Why do you play tennis?
Do you play to please others, or do you compete for yourself? People-pleasing is a trap many tennis players fall prey to.
Instead of competing for the joy of the sport or accomplishing their goals, they play to make their parents happy or for validation from their coach that they are talented.
These tennis players prioritize the goals others have for them over their own personal goals. For example, your parents may want you to enter a tournament and be the top singles seed when you would rather play doubles.
You may forego your desire to play doubles and please your parents by playing singles instead. When you play tennis to please others, your game is impacted in several ways:
- You will be less motivated because you are no longer pursuing meaningful personal goals.
- Your confidence will rise and fall depending upon whether or not you meet the expectations of others.
- You will enjoy tournaments less because of the increased pressure to perform at a high level.
- You will make more mistakes and feel less energized during matches due to higher anxiety levels.
- Your level of play will decline, whether it’s due to increased pressure or because you unconsciously give up as a way of rebelling against the high expectations of others.
It is more important that your tennis career is personally fulfilling rather than pleasing to others.
Your goals for yourself should matter most. You should enjoy playing the game. You should evaluate your play according to your standards, not by the standards of others.
After all, most of the time, some people will always find fault in your game, no matter how hard you try.
WTA player Emma Raducanu has been criticized for skipping big-time tournaments during the 2024 season. However, Raducanu has made it clear that she is focusing on competing for herself and taking back control of her career.
After beating Sloane Stevens, 6-4, 6-0, in the 2024 Eastbourne International, Raducanu wrote “My own pace” on the camera lens before coming off the court to state that she is the one who is in charge of her career.
RADUCANU: “[It’s about] doing things at my own speed and doing things how I want to, rather than how everyone else thinks is best for me, because ultimately me and the close few people around me only know what is actually best for me and my game… Everything I’m doing and playing for now is for myself.”
Your tennis career is YOURS! Others may have good intentions and want the best for you, but ultimately, your goals matter most.
Set clear personal athletic goals. Ask yourself, “What do I want to accomplish this season? What is important to me?”
When others interject their expectations for you that differ from what you want, you should verbally or internally say, “That is not what I want for myself.” By applying this tip, you will take back control of your tennis career.
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