Measuring mental toughness

In the pro game there is often little that separates players as far as their skills go. Take any top 100 player and you’ll struggle to find any true weakness in their game. So is it simply the minor technical or tactical differences that separate the best from the rest?

Not really. As is the case for competition between top level athletes in any sport, especially individual sports, a match between two fairly evenly matched tennis players is typically won or lost in the mind. Until fairly recently this aspect of the game wasn’t given much thought at all. And those who did acknowledge its importance generally considered it an innate quality and one that couldn’t be taught - either you had what it takes or you didn’t.

a match between two fairly evenly matched tennis players is typically won or lost in the mind

While I do believe mental toughness comes more naturally to some personalities than others, I think it’s generally accepted now that an athlete can improve their mental strength through repetitive use of various thought processes that can enable them to play their best when it matters most. However it’s very difficult to measure this skill, or lack thereof, as we can’t peek into Novak Djokovic's mind to see what he’s thinking when he’s serving to win Wimbledon. Can it be deduced from simple stats?

The most common situation in a match where a player must dig deep to avoid their opponent gaining momentum is when their serve is broken. Holding serve is a key goal for every player, whether it’s a strength of theirs or not, as the server starts with the advantage of hitting the first shot of the point. So when a player gets broken, they aim to immediately break back to prevent their opponent from “consolidating the break."

In an attempt to analyse how successful (or unsuccessful) players are at lifting their level of engagement after being broken, the clever folks at the ATP have come up with a statistic that I think is the best indicator we have as to who has the goods upstairs! Firstly, they looked at players' percentage of return games won in 2015. Not surprisingly, this tally was topped by great returners: Djokovic and Ferrer (34%), Nadal and Murray (31%), Federer (27%). But more telling was how these break of serve season averages compared to each player’s break of serve stats for the games immediately following their serve being broken.

No prizes for guessing who was mentally toughest in 2015! On average, Djokovic lifted the most after being broken, breaking back 4% more often than his season average. Federer was +3%, as was Nadal +3% - quite amazing when you consider he was horribly out of form and lacking confidence for most of the season! Ferrer was +2%…and then there was Murray at 0%, on average not able to lift at all.

This should serve as a wake-up call for Andy. His undisputed talent and hard work has earned him the World No 2 ranking. But just imagine where he might be if he could toughen up mentally and lift 3-4% when it mattered most!

Tip of the week: Hit with margin for error

Often times in practice, when drilling or just hitting with a partner, a player can hit piercing shots that skim over the net and land within inches of the line. Apart from the fact that there are probably a lot of errors in between, it’s not a smart way to try to play in a match.

In a match you need more margin for error because, as good as it feels to hit screaming winners, if each one is matched by several errors, it’s plain to see you’re going to lose the match! And your error rate will rise compared to practice anyway, perhaps due to nerves, or maybe because you’re playing an unfamiliar player and are trying to get used to their tactics or hitting style.

To compensate for these added pressures, aim a little higher over the net and a little further inside the lines than you would in practice. How far depends on what you’re comfortable with - it might be one foot, might be four feet. Don’t let a winnable match slip away by letting avoidable errors spiral out of control. See you on the court!

Del Potro returns

Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro finally returned from injury this week, playing his first match since March last year. It marks his fourth comeback from injury after undergoing surgery on his left wrist in January and again in June last year. Many players, faced with such a bad run of injuries, might decide to call it a day. But the 2009 US Open champion is back and keen to reclaim his former top 10 status. Here are three reasons why all tennis fans should be thrilled about Delpo's return.

With his big serve and bullet-like forehand, little can stop him when both are firing.

Firstly, at his best he has the game to trouble the world’s best players and it’s always great to have some more top talent in the mix, especially in this Djokovic-dominated period. He has winning records against five of the current top 10 players, all of whom are seasoned veterans, not rapidly improving young players that are likely to prevent him from restoring the status quo. When he won the US Open he became the first player to defeat both Nadal and Federer in the same Grand Slam tournament, this at a time when both players were in their prime. With his big serve and bullet-like forehand, little can stop him when both are firing.

Secondly, he’s not only a great talent, but one that is willing to adapt and improve, and that will be crucial if he’s to fight his way back to the top. The game is always changing, as players are constantly looking to find new ways to get an edge over the completion. It’s easy for top players to become resistant to change, thinking that what has worked for them so well over the years will continue to. But even the king, Roger Federer has had to add new tools to his arsenal to remain competitive. Del Potro understands this better than most, having switched from an extreme Semi-Western Forehand grip to a far more conservative Eastern grip early in his career, a major factor in developing his forehand into a huge weapon. He knows where his strengths and weakness lie and has the strategic advantage of viewing the competition with fresh eyes.

Thirdly, Delpo is a genuinely great guy. He is a down to earth, modest and transparent personality that goes about his business with little fuss. While there are certain benefits of having loose cannons like Nick Kyrgios bringing attention to the sport, it’s the Federers, Nadals, Djokovics and Del Potros that encourage parents to steer their children towards tennis over other sports. These players dispel the myth that young players must become arrogant and ruthless people to excel in a sport of perpetual one-on-one duals.

At 27, one might say the odds are that Del Potro's best tennis is behind him. But I hold out hope for the 'Tower of Tandil’ that IF he can stay healthy, his best is still to come. After three wrist surgeries in just over a year, he certainly deserves a clean run. I for one wish him all the best.

Tip of the week: Use both arms

If you hit with a double-handed backhand you're used to using both arms. What is less obvious is that your non-dominant arm is important when hitting single-handed shots: forehand and backhand groundstrokes as well as volleys.

On the forehand drive, your non-dominant arm should hover out in front of you when preparing for the shot and then rotate away from the target as the hitting arm comes through and the shoulders rotate, acting as a counter balance. You may like to catch the racket on the follow-through to help you prepare quicker for the next ball.

On the single-handed backhand, the non-dominant arm should guide the racket back on the backswing and then, as the forward swing starts, it should go backwards, this time acting as a counter balance to help you stay side-on to the net by preventing the shoulders from rotating.

At the net, good use of the non-dominant arm is crucial for hard to reach balls, be they low, high or wide. Think of a perfectly balanced ballerina leaping through the air with arms in opposite directions. It's also important for controlling shoulder rotation on easier balls, which is key to hitting good volleys.

Better stability and balance equals better shots. See you on the court!

Becoming a champion

Last month, as players prepared to start their 2016 campaigns, I posed the question “Can Djokovic be stopped?” The short version of my answer was probably not, but that currently only Roger Federer stands a chance. The recent Australian Open confirmed that the World No 2 (Murray) continues to pose no threat to the World No 1, and that the World No 3 (Federer) has more work to do if he’s to go beyond taking the occasional match from Novak. So is the World No 1 really THAT good?

He had a reputation of being disingenuous and soft when it came to medical issues on court

In short, yes he is! But things didn’t always look so rosy for Novak. While his tennis of late has undoubtably been stunning, what impresses me most about Djokovic is the transformation he has made as a person over recent years. Earlier in his career Novak did not endear himself to fans and fellow players. He had a reputation of being disingenuous and soft when it came to medical issues on court. On four occasions he quit in the middle of grand slam matches, for reasons such as breathing difficulties and blisters. He was derided by his opponents, even typically respectful players like Roger Federer were driven to comment, “I think he’s a joke, you know, when it comes to his injuries."

Watching his post-match press conference, after winning the Australian Open for a record-equaling sixth time, I was struck by how far he has come. I have never seen a player so relaxed and open in front of the press. He was philosophical and even spiritual at times as he attempted to fully explain his thoughts and feelings, a far cry from the days when he often had to defend his actions on court. While a smaller-minded person might have chosen to use their star status to stick it to their former critics with a “well, look at me now” kind of attitude, Djokovic has risen well above that, becoming one of the most respectful and respected players on tour.

He finds himself in a position of power and domination that very few athletes will ever achieve, but yet he remains genuinely humble and is determined to keep himself that way, refusing to ponder the chasm between himself and his nearest rivals, least he become arrogant and get “a big slap from karma.” Espousing respect for his opponents and appreciation for his current position have become a common theme in his interviews.

His rivals may be hoping for the day when he wakes up fearful of losing his status as top dog…but they’ll be waiting a long time. He knows that he is “playing the best tennis of (his) life” and fully embraces the opportunities before him to become even greater. Referring to his latest achievement, equalling Bjorn Borg's and Rod Laver’s grand slam tallies, Djokovic refreshingly admits “I can’t lie and say that I didn’t think about it,” adding that “it served as a great motivation."

It’s this honesty with himself, awareness of and comfort with his current position in life, and respect for his opponents that will ensure he goes on to win many more slams.