The Sports
Psychology Blog
Today's Sports Psychology blog examines how the rain delays have been impacting on players psychology at Wimbledon.
Tennis: Wimbledon - More Rain; New Thinking
It's fascinating watching how the Wimbledon rain delays impact on a players psychology. Defending Woman's Champion, Amelie Mauresmo seemed to let it get to her yesterday. She surrendered her title like someone who had gone beyond the point of caring. Too much rain; not enough tennis. No rhythm.
For the players of an impatient disposition it can be difficult to handle. You can lose focus. Lose motivation. Lose interest. Lose matches.
The psychology of sport trick is to develop a new mindset. To develop Change Thinking.
Change Thinking in this situation would cause you to say to yourself, 'I am playing at a tournament that is being badly affected by rain. This will change the pattern and rhythm of the matches. I must be prepared for that. So I will look to be patient and calm throughout the tournament. The winner may not be the best player. But the one who handles this changing circumstance with the best temperament'.
Change Thinking allows you to adapt to new circumstances and not be as subject to your normal patterns of response. It will forge a new state of mind that will then govern and direct all subsequent behaviour.
Note - It won't always be easy to engage in Change Thinking. Old strong reaction patterns like to hold sway.
