Tennis IQ Podcast

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the recently released Netflix documentary on Mardy Fish "Untold: Breaking Point".  This documentary tells the story of Mardy Fish's rise to the highest level of the ATP Tour which included a high-ranking of #7 in the world and an appearance at the prestigious 2011 ATP World Tour Finals. The co-hosts discuss Mardy's challenges with mental health and severe anxiety disorder that ultimately led Mardy to put his career on pause for several years. They also review how Mardy overcame these challenges and has used his platform and position as U.S. Davis Cup captain to help the next generation learn from his story. This conversation also considers what "toughness" really is, and how this concept is often misunderstood by athletes, coaches, parents, and the media.   Untold: Breaking Point - https://www.netflix.com/title/81026434 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!  

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the topic of full focus. The ability to fully focus during tennis matches is often cited as a critical factor to success, however many tennis players struggle to maintain their focus in high-pressure moments and throughout the duration of a tennis match. The co-hosts described the importance of focusing on what can be controlled, and focusing on the present moment rather than on the past or future. Furthermore, they discussed how athletes ought to focus on their long-term development process rather than getting too caught up in individual results. 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!

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can learn to enjoy the stress of competition. The co-hosts talk about the need to embrace the “battle” in competition, and ultimately enjoy it. Additionally, they consider how winning and playing in close matches can make an athlete a better competitor over time. Lastly, the topic of viewing your tennis game as a life project and focusing on the improvement process instead of on results can lead to more enjoyment over time is reviewed. 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!

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss tennis performance in various team settings such as adult teams, college teams, and high school teams. Within these teams, it is important to develop a team identity so that motivation and resiliency can be improved. Captains and team leaders play a pivotal role in the development of a cycle of leadership that can create a positive and autonomous culture. Lastly, Brian and Josh review how team goals can be constructed and how they can be linked with the team’s identity and vision. 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!

David Sammel is a world prominent tennis coach based in the UK who has coached dozens of professional players and international junior players. He’s also the author of the book Locker Room Power and the founder of Mindset College.   Through this conversation, you will learn what Locker Room Power is, how to develop it, and how to apply it in competition. This includes the concept of mentally unsettling the opponent and using courage as a virtue.  Locker Room Power: Building an Athlete's Mind https://www.amazon.com/dp/1080758585   US listeners - Audio version of Locker Room Power: https://www.audible.com/pd/B092L4K5V4  UK listeners - Audio version of Locker Room Power: https://adbl.co/3nCJZAD  Mindset College: https://www.mindsetcollege.co.uk

This episode includes a brief discussion on the yips in tennis. The yips has been described as “a sudden and unexplained loss of ability to execute certain skills in experienced athletes”, and though it happens most typically to golfers as they putt, it can happen to tennis players as well.  The remainder of the conversation discussed serving and double faults. Brian and Josh emphasized the importance of resetting and putting the previous point behind you in order to have the best possible mindset for the following point.    This article explains some of the same research discussed in this episode: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2021/sep/27/how-emma-raducanu-prevents-one-mistake-from-leading-to-another?CMP=Share  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!

Josh and Brian review some of the bigger stories from the 2021 US Open through the lens of sport psychology. First, they discuss Emma Raducanu’s victory over Leylah Fernandez in the women's final and the circumstances that led to the unexpected success of each finalist. The guys also discuss Daniil Medvedev’s first Grand Slam triumph, and how he was able to stop Novak Djokovic from completing a calendar year Grand Slam and winning major title number 21. 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!

In this episode, Brian and Josh review how to deal with losing. Losing is a necessary and inevitable part of competition and the development process. Discussion points are how to respond to lost points during a match, how to handle and frame difficult losses, and the feeling of loss that athletes can undertake during an injury or retirement. Lastly, Brian and Josh consider the mindset that athletes want to have - 'playing to win' rather than trying to avoid losing.   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!

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can establish and utilize post-practice and post-match routines to enhance future performance. The co-hosts review recovery routine elements such as nutrition, hydration, stretching, and more. Additionally, they examine how players can utilize journals to reflect on their practices and matches to learn and improve going forward. 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!

Dr. Laura Swettenham is a sport and exercise psychologist from the UK, chartered with the British Psychological Society. She has experience working within a range of sports, predominantly professional football (soccer), youth tennis, and e-sports. In her practice, Laura uses acceptance and mindfulness approaches, such as acceptance and commitment therapy, to support athletes and coaches so they can thrive in and out of their performance environment.   Currently, Laura works at Cultiv8 Academy, the Yorkshire regional player development center for tennis, and is the sport psychology and coach development lead at the federation of e-sports coaches. She is also an associate partner lecturer at the University of Portsmouth and has published multiple research papers within sport psychology utilizing the Think Aloud protocol. In this conversation, we discuss Think Aloud and its utility in exploring stress and coping mechanisms in tennis. For more information on Think Aloud, please read "Investigating Stress and Coping During Practice and Competition in Tennis using Think Aloud" by Laura and her colleagues. (https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/9077/)   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!