Tennis Mental Toughness

Mental Reset Routine Between Points

Tennis drill for mental toughness training sessions

Players develop a between-point routine to reset focus, manage emotions, and maintain consistent energy.

15 minDuration
1 playersGroup size
All levelsDifficulty
Court sideSpace needed
RacketEquipment

What This Drill Improves

This tennis drill is best for all levels players who need focused work on mental toughness. It works well with 1 players and can be adjusted by changing the space, pressure, or scoring rules.

Setup

Player practises the routine alone on court or during drills with partner.

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Walk to the back fence — turn away from the court.
  2. Step 2: One deep breath — in through nose, out through mouth.
  3. Step 3: Bounce the racket strings on your hand — physical cue.
  4. Step 4: Decide on the next point plan — one word cue.
  5. Step 5: Walk forward with purpose.

Coaching Points

✓ The routine takes 15-20 seconds — never less.
✓ Never bring the last point into the new one.
✓ Use it on every point — not just after errors.

Common Mistakes to Watch For

  • Players losing focus on the main coaching point.
  • The drill area being too large or too small for the group.
  • Progressing the drill before the basic pattern is clean.

Progressions: Make It Harder

→ Use during competitive drills and track emotional stability.
→ Partner observer: does the routine look consistent?
→ Video review: spot when the routine breaks down.

Regressions: Make It Easier

Walk through the pattern first, then build up to game speed.
Use larger targets or more space to help players succeed early.

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