Last Post on the Tennis Mental Edge Blog

To readers of the Tennis Mental Edge Blog...

You may have noticed that I have not been posting lately. There is a good reason for it as I will explain. This will be my last post on the Tennis Mental Edge Blog. I appreciate you reading the posts and giving comments. I hope you found the posts to be informative and interesting.

 

I have decided to take a new path, I have left Michigan State University and I am closing my consulting business. I have accepted the Mental Skills Specialist position with the United States Tennis Association Player Development department. I will spend almost all of my time consulting and working with world-class tennis players and coaches. For this new position I will move to Boca Raton, Florida to the USTA PD headquarters.

Due to the need to focus 100% on the needs of our American coaches and tennis players from professional to junior I will no longer be posting on this blog. However, I hope to continue to provide resources and posts from my new position at the USTA. How is to be determined, but you can begin looking at the some of the USTA online resources at www.usta.com and at http://www.usta.com/About-USTA/Player-Development/SportScience/. Always feel free to reach out for assistance or just to say hi.

I wish you the best in your tennis endeavors, and in life. Keep supporting the great game of tennis by doing what you do!

Thanks

Larry

Serena Williams Quote on Belief

Serena Williams is the most dominant women's tennis player in the last decade. When she is focused and on top of her game she imposes her will on her opponent. Her sheer physicality and sense of belief, while being abstract feelings, win her points, games, and matches.

What I appreciate most about Serena is her self-belief. She believes that she should win every match she plays and is going to win or lose on her terms - playing her game. I believe this quote sums up well the deep well of self-belief that makes Serena Williams an all-time great:

Federer's Angry Outburst versus Murray at Aussie Cost Him the Match?

Did Roger Federer lose to Andy Murray at the Australian Open because of his angry outburst at the end of the fourth set? Did such a little thing like reacting to Murray's complaint about a line call get the best of Roger?

Geoff MacDonald of the New York Times wrote an excellent article about how Roger's anger gave him the energy boost to win the fourth set versus Murray, but in the end may have cost him the match.

The incident as MacDonald recalls it:

Andre Agassi on Problem Solving in Tennis

“In tennis, there’s no coaching, no passing the ball. It’s problem solving at its purest,” Andre Agassi once said.

Tennis is a great sport for many reasons and one of those reasons is exactly what Agassi is implying in this quote. When you are on the court you are forced to solve problems. You cannot rely on a teammate or a coach. You have to do it.

The problem solving that is inherent to tennis can create many headaches for developing players. Coaches and parents are constantly scratching their heads at junior tournaments trying to figure out why their junior went for a slap winner down the line from behind the baseline or approached cross court to the opponent's strong forehand.

To become an expert in tennis these failures in judgment are part of the process. You have to fail - make poor decisions and suffer the consequences. Those junior players that can learn quickly and not become despondent with their failures will be able to go farther in the game.

Murray, Djokovic, Stephens, Li Na, Azarenka Breaking New Ground

The Australian Open again is the starting grounds for a new season. And, just maybe the ground breaking to new heights of performance for Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Sloane Stephens, Li Na, and Victoria Azarenka.

This Open was supposed to be the continuation of Serena Williams' charge for the Serena Slam. I guess Sloane Stephens got the memo and choose to rewrite history. Stephens bursted on to the scene this week and made a statement that she is going to be a top 10 player and a threat to win a Slam.

Stephens was supposed to be a road bump for Serena. Stephens instead flipped the script on her way to her first Grand Slam semi final. Serena was not 100%; her serve was significantly slower and less impactful in the quarters. Nonetheless, Stephens was able to bounce back down 3-4 in the third set. I love to see that moment where a player reveals their resiliency and confidence at a higher level.

Ferrer, Almagro and the Mental Game at the Australian Open

David Ferrer's 12-0 record versus Nicolas Almagro may have kept Almagro from having his finest day. Almagro was two points from his first Slam semifinal at the Australian Open. Three times Almagro served for the match in the third and fourth sets, and three times Ferrer broke Almagro. Eventually Ferrer won by two breaks in the fifth set.

Is Ferrer Almagro's worst nightmare? Ferrer now is 13-0 versus his fellow Spaniard, and I think that dominance kept Almagro from his first semifinal in a Slam.

Ferrer Defeats Almagro in Grueling Five-Set Match to make Aussie Open Semis (Australianopen.org)

Just imagine for a moment that you played tennis against someone often, but when you played a match when it mattered they always beat you. Then, at the most important tournament of your life you played them again and you were beating them. How good would it feel? But, the specter of never beating the person reveals itself as you are about to close them out. How emotional would you be? How hard would it be to focus on just hitting the ball?

Djokovic's Self-Belief Runs Deep after 5-Hour Victory over Wawrinka

The well of Novak Djokovic's self-belief runs deep. For the third time in a year Djokovic has won a five-hour match. This time he had to fight back from almost two sets down to defeat Stanislas Wawrinka.

Next you will see some of the post-match interview with Djokovic. His answers reveal the confidence exuding from him, and how his attributions enable to remain confident in such a tough situation.

Baghdatis Headbanged his Way to Victory over Ramos

Baghdatis Headbanging at Aussie Open 2013

The more of this kind of energy the better it is for tennis. The energy, the passion of Marcos Baghdatis. In this video Baghdatis is reacting to his fans' chants. I love the energy and just the full engagement in the moment. He is allowing his fans to push him forward in a long, tough match versus Albert Ramos. While headbanging did not propel Baghdatis to his first Grand Slam it is evident why fans love him.

Australian Open Going to Form; Top Seeds Dominant

The first few days of the 2013 Australian Open seem like a replay of 2012. Serena, Vika, Maria are still at the top of the game. Roger, Novak, and Andy are dominating the field again. What is new?

In my previous post I said some questions would be answered at this Slam. With a resounding "yes" Serena Williams has exhibited her commitment to being the best in the world. Serena dropped just two games in the first two rounds, despite turning her ankle. I believe history is pushing Serena to reach this high level of commitment. She can put her name at the top of the women's game all-time with several more successful seasons of winning slams.

Australian Open Blog Posts begin January 15, Early Season Questions to be Answered

The Australian Open is just a few days away now. It feels like a lifetime since the US Open and a major. I will be posting my thoughts on the Australian Open starting January 15.

There are many questions that will be answered in three weeks. Can Serena continue her dominance of the women's game? If she comes out strong in this Aussie Open the field should be concerned for the 2013 season. A motivated Serena is a dominant Serena.

Victoria Azarenka is the defending champion. Can she reassert the dominance she showed early in the 2012 WTA season? How will she handle the pressure of defending a grand slam title for the first time? It will be interesting to watch to see if she plays aggressive, confident tennis or if the moment affects her.

Andy Murray finally broke through winning his first major of his career at the US Open. Can he follow that up with a run to an Aussie title? How will he handle the increased expectations, especially with Nadal out of the tournament?

Can Roger Federer continue to be a factor in the Slams? History would tell us a resounding yes, but at some point he has to slow down, right? And, can Novak Djokovic defend his title at the Aussie Open? Djokovic, to me, is the favorite. Winning this Australian Open will cement Djokovic as the man to beat again in 2013.

Finally, who will breakthrough and have a career-changing tournament? Australian tennis fans have to be excited after Bernard Tomic's victory over Djokovic, especially after a rough 2012. Can Tomic give Australia a hometown hero and a run in to the second week? It is very possible.

In my opinion, the Aussie Open can be full of surprises because it is the first major of the season and it is played in very hot temperatures. The most prepared, professional players are the ones that do well in January. So, with that in mind, do not be surprised if David Ferrer makes a run at the championship. On the women's side I think Angelique Kerber could beat anyone and win a slam. Also, look out for Sam Stosur at her home slam. If she handles the pressure well her aggressive game could carry through to a second slam title.

Andy Murray saw Sport Psychologist Prior to Winning US Open

Andy Murray was able to finally break the stranglehold of Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal and win his first slam at the 2012 US Open. Afterwards Murray talked about working with Coach Ivan Lendl's former sport psychologist.

BBC article on Murray using sport psychologist

Have you been on the fence about using sport psychology, mental toughness or mental skills training? Please read the article. I think it will push you off the fence and ready to jump in to sport psychology.

Murray felt that the sport psychologist helped him more off the court than on the court. This is not unusual. Players need different things. Some players need to learn to slow down on court, take some deep breaths, and develop a between points routine. Other players are dealing with more off the court that affects them on the court. A qualified sport psychology consultant will be able to help the player determine what is most crucial to work on over time.

Dr. Larry Discusses Football Bounties on ESPN Outside the Lines

Dr. Lauer discusses youth football bounties on ESPN Outside the Line 
My part is not included in the link, however...

The show re-airs Friday, December 7 at 3 pm eastern on ESPN.

The podcast is also available on itunes search Outside the Lines

Go to larry-lauer.com for my thoughts on the show

Tennis Parenting Show with Lisa Stone of Parenting Aces

Tennis Parenting Show with Lisa Stone

I had the opportunity to talk with Lisa Stone, tennis parent and writer, on the Parenting Aces show she hosts on the UR10s radio network. It was a fun and thought-provoking conversation that allowed me to summarize and discuss the tennis parenting research we have been doing at Michigan State University's Institute for the Study of Youth Sports.
Specifically, Lisa and I discussed a number of important topics including:

• How to communicate with your child when wanting to quit tennis,
• The reasons behind why researchers believe that tennis parents are more involved today,
• The #1 biggest mistake a parent can make in parenting their child in tennis,
• How to navigate the issue of sport specialization and when a tennis player should specialize,
• How to push and challenge your child while supporting them.

Please download the show and let me know what you think. Also, share it with other parents in tennis and outside of tennis. It was focused on tennis but many of the points discussed relate to all sport parents.

Five Things a Tennis Parent Can Do Immediately to Help Their Child Play Well

Tennis parents, there are at least five ways you can help your child play better tennis in matches, immediately. And, it does not involve hitting balls with them, providing extra instruction, having them lift weights, run sprints, or do agility training.

It does involve you regulating your behavior in a way so that your parent performance is better. What, parent performance? That is correct. You have a role to perform and when you perform it effectively it helps your child relax, have fun, and play like they do in practice.

So, on to five ways to enhance your tennis parent performance.

5. Avoid getting involved in on-court disagreements if possible. You know the situation. Your child's opponent is making dubious line calls. You are sure she is cheating. You want to say something. However, remember parents become furious when adults yell at or confront their children. It is the paternal/maternal instinct to react aggressively. Even if you just plain suggest that their child is cheating and go talk to that parent you may get into trouble. Instead teach your child how to deal with cheating.

How to Play Great Tennis when Your Opponent is Cheating

Are Sport Parents a Bigger Problem Today?

(first posted on the NWCA Youth Sport blog)

Sport parents are getting as much press as professional athletes these days. And, it is not in a positive way. "Bench the parents" (1) and "Are Parents Ruining Youth Sports" (2) reflect the mood towards sport parents in the US. Parents are often seen as crazy and the root of all issues in youth sport.

Coaches want more resources on working effectively with parents? Link to my webinar on the Resources page.

The "crazy sport parent" has become modern lingo for parents that are overinvolved, controlling, too demanding, and outright just annoying and dangerous. I talk with sport parents frequently in my work as a sport psychology consultant. It is funny to me when a parent is about to try and convince me of their decisions about their child's sport and he or she prefaces it with "I am not one of those crazy parents." There is great concern about the actions of parents on our fields and courts. But, are parents really that much worse today?

Novak Djokovic's Swagger: Why He is a Champion and Does Not Get the Respect He Deserves

What makes Novak Djokovic a champion also may make him less likeable to tennis fans across the globe. More so than probably all of the top players on the Men's ATP tour, fans either love or dislike Djokovic. Why? He has amazing skills, conditioning and mental toughness. Novak wins when he should and has proven himself to be a champion. He also has been gracious in defeat. Djokovic should be considered a proven champion with the likes of Nadal and Federer.

Detractors of Djokovic will tell you that their dislike started early in his career. They talk about tanks, breathing problems, medical timeouts for less than appropriate reasons, and cockiness as evidenced by his post-match emulations of tennis stars' routines prior to serving. Certainly Djokovic taking a medical timeout prior to Murray serving out this year's US Open will only add fuel to their opinion.

Maria Sharapova Imposes Her Will to Win at the US Open

Maria Sharapova showed us the power of attitude in her 4th round match at the US Open versus Nadia Petrova. In a back and forth match, Petrova split sets with Sharapova and went up 2-0 in the third set. Petrova was on a run and Sharapova was in deep trouble. The US Open has not been her best tournament. Sharapova has a history of losing earlier at the US Open than in other Grand Slams. This includes memorable matches where she was a huge favorite like her defeat to Melanie Oudin.

With a history of first week losses at the US Open weighing on her like a 500-lb. gorilla Sharapova refused to give in. She was fortunate that the rains came and gave her a chance to refocus and talk to her coach. Her coach and father told her to keep fighting. And, that is exactly what she did. Sharapova came out of the one-hour rain delay with energy, intensity, and purpose. She was striking the ball clean and immediately broke Petrova to 2-1. Sharapova would roll from there and win the match. She can thank her comeback to her legendary focus and tough-minded attitude.
 
Learn more about developing a Game Plan for Rain Delays

Confident Sam Stosur Guts Out Win over Robson

Defending US Open champion Sam Stosur of Australia gutted out a two-set victory today at the US Open. Stosur overcame giant-killer Laura Robson who had sent Kim Clijsters in to retirement and then defeated Li Na. Despite losing serve while serving out the match, Stosur hung tough and got the job done on Sunday. The post-match interview details the thought process that kept Stosur believing and staying composed despite losing a number of match points (from USOpen.org).

Q.  Were you thinking on those match points that she really rose to the occasion?

SAMANTHA STOSUR:  Yeah, I mean, I think out of the, what, nine that I missed, I didn't do too much wrong on at least half of them.  So that being the case, I think you got to just take it for what it is.  Okay, it's another point.  You're hopefully going to get another chance if you keep doing what you should be doing.  Kind of what I said to myself on the change of ends. Doesn't matter.  See where it gets you.  Disappointing not to have gotten in one of those other two games, but I still felt I was in a good position.

Andy Roddick's Retirement and His Career in Perspective

Andy Roddick announced Thursday that he would retire after the US Open. The announcement created a flood of polar opposite reactions, just like Andy and his game did for more than a decade. Some tennis enthusiasts will miss Andy as the stalwart of American men's tennis since Andre and Pete retired. Others will not miss him because they either think he did not live up to his potential, did not like his game, or did not like his swagger and biting wit.

For me, I will miss watching Andy Roddick after this Open. In multiple ways I feel Andy was a victim of his timing in American tennis and does not fully get the credit he deserves. Hopefully, he will be seen as a champion and get his full appreciation over the next few days. This certainly seemed to be the case in his match versus Bernard Tomic of Australia last night.

Kim Clijsters Retires, Becomes Model of Mental Toughness

Kim Clijsters' great career ended today at the 2012 US Open. British 18-year-old, Laura Robson, played an aggressive style to pull off the upset. Too bad it was in front of a small crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium. More importantly, Clijsters will be remembered as a champion and a great person - and maybe not in that order. So, you can be a great person and competitor. There is no need to be cold or unfriendly to try and intimidate your opponents.

Clijsters' attitude was not always embraced as positively as it is today. Before winning her first Slam many thought Kim was not mentally tough enough. In my opinion that statement does not give credit to the great Justine Henin who often stood in Clijsters' way for a Slam. Kim did get nervous in some early Grand Slam opportunities but she has more than overcome any issues with nerves. And, that is not a knock on Clijsters. The great Roger Federer has admitted dealing with nerves especially early in his career.

Three US Open championships later and Clijsters is now held in high regard as a competitor. It is hard to believe this but the last time Kim lost at the Open was 2003 against Henin. Twenty-two straight matches. Amazing, especially over a nine year span.