Tennis: Self-Defeating Mind Games

I enjoyed this guest piece at Tennis Diary by Sean Bugg: A Tennis Boor Defined.

I don’t believe trash talking, a**hole behavior belongs on the court. Competitiveness, yes. Loud cursing? You fucking bet. I don’t think I could make it through a match without at some point saying, “You stupid son of a bitch.” But I’m always saying that to myself —

I agree. It ain't the words, it's whom your saying them to that makes all the difference in the world.

Come on, it's absurd to act as though your tennis opponent is a mortal enemy. That stupid posturing to intimidate your opponent with the body language and tone of hatred is too high a price to pay for victory: it forces you to make a stupid jackass of yourself to win.

Normal people value themselves more than they value a match win. But of course, there are others who don't think much of themselves and don't know true value. Their dreams are too small. Winning tennis matches is all they aspire to.

It's pretty obvious what Andy Roddick was getting from Jimmy Connors.

A little age on the character of a Connors or a McEnroe is like Teflon. Oh, let's let the bad boys show us how to win. But take a second look at those careers, and see the brick wall they slammed into.

It's foolish. And I'm a big proponent of the importance of the psychological battle. But when you cross the line into gamesmanship, you've got to think what you're doing. You are telling yourself that this will give you the edge, that this is what will enable you to win.

It's your mojo, in other words. And you are telling yourself that you're inferior and can't win without this magic.

Not smart.

So, what happens when the other players get used to it? What happens when you run into just as big a jerk as you are and it doesn't work? Gone is your mojo.

Everybody's fist-pumping in tennis rage at their opponents. So, where's your edge?

Woops, and there goes your confidence, because the stupid mind games are what you emotionally rely on to win. You don't think you can win without them. That's magical thinking.

Which is for children.

You end up with your perfomance on any given day being determined by the alignment of your stars.

And look what you're doing to your character. Doesn't that matter to you? Where's your self-respect? It's kinda like selling your soul.

So, my advice is to just play the game. The way it's supposed to be played. Want to win with all your heart and soul, but don't be an idiot who betrays himself by how he goes about it.

Not that the fans will mind, but they have no taste and don't have to face that guy in your mirror every morning, either.

Technorati Tags: tennis