Learn how to overcome common mental blocks in tennis by shifting your mindset. Discover how simple language changes can boost your game and create momentum.
Improving your tennis game doesn’t have to feel like an uphill battle. Every player wants to win more matches, play smoother points, and have more fun on the court. Yet, the biggest challenge for most players isn’t their forehand, their serve, or their footwork – it’s their mindset.
Your mindset shapes how you approach challenges, how you describe your progress, and ultimately, how much you improve. So today, let’s focus on how shifting your mindset can make tennis easier for you.
Here are three pitfalls that make improving your tennis game harder than it needs to be and how you can flip the script to build momentum on and off the court.
1. The Word “Hard”
Have you ever said:
• “Tennis is hard.”
• “Improving my backhand is so hard.”
• “Playing tournaments is harder than I thought.”
The second you say something is hard, it feels permanent – like a cement wall you can’t break through. Instead, let’s use momentum language:
• “This is harder than I’d like it to be, but I’m working on it.”
• “I’m going to figure out the steps I need to take to improve my backhand.”
This simple shift changes how you think. Instead of shutting down, you open up the possibility for improvement. Hard becomes manageable, and manageable becomes progress.
2. The Word “Don’t”
• “I don’t know how to hit a slice.”
• “I don’t understand strategy in singles.”
When you say “don’t,” you stop momentum. It keeps you stuck in the same place, unable to grow. To change your mindset, say:
• “I haven’t learned how to hit a slice yet.”
• “I’m learning how to improve my singles strategy step by step.”
By adding the word “yet” or reframing your thought, you create room for progress. It turns a block into an opportunity.
3. The Word “Can’t”
This is one of the most devastating words I hear from players:
• “I can’t beat higher-level players.”
• “I can’t hit a consistent serve.”
When you say “can’t,” you lock yourself in place. Instead, replace it with:
• “I’m going to find a way to hit my serve consistently.”
• “I’m going to learn how to challenge stronger opponents.”
When you move from “can’t” to “going to”, you create momentum. It’s no longer about limitations – it’s about action. You don’t need to be perfect; you just need to start taking steps forward.
Make Your Tennis Journey Easier This Week
Here’s your challenge: eliminate the words that keep you stuck – hard, don’t, and can’t. Replace them with words that build momentum and create possibility. Tennis is as much about mindset as it is about skill. Change how you speak to yourself, and your game will follow.
This week, focus on progress, not perfection.
• Change “This is hard” to “I’m figuring this out.”
• Change “I don’t know” to “I’m learning this.”
• Change “I can’t” to “I’m going to find a way.”
Mindset builds momentum. Momentum builds results.
At Fortune Tennis, we believe that the right mindset can unlock your potential and make tennis not just easier, but more rewarding.
PS: Fortune Tennis now offers Mental Training as well for those that wants to get their mindset right before hitting the court. Just DM "Mindset" to info@fortunetennis.com for more details. #tennismindset #tennis #tennistraining
I can almost hit a backhand volley, i am going to figure out the steps to take it on with gusto!! :)