

Tennis IQ Podcast
Tennis IQ Podcast
Ninety percent of tennis performance is mental and that's what makes the sport so difficult. Sport psychology professionals Brian Lomax and Josh Burger share their insights on mental performance in tennis, discuss current events in the world of tennis, and interview guests with a unique perspective on mental toughness. Whether you want to learn more about the mental game in tennis or you just have an interest in the sport, this is the podcast for you. Send your questions to tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com or via Twitter using #tennisiq.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 19, 2022 • 52min
Ep. 80 - Swupnil Sahai and A.I. in Tennis
Brian and Josh chat with Swupnil Sahai, the co-founder and CEO of SwingVision, about the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.) in tennis and how the data extracted can relate to the mental side of the sport. Swupnil is a lifelong tennis player and massive Federer fan. He has a triple major from UC Berkeley, a PhD in Statistics from Columbia, and built patented A.I. for autonomous driving at Tesla Autopilot. He created SwingVision with the mission to democratize the professional tennis experience for players of all levels.
Listeners of the Tennis IQ Podcast can get $100 off the SwingVision Pro subscription bundle, which includes a phone mount that attaches to the back fence or curtain in seconds and provides optimal shot tracking accuracy. Use the link https://swing.tennis/c/tennisiq to get the discount.
About SwingVision: SwingVision is the A.I. tennis app that provides automated scoring, shot tracking & line calling using just your iPhone. Featured in the 2021 iPhone & iPad Keynote events, designated as Editors' Choice on the App Store and now the Official Player & Ball Tracking App of the ITA, LTA & Tennis Australia, SwingVision has quickly become the most comprehensive, portable and affordable technology solution for tennis players of all levels.

Apr 8, 2022 • 53min
Ep. 79 - Self-talk Strategies To Optimize Your Internal Dialogue
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss self-talk strategies for tennis players to optimize their internal dialogue. Strategies discussed include utilizing a self-talk log, cognitive restructuring/reframing, thought stopping/replacement, repetitive writing, and using scripts. The co-hosts emphasize that regardless of the strategy utilized, it is important to “listen to yourself less, and talk to yourself more” (h/t @DanAbrahams77) - don’t listen to everything that goes through your mind and talk to yourself in a productive and intentional way.
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Mar 31, 2022 • 48min
Ep. 78 - Cheating in Tennis
This episode is a follow-up to an earlier conversation on the topic of cheating in tennis. In Ep. 24, Brian and Josh discussed how players can respond to instances of cheating as well as how to handle "difficult" opponents. In this conversation, the co-hosts expand on the topic, and examine why cheating occurs, how to reframe cheating in your mind, what to do when a bad line call occurs, and additional strategies players can use when they encounter cheating.
For more on this topic, check out Ep. 24 - Dealing With Cheating and Difficult Opponents
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Mar 24, 2022 • 55min
Ep. 77 - Why Tennis Is So Tough | The Unique Challenges Of The Sport
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the unique challenges of tennis. Topics discussed include a conversation on why the scoring system in tennis can lead to constant judgement and riding an "emotional rollercoaster", the multiple roles that tennis players need to play in a match (player, coach, line judge), as well as the fighting/combat nature of the sport. Additionally, the co-hosts consider how the nature of the sport invites comparisons to other players which can lead to increased expectations and pressure.
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Mar 17, 2022 • 55min
Ep. 76 - How To Play At The Highest Level of Tennis IQ
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how to play Level 3 in the Tennis IQ model developed by USPTA Master Professional Jorge Capestany. Level 1 of this model involves the player and the ball (beginner level), Level 2 is about a player’s own side of the court, and Level 3 is the opponent’s side of the court (pro level). The co-hosts review the types of mindsets and tactics that tennis players can utilize in order to play Level 3 more often, and play in a way that keeps the opponent's side of the court in mind. This starts with a closer look at a player’s own strengths and the weaknesses of the opponent, and then a commitment to use their strengths to exploit the opponent’s weaknesses as often as possible. Furthermore, they examine how tennis players can “sabotage” their opponent’s game to disrupt their rhythm and make it tougher for the opponent to play at their best level.
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Mar 10, 2022 • 38min
Ep. 75 - What To Do When You Are Supposed To Win/Lose
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss what to do when a tennis player is “supposed” to win or lose a match. The co-hosts review things to avoid when you are supposed to win or lose, along with mindsets that keep you focused and competitive. Lastly, they consider better ways to approach these scenarios including the mantra “respect all, fear none."
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Mar 1, 2022 • 49min
Ep. 74 - Playing From Behind | Lessons from Barty, Djokovic, Medvedev, and Nadal
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players should handle trying to come back when they are losing. Topics discussed include learning from top pros on how they deal with playing from behind, how to identify what sort of adjustment needs to be made mid-match, and the type of mindset and attitude that you need to turn a match around.
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Feb 22, 2022 • 44min
Ep. 73 - Building Your Confidence
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can systematically develop their confidence. Topics discussed include how to set up reminder systems about your sources of confidence (achievements, making progress towards goals, etc.), how to utilize confidence journals and make daily "deposits" to your confidence bank, and how to use mental skills such as visualization to develop your confidence on the court.
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Feb 11, 2022 • 56min
Ep. 72 - Finding Your Optimal Intensity
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can find their optimal level of intensity on the practice court and in matches. The co-hosts outline some of the research concepts relating to Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning (IZOF) and the Inverted-U Theory which shows the relationship between pressure and performance (also known as the Yerkes-Dodson Law). They discuss how tennis players can use mental preparation to control their intensity levels, and review specific ways that tennis players can increase or decrease their levels of intensity on the court during matches.
Aaron Donald pre-game speech (self-talk) - https://youtu.be/y4P7D5fEXJI
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Feb 2, 2022 • 48min
Ep. 71 - Australian Open 2022 Recap | Barty & Nadal
The 2022 Australian Open has wrapped up with Ashleigh Barty winning the women’s singles title over Danielle Collins 6–3, 7–6(2), and Rafael Nadal winning the men’s singles title over Daniil Medvedev 2–6, 6–7(5), 6–4, 6–4, 7–5. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the finals of the women’s and men’s singles championships, and share sport psychology themes that emerged from the champions, Ashleigh Barty and Rafael Nadal.
Ashleigh Barty’s interview transcript after the championship match: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=172610
Danielle Collins’ interview transcript after the championship match: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=172611
Rafael Nadal’s interview transcript after the championship match: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=172605
Daniil Medvedev’s interview transcript after the championship match: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=172606
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.