Tennis Tournament Preparation: First Steps

Leading up to a tournament it is important for a plan to be set up to help you increase your readiness for competition. Here are some steps to follow as a template for your time in the days before a competition.

Step 1: Build your plan for the competition

  • Write out your goals you have for the competition
  • Develop some of your strategies that you will use during competition to meet your goals
  • Review the environment the competition will be held in and make a list of the possible distractions that may be present.
  • Create a list or strategies to cope with these distractions.
  • Review your short term and long term goals and be aware of how a performance at this competition can help you meet those.

Step 2: Develop a healthy physical rhythm leading up the tournament.

  • Tailor your physical training to decrease the strain on the body while continuing to maintain physical activity
    • Cardio activity
    • Stretching and flexibility
  • Physical self-care
    • Attending to nagging injuries with good physical therapy
    • Continue past physical therapy plans to prevent injuries
    • Increase stretching activities
    • Increase mindful breathing exercises
  • Nutrition:
    • know how to increase carbohydrates and proteins consumption while decreasing sugar intake is important for the days leading up to competition
    • maintain high level of hydration
  • Sleep: As the competition nears a healthy routine of sleep hygiene will be important to develop and maintain.
    • Consistent bed times and rituals before one goes to sleep are important to be developed.
    • Amount of sleep will also be important as sleep is the bodies way of mentally and physically recovering

Step 3: Build your self-efficacy and self-esteem, Increase mental focus

  • Take time review your strengths
  • Increase your positive self-talk as well and outlook on the competition
  • Maintain healthy focus on steps 1 & 2
  • Review your strategies and plan for your match
  • Review Goals for tournament
  • Limit outside distractions and use of social media
    • Start to quite your mind and limit amount of external things going on in your head