Wholistic Tennis Guidelines for Pre-Match Play

1.      Prepare your self physically with an on-court warm-up, whenever possible, and with mindful (with the focus on the muscle you are working on) and silent stretching. 

2.      Prepare yourself mentally for the match by lying or sitting down silently with your eyes closed and taking long, deep breaths for 5 minutes and another 10-15 minutes of normal breathing before the match.  And by watching and then letting go of all thoughts’

3.      Let go of all thoughts about winning or losing.  All thoughts are noise, which will give rise to emotions such as fear, anxiety, nervousness, tension, over-confidence, etc., all of which are a hindrance to peak performance.

4.      Silence happens when we do not indulge these thoughts.  Yes, they will arise, acknowledge them without judgment and let them go.  Do not pander to them, engage them or argue against them.  Rational logic is not the way out, only dropping is!

5.      The nurturing of silence is a process.  Simply make the space by setting aside the time to watch the mind and its incessant thoughts which continue to come and go and silence will grow in you.

6.      You cannot control winning or losing; playing well or badly.  The only things you can control are your effort and attitude.  Effort means being present and trying to do the best you can, while attitude is about being able to accept all that happens to you.

7.      There are two possible outcomes from this match: winning or losing.  If you can live with either of these outcomes, silence will come more easily to you and you will be more able to play your best tennis

8.      Your goal is to go out there and try and play the best tennis you are capable of—that is all!  And the more relaxed you are, the more likely that is to happen.

9.      Your goal is to be the best tennis player you can possibly be, which is a process that will take place over time.  Consequently, the outcome of this match will not make or break you or your life.  Keeping things in perspective will allow you to play in a more relaxed way.