A New Perspective on Choking: Part 1

[johnyandell]

Let's discuss Oliver Lingbeek's first article for Tennisplayer, "A New Perspective on Choking: Part 1"

[arturohernandez]

Ahhh.... The ever problematic nature of being human. How do we get ourselves to perform better under pressure? The article hits on a key point. It details the logic and illogic of the attitude toward ourselves. We are a loser because we have not gotten a ball in the court that was ours to get.

I did just that on set point against a guy who was cramping on the other side. It was in a second set tiebreak. There was no way he was going to beat me if I just stayed on the court. I lined up for a forehand and hit it nice and easy. And it went out. He hung in there and won the match.

After many years, I learned that it is amazing that we can have all the intention to do something very easy and fail under pressure. It really is remarkable that our bodies do that.

So, the hardest thing is to be our biggest ally. To be in our corner no matter what. We are okay no matter the outcome. Then we are a winner. We have won the match against ourselves.

Lendl used to talk to himself in the third person. ACBDEG gives us a way to achieve what is the hardest part of tennis. Being our biggest cheerleader!

[jimlosaltos]

Ahhh.... The ever problematic nature of being human. How do we get ourselves to perform better under pressure? The article hits on a key point. It details the logic and illogic of the attitude toward ourselves. We are a loser because we have not gotten a ball in the court that was ours to get.

I did just that on set point against a guy who was cramping on the other side. It was in a second set tiebreak. There was no way he was going to beat me if I just stayed on the court. I lined up for a forehand and hit it nice and easy. And it went out. He hung in there and won the match.

After many years, I learned that it is amazing that we can have all the intention to do something very easy and fail under pressure. It really is remarkable that our bodies do that.

So, the hardest thing is to be our biggest ally. To be in our corner no matter what. We are okay no matter the outcome. Then we are a winner. We have won the match against ourselves.

Lendl used to talk to himself in the third person. ACBDEG gives us a way to achieve what is the hardest part of tennis. Being our biggest cheerleader!

Your comment on hitting the forehand "nice & easy" is a major part of closing, and playing against an injured opponent. We train ourselves to get in a grove. Then suddenly, at the most important juncture, to reduce risk, exit the groove to try something we haven't done all match.

It's logical and yet not. And, as you say, part of being human.

[arturohernandez]

Your comment on hitting the forehand "nice & easy" is a major part of closing, and playing against an injured opponent. We train ourselves to get in a grove. Then suddenly, at the most important juncture, to reduce risk, exit the groove to try something we haven't done all match.

It's logical and yet not. And, as you say, part of being human.

I finally learned after many years to hit with more topspin under pressure. It allows me to hit out without being tight. I will even go to the full Nadal reverse if I am really nervous. There is a reason he uses it. It is almost impossible to hit it out and the looseness and topspin are very problematic for an opponent. It also maintains the line of the shot better.

There is a reason Nadal uses it so much. If only I had known on that match point all those years ago...

[doctorhl]

I finally learned after many years to hit with more topspin under pressure. It allows me to hit out without being tight. I will even go to the full Nadal reverse if I am really nervous. There is a reason he uses it. It is almost impossible to hit it out and the looseness and topspin are very problematic for an opponent. It also maintains the line of the shot better.

There is a reason Nadal uses it so much. If only I had known on that match point all those years ago...

Great tip Arturo! Needed that tip years ago. But guys, am I over reacting to the hyperextended, open face wrist position in the article's picture at trophy position?? Just curious what her service percentages are as a poster girl in article on choking?.......Jim, if you are around and can post stats!

[jimlosaltos]

Great tip Arturo! Needed that tip years ago. But guys, am I over reacting to the hyperextended, open face wrist position in the article's picture at trophy position?? Just curious what her service percentages are as a poster girl in article on choking?.......Jim, if you are around and can post stats!

Are you referring to Kiki Bertens?

Curiously, the WTA has almost no stats on her. Her singles ranking high was 4 in 2019, but I can't even find her listed in the service stats. She seems to have retired to have a child.

Fortunately, there are other sources per Tennis Abstract for 2019:
First serve in 57.3%
1st won : 72%
2d won: 47.1%

Known as a big server and perhaps more as a doubles player although she made 4 and beat many of the top players.

[ollie707]

Hi all, my name is Olivier L author of the piece. Bertens did not only choke at big point on her own serve. On dutch television she often declared to be litteraly sick before going into a match. It just struck me as i saw her playing and tweeted about it to Sluiter now Svitolinas coach. Bertens didn't play long after breaking up with him btw. But she was just an example.The main point of the article is that choking occurs because we transform wishes into demands. Athletes are prone to suffer from this 'Mustsickness', because they change their healthy wish to do well into the unhealthy belief, that if they don't do well they declare themselves losers. Curious to hear if their are readers that think this point of view could help players to relax more in their matches, especially on big point.

[jimlosaltos]

Ahhh.... The ever problematic nature of being human. How do we get ourselves to perform better under pressure? The article hits on a key point. It details the logic and illogic of the attitude toward ourselves. We are a loser because we have not gotten a ball in the court that was ours to get.

I did just that on set point against a guy who was cramping on the other side. It was in a second set tiebreak. There was no way he was going to beat me if I just stayed on the court. I lined up for a forehand and hit it nice and easy. And it went out. He hung in there and won the match.

After many years, I learned that it is amazing that we can have all the intention to do something very easy and fail under pressure. It really is remarkable that our bodies do that.

So, the hardest thing is to be our biggest ally. To be in our corner no matter what. We are okay no matter the outcome. Then we are a winner. We have won the match against ourselves.

Lendl used to talk to himself in the third person. ACBDEG gives us a way to achieve what is the hardest part of tennis. Being our biggest cheerleader!

I just remembered the terminology for this.

Humans largely see an "Error of Commission" as far more consequential, embarrassing, shameful than an "Error of Omission".

Perhaps the tennis equivalent would be botching a swing (overhead into the net, double fault, etc) is far more painful than acting passively and giving the opponent the opportunity to win.

"They won" is less painful than "I blew it".

[ollie707]

Great tip Arturo! Needed that tip years ago. But guys, am I over reacting to the hyperextended, open face wrist position in the article's picture at trophy position?? Just curious what her service percentages are as a poster girl in article on choking?.......Jim, if you are around and can post stats!

So her serve stats are quite good, and she serves with an eastern grip. And she chokes.

[ollie707]

I finally learned after many years to hit with more topspin under pressure. It allows me to hit out without being tight. I will even go to the full Nadal reverse if I am really nervous. There is a reason he uses it. It is almost impossible to hit it out and the looseness and topspin are very problematic for an opponent. It also maintains the line of the shot better.

There is a reason Nadal uses it so much. If only I had known on that match point all those years ago...

I agree totally yet the hand can suffer from choking while hitting topspin as you might do hitting a put which might result in a yip. You would have to open up to open up to the possibility of making a mistake and put as much effort in making the stroke as you can. Failing at big point won't make you a loser.

[arturohernandez]

So her serve stats are quite good, and she serves with an eastern grip. And she chokes.

I see the open face often in women's serve. Swiatek is another one that strikes me as having an open face. This creates more slice than topspin.

To me the model in all this is Justine Henin. She was not the greatest server but Carlos Rodriguez made her serve much better technically. Same with the forehand.

But you have to have a player willing to try something different.

[arturohernandez]

I just remembered the terminology for this.

Humans largely see an "Error of Commission" as far more consequential, embarrassing, shameful than an "Error of Omission".

Perhaps the tennis equivalent would be botching a swing (overhead into the net, double fault, etc) is far more painful than acting passively and giving the opponent the opportunity to win.

"They won" is less painful than "I blew it".

Yes, easier to be beaten than to lose by missing. There is a way to stay aggressive while not just pushing it back. But it takes a certain mental attitude to achieve this without hitting the back fence and not pushing the ball.

Johny Mac claims that everyone chokes. You could even say that Djokovic's lockdown mode is basically making the other player pull the trigger. They either attack or miss. And then when he sees the opening, he seizes it.

It's almost like a predator or psychopath. Slowly, plotting and waiting until the time is right.

Kind of scary if you think about it that way.

[arturohernandez]

I agree totally yet the hand can suffer from choking while hitting topspin as you might do hitting a put which might result in a yip. You would have to open up to open up to the possibility of making a mistake and put as much effort in making the stroke as you can. Failing at big point won't make you a loser.

It is just one point. An error is not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. But it is hard not to catastrophize...

[jimlosaltos]

Yes, easier to be beaten than to lose by missing. There is a way to stay aggressive while not just pushing it back. But it takes a certain mental attitude to achieve this without hitting the back fence and not pushing the ball.

Johny Mac claims that everyone chokes. You could even say that Djokovic's lockdown mode is basically making the other player pull the trigger. They either attack or miss. And then when he sees the opening, he seizes it.

It's almost like a predator or psychopath. Slowly, plotting and waiting until the time is right.

Kind of scary if you think about it that way.

Indeed. Especially in an era of so many prominent, powerful sociopaths

[jimlosaltos]

Hi all, my name is Olivier L author of the piece. Bertens did not only choke at big point on her own serve. On dutch television she often declared to be litteraly sick before going into a match. It just struck me as i saw her playing and tweeted about it to Sluiter now Svitolinas coach. Bertens didn't play long after breaking up with him btw. But she was just an example.The main point of the article is that choking occurs because we transform wishes into demands. Athletes are prone to suffer from this 'Mustsickness', because they change their healthy wish to do well into the unhealthy belief, that if they don't do well they declare themselves losers. Curious to hear if they're for the interesthankare readers that think this point of view could help players to relax more in their matches, especially on big point.

Thanks for the interesting article.