. I believe it is a 3 step process practiced over many years that will no doubt help that player develop these skills , these steps are:

Recognise and understand what the critical skills required are. Observe these skills from watching the best players execute them in the big moments
Practice these skills both in training and matches. Try different methods, learn from them, recognises mistakes made and try to correct them next time
Once you have got your individual routines – trust your processes and stick to it during all competitive situations

Continually learn from experience and repeat steps 1-3 throughout your junior and professional career and continually refine your processes.

Experience is key here – which is why starting the tennis journey at a young age and COMPETING AND LEARNING TO COMPETE at a young age is so critical. I recommend my players (from age 11-12 onwards) play around 100 matches per year. Not to chase ranking points – but to develop the tactical and mental sides of their games!! And crucially, to make and learn from their mistakes, and therefore improve as competitors.

AFTER ALL – THE GREAT PLAYERS ARE THE GREAT COMPETITORS – THIS IS TRUE IN ALL SPORTS!

ARE YOU STRUGGLING TO DEAL WITH YOUR EMOTIONS ON COURT - THEN CLICK TO READ MY ARTICLE ON "PLAYING WITH EMOTIONS"

Do you agree with the contents of this article? Send me an email to share your thoughts – toddlarkham@hotmail.com

HERE