In tennis, the coach mostly watches from the stands.
At the ATP Finals in Turin (15–22 November), the world's best eight players will manage their own minds between points: a few seconds to reset, alone.
It is the skill of learning to coach yourself, and every athlete, student, performer and professional needs it.
The between-point routine
- Release the last point. Win or lose, it is over.
- Reset the body. A slow breath, the strings, a towel.
- Plan the next point. One clear intention, then play it.
The three steps give attention somewhere to go instead of replaying the last mistake.
After a lost set
A lost set can start a spiral. Players who recover treat the next set as a fresh start, return to their routine and focus on the first few points rather than the scoreboard.
The same applies to a bad quarter, a bad exam question or a bad day.
Learning to coach yourself
- Notice when attention drifts, whether through frustration, rushing or dwelling on a mistake.
- Use an instruction such as "breathe", "next point" or "move your feet".
- Review afterward what you told yourself and what helped.
Support when no one is there
Coaches, parents and mental performance professionals can give athletes a toolkit before competition and a way to keep practicing it between sessions.
