Selective Memory - Key Quality for Champions
Roger Federer blew a 5-1 third set double break lead in losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga last week. Andy Roddick, who has had a fantastic winning percentage in tie-breakers in 2009, lost two tiebreakers en route to a straight set upset loss to fellow American, Sam Querrey, last night in Cincinnati. When you listened to Federer and Roddick talk after those losses
you realized that they are not dwelling on the negative aspects of the losses, but instead focusing on the positives.
Jelena Jankovic won a two hour and forty-five minute semifinal on a very hot and humid night in Cincinnati last week the night before she played and beat Dinara Safina in the Final the next afternoon. After winning the title, Jankovic discussed how she told herself that she wasn’t tired as she tried to pump herself up for the Final. Jelena’s mind games were successful as she beat Safina in two sets on another hot day. In contrast, Dinara Safina’s negative body language and post-match comments illustrated how much she was letting the previous points, games and sets affect her future play.
Champions have the ability to bounce back quickly from bad losses or move on from poorly-played points or games in the middle of a match. Not dwelling on the negative, while also recalling positive emotions in key moments in a match, e.g. how well one plays tie-breakers, can be critical for a pro tennis player. Many players talk about playing a match point by point or a tournament match by match rather than looking too far ahead. That’s easier said than done, but another aspect of successful selective memory is blocking out emotions such as the excitement of winning (or the fear of losing) which can be distracting in the middle of a match.
Despite suffering some tough losses to Juan Martin del Potro in Washington, DC and in Montreal and Sam Querrey in Cincinnati, Andy Roddick has continued to talk about the summer tournament swing as providing him with some good match preparation for the upcoming U.S. Open. Andy speaks positively about what he’s gained from these tournaments and downplays the frustrating losses. Roddick may feel more negativity inside, but looking forward rather than backward and voicing the positive emotions can only help his efforts going forward.
Jelena Jankovic won a two hour and forty-five minute semifinal on a very hot and humid night in Cincinnati last week the night before she played and beat Dinara Safina in the Final the next afternoon. After winning the title, Jankovic discussed how she told herself that she wasn’t tired as she tried to pump herself up for the Final. Jelena’s mind games were successful as she beat Safina in two sets on another hot day. In contrast, Dinara Safina’s negative body language and post-match comments illustrated how much she was letting the previous points, games and sets affect her future play.
Champions have the ability to bounce back quickly from bad losses or move on from poorly-played points or games in the middle of a match. Not dwelling on the negative, while also recalling positive emotions in key moments in a match, e.g. how well one plays tie-breakers, can be critical for a pro tennis player. Many players talk about playing a match point by point or a tournament match by match rather than looking too far ahead. That’s easier said than done, but another aspect of successful selective memory is blocking out emotions such as the excitement of winning (or the fear of losing) which can be distracting in the middle of a match.
Despite suffering some tough losses to Juan Martin del Potro in Washington, DC and in Montreal and Sam Querrey in Cincinnati, Andy Roddick has continued to talk about the summer tournament swing as providing him with some good match preparation for the upcoming U.S. Open. Andy speaks positively about what he’s gained from these tournaments and downplays the frustrating losses. Roddick may feel more negativity inside, but looking forward rather than backward and voicing the positive emotions can only help his efforts going forward.
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