Tennis IQ Podcast

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the transition from an athlete-centered perspective to one of athlete ownership. This concept is particularly important for junior players as they strive to take more ownership of different aspects of their tennis journey while they progress. By taking more of an athlete ownership approach, young athletes learn to be responsible for their training, tournament schedule, and ultimately their journey as a tennis player overall. Parents and coaches are integral in this process.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In tennis, there are a number of routines and rituals that players can use to bring out their best performances. However, not all players use routines as effectively as they could. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss some of the challenges with using routines, and offer suggestions for how to commit to these important practices.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss what tennis players can do when nothing is working for them in a match. The co-hosts examine different strategies and tools that tennis players can use in these moments, and also consider broader mindsets and perspectives that can be helpful to apply in these situations. Topics discussed include going back to a player’s fundamentals, targeting an opponent's weakness, and finding ways to relax and relieve physical tension.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Ryan Harrison is a former professional tennis player and Head Coach at Harrison Tennis Academy. With a playing career spanning over 15 years on the ATP Tour, Ryan Harrison stands as a Grand Slam Champion, clinching the Roland Garros men’s doubles title in 2017 with Michael Venus. His journey in professional tennis has seen him reach a career-best singles ranking of No. 40 in the world and No. 16 in doubles. Ryan has showcased his prowess on the global stage, competing in the ATP World Tour Finals in doubles and proudly representing the United States in both the Olympics in London in 2012 and at the Davis Cup.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Dr. Cathy Utzschneider is the founder of the coaching practice, MOVE! - a method of goal achievement that helps all kinds of coaches and executives assist others with their goals. Cathy's 25 years of experience as a national- and world-class masters athlete, as well as her doctoral dissertation on goal achievement and excellence, support the method. A certification program for the MOVE! method has created a community of professionals focused on helping others. Cathy is also the lead faculty for sports leadership and coaching for performance at Boston College. A professor since 2005, she is a national expert in goal achievement -- which has been the subject of her four books, a TEDx Talk, and hundreds of articles. For more on MOVE! goal achievement, visit https://www.movegoals.com Cathy's TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/PTJB1LPPMrE?si=EPKBjfOC2WHJ2AAq

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss different aspects of motivation relative to self-determination theory, and how tennis players can be clear about what motivates them in terms of competence, autonomy, and relatedness (basic psychological needs). They also examine how people are generally motivated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, rather than being wholly intrinsically or extrinsically motivated.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

It's commonly believed that tennis players learn more from their losses than their wins. But is that actually true? In this episode, Josh and Brian highlight the benefits of studying your wins and your best performances. Don't take those successes for granted; learn to replicate them.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discussed how tennis players can be experiments and students on their tennis journey. The co-hosts examined the ways that tennis players can benefit by experimenting more, and how experimenting rather than committing to changing/fixing things tends to be easier because it doesn’t present a permanent change. This protects the player’s identity and doesn’t threaten their ego in the same way as the feeling that they have to make major permanent changes. Additionally, the co-hosts considered how players can commit to being a lifelong student, and how it is helpful to go into each practice and match situation with the mentality that you have things to learn.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Before a match begins, everyone wants to win, but maintaining that desire throughout the match is not easy. Similarly, we all want to play to win during a match, but that has its own challenges. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the relationship between the "desire to win" and "playing to win," and the challenges associated with each.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss various sport psychology themes from the Netflix movie Hustle. The movie stars Adam Sandler as a NBA scout who identifies a talented basketball player from Spain, and then brings him to the United States. The movie includes various themes related to mental performance including work ethic needed to get to the next level, the improvement and development process of an athlete, the coach-athlete relationship, the importance of moving on after missed shots, and that competition is about YOU vs. YOU.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

The 2024 Australian Open has wrapped up with Aryna Sabalenka winning the women’s singles title over Zheng Qinwen 6–3, 6-2, and Jannik Sinner winning the men’s singles title over Daniil Medvedev 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the finals of the women’s and men’s singles championships, review the performances of other top players, and comment on mental performance themes that emerged from the tournament.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Ryan Redondo is CEO/GM of Youth Tennis San Diego and the Barnes Tennis Center, as well as Tournament Director of the San Diego Open WTA 500. He comes from a long tradition of tennis players in his family, and he is a former college and professional player. After his playing career, he went into coaching, both privately and at the collegiate level. He joined the Barnes Tennis Center as CEO in May of 2020. Ryan is passionate about transforming the tennis experience for players in the San Diego area, and has made that a major part of his life purpose.

Barnes Tennis Center: https://www.barnestenniscenter.com

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the different contexts that tennis can be understood as a team sport. They discussed three main situations in this episode. First, they talked about situations where training is done as a team which includes in academies, high school teams, college teams, and adult league teams. Next, they discussed the roles within a performance team and the important support system that it creates. Lastly, they talked about viewing the tennis community as a team, and discussed how tennis can be used to help others and make a positive impact.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss common self-limiting beliefs that tennis players often hold, and approaches that players can take to address and change these beliefs over time. The co-hosts talk about the importance of awareness of self-talk, the benefits of journaling, and detail the process that tennis players can go about to adjust and improve their self-limiting beliefs.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the top things they learned from 2023 and their top takeaways from the year. These include tennis-specific learnings and takeaways from 2023, as well as general lessons from the past year. They also announced a special event on December 28th at 8 pm EST / 5pm PST. This event will include an "Ask Me Anything" session with the co-hosts as well as a discussion of the book, Mindset by Jackie Reardon and Hans Dekkers. This free event will be open to anyone who wishes to attend, and we hope to be joined by as many listeners as possible!

You can register for the event at this link: http://tinyurl.com/yc5hk7b4
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss an article from Fast Company, written by Kevin Lake and Dr. Michael Gervais , “The psychological pitfalls of tying self-worth and happiness to performance”. The co-hosts outline the main points from the article, talk about the benefits of establishing a purpose-based identity, and discuss the practical implications for tennis players.

The article can be accessed here: https://www.fastcompany.com/90974474/the-psychological-pitfalls-of-tying-self-worth-and-happiness-to-performance

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the lifestyle challenges of professional tennis players. This conversation is based on an article in the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology by Saul J. Shrom, Jennifer Cumming & Sarah-Jane Fenton titled “Lifestyle Challenges and Mental Health of Professional Tennis Players: an Exploratory Case Study”. The study analyzed current and former professional tennis players of various levels and the challenges that they faced on the professional tours. It looked at views shared on the Behind the Racquet Instagram page which was started by Noah Rubin. The co-hosts analyzed the research article, discussed certain challenges that professional players and other elite players face, and offered tactics that players can utilize to prepare themselves for these realities and potentially alleviate some of these concerns. If you’re interested in reading the article, please email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com and we can send it to you.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the importance of tolerance as a mental skill. This includes both physical tolerance (pain, withstanding physical training, playing in heat, etc.) as well as emotional tolerance. The co-hosts discuss how applying mental tools such as self-talk, visualization, and journaling can be helpful for building tolerance.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In recent years, the concept of Grit has been popularized in performance contexts through the work of Angela Duckworth. But what is grit? How can you become grittier? Is this actually a useful concept for tennis? Josh and Brian discuss these questions and more so that you can take practical steps toward developing a healthier brand of grit on and off the tennis court.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Motivation is the driver of our energy and the source of our reward. It's not unusual for tennis players to experience issues with their motivation, and in this episode, Josh and Brian examine ways for players to strengthen their purpose and drive for playing tennis. Purpose, passion, and goals are a few of the topics discussed.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Matt Futterman is a staff writer at The Athletic where he covers tennis and Olympic sports. In addition to covering tennis, Matt delivered award-winning investigative reporting for The New York Times, writing a series in 2020 called “Sledhead” that examined the dangers that sliding sports, particularly bobsled and skeleton, pose to the brain. Matt has also covered seven Olympics, a role he will continue to play at The Athletic. Matt joined The New York Times as a deputy sports editor in 2017 before moving back to reporting. Before that, he worked at The Wall Street Journal, The Star-Ledger of New Jersey and The Philadelphia Inquirer. He’s also the author of two well-received books, PLAYERS: How Sports Became a Business, and RUNNING TO THE EDGE: A Band of Misfits and the Guru Who Unlocked the Secrets of Speed. Matt is married with three daughters, and lives in Manhattan. He’s a longtime marathon runner – he’s run 31 of them, including the New York Marathon 13 times – who also plays tennis (he remains annoyed about going 0-8 in singles during his senior year of collegiate tennis at Union College). You can follow Matt’s work at The Athletic here - https://theathletic.com/author/matthew-futterman/

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss whether venting is an effective way to handle anger. They review research from Brad J. Bushman at Iowa State University on this topic and his paper “Does Venting Anger Feed or Extinguish the Flame? Catharsis, Rumination, Distraction, Anger, and Aggressive Responding”. The co-hosts examine whether this research and past research has demonstrated the effectiveness of venting, and they offer suggestions for how tennis players can handle angry moments when they occur. If you’d like to read the research article you can send us an email at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com and we will send it to you.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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. (http://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.

In this episode, Brian and Josh interview Jan Mühlfeit. Jan Mühlfeit is a global strategist, executive coach, and the author of the bestselling business book “The Positive Leader” (Pearson, Oct 2016, Jan Mühlfeit &; Melina Costi). His personal mission is “helping individuals, organizations and countries around the world to unlock their human potential”. Jan has a proven track record in building and leading successful teams, acquired through an extensive 22-year career at Microsoft Corporation where he served in various executive positions. His last role with the high-tech giant was as Chairman of Europe (2007–2014). Jan teaches his courses on a worldwide scale and has worked with many prominent S&P 500 companies. Among his key clients are Exxon Mobil, GE, Dentons, Microsoft, Generali, UniCredit, Siemens, Bosch, Société General, Skoda, Skanska, and many others. Together with Katerina Novotna, Jan has created a special seminar for children and parents – “Unlock Your Child’s Potential” – which guides children on how to be more self-aware and find their personal uniqueness. In his own words: “Every child is a genius, we just need to find out what they’re a genius at”. Jan coaches high-level executives, Olympic athletes, artists from different countries and continents, and he works closely in the coaching and mentoring field with INSEAD, Cambridge, Imperial College, Gallup and the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital (a Harvard Medical School affiliate).

Jan is a well-regarded global speaker at WEF, Harvard, MIT, INSEAD, Cambridge, Imperial College, Washington Post and The Economist events. As an established leadership and personal development specialist, he has been interviewed by CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, Financial Times, New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. You can find more information about him on his website - https://janmuhlfeit.com/en/.
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In the 150th episode of the podcast, Brian and Josh discuss how decision making on court can be improved through intentional decision training. The co-hosts reviewed a paper entitled “Effects of Decision Training on Decision Making and Performance in Young Tennis Players: An Applied Research” by Luis García-González, Alberto Moreno, Alexander Gil, M. Perla Moreno & Fernando Del Villar. Both Josh and Brian provided their thoughts on the study and its findings, and they considered some of the practical applications that tennis players and coaches can utilize on court to instill better decision making over time. If you’d like to read the paper, please send us an email at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com and we will send it to you.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Kollman Gearhart is the founder and driving force behind the BTB Project (Built to Be Project), a dynamic podcast that empowers listeners to discover their purpose and live their best lives, regardless of circumstances. With a rich background as a former athlete and motivational coach, Kollman has dedicated the last two decades to inspiring thousands through his personal journey. His mission is clear: to help individuals, teams, and organizations unlock their true potential. Kollman played Division 1 tennis at University of Northern Colorado, has coached dozens of players to receive scholarships to Division 1, 2, and 3 universities, and has coached numerous players to secure CHSAA Tennis State Championships in Colorado. His podcast guests come from diverse fields, including athletics, business, entrepreneurship, science, fitness, and nutrition. Kollman firmly believes that the impossible is nothing, and through his podcast, he invites you to join the journey of becoming 1% better with each episode and interview.

You can connect with Kollman on Instagram at @the_btb_project_ and through the BTB Project Podcast on Spotify and Apple.
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Marius Barnard is a former ATP pro who spent 13 years on the tour, winning 6 titles, and reaching the men’s doubles quarterfinals at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open. During his playing career, he also had doubles wins over 6 world number ones, including Roger Federer. While playing on the tour, Marius studied psychology and business management. After his career was over, he used his expertise in performance psychology and business to become a coach and mentor. Today, Marius is an executive coach helping CEOs, Directors, and Managers improve their performance with tailored development programs and managing their work pressures with self-belief, optimism and resilience. Interview Highlights: 2:11 - Marius explains his introduction to tennis and transition from a professional tennis player to an executive coach 5:40 - The Clear Links model and the importance of self-belief to tennis players 11:10 - Utilizing interventions including visualization within the Clear Links model 22:02 - Developing a "highlight reel" from your matches to build confidence 23:58 - Focusing on the present moment in competition 28:56 - Helping athletes develop awareness 30:52 - The differences between confidence and self-belief 35:57 - How is optimism connected to self-belief? 42:11 - The parallels between life as a professional tennis player and working as an executive coach 46:27 - Resilience during a global pandemic 56:07 - Finding the silver lining from difficult situations https://www.mariusbarnard.com/ - Marius Barnard - Performance Executive Coach

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the 2023 U.S. Open where Coco Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, and Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 to win the women’s and men’s singles championships. The co-hosts discussed the champions and finalists from a sport psychology perspective, and also discussed other top players including Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz.

Coco Gauff Final Interview Transcript - http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=190805
Aryna Sabalenka Final Interview Transcript - http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=190803
Novak Djokovic Final Interview Transcript - http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=190823
Daniil Medvedev Final Interview Transcript - http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=190822
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss a recent case study “Serving a Brief-Contact Cognitive Behavior Therapy Intervention” by Zoe Louise Moffat and Paul McCarthy of Glasgow Caledonian University. The co-hosts summarized the study findings and shared certain actionable takeaways for players. If you’d like to read the paper, please send us an email at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com and we will send it to you.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Visualization has many uses for improving tennis performance, and in this episode, Brian and Josh review how visualization can aid and train better decision making on the court. Listen in for tips on how to create visualization plans and scripts that you can use for your game.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the connection between a tennis player’s behavior and their performance. This conversation started with a quote from Frank Slootman, "Performance is something that we will give more time; behavior we won’t. And that’s because behavior is a choice, not a skill set.” The co-hosts discussed whether they believe that behavior is ultimately a choice, and talked about how tennis players can prioritize controlling the aspects of performance that they’re able to control and impact.
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the benefits of optimism for tennis players. The co-hosts start by defining the differences between optimism and pessimism, and also outline misconceptions surrounding these concepts. Topics reviewed include the performance benefits of optimism within a match, the benefits of being optimistic about one’s overall training and development, and the connection between trusting the process and choosing to maintain a realistic yet optimistic outlook.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss what tennis players can do when they feel that they're doing all the right things, but not getting the results that they desire. This could be occurring for a number of reasons, but often tennis players need to embrace that their results can at times lag behind the progress that they’re making. Topics discussed include the importance of patience, the impact of trust and belief, and the benefit of tracking process goals to measure progress over time.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. On the women’s side Marketa Vondrousova defeated Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4, and on the men’s side Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic 1–6, 7–6 (6), 6–1, 3–6, 6–4. The co-hosts review various sport psychology themes relating to the champions and finalists including resilience, self-belief, emotional control, and consistency.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh interviewed Dan McCain. Dan is an author and a former college coach and director who now serves as the Head Coach and Tennis Director at Cape Henry Racquet Club in Virginia Beach, VA. Dan has published six books on tennis on topics such as raising a champion, goal-setting, movement fundamentals, tactics, and strategy. As a player he had a stand out career as a junior winning USTA gold and silver balls on his way to playing collegiate tennis at University of Michigan. Dan is also one of the principals at 7 Shot Tennis, and in this episode, we discuss 7 Shot Tennis and how it supports mental performance on the court. More information about 7 Shot Tennis can be found at https://www.7shottennis.com/.
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss developing a process to reflect on and learn from matches. The co-hosts review various questions that tennis players can answer after their matches in order to process and learn from each match experience. These questions and exercises can be completed individually, or with a coach or parent.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss quiet eye theory and gaze control as a means of helping players perform better physically and mentally. The discussion was based on three research studies (below) and the co-hosts reviewed practical applications of these concepts for tennis players.

Research studies and videos mentioned:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233599263_Gaze_Control_DURING_the_hitting_phase_in_Tennis_a_Preliminary_Study
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00008/full
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29785858/
https://youtu.be/M1zuROicUbU
https://youtu.be/vhf8DMYNgi8
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh review a research article entitled “Building A Psychological Profile of Olympic Medalists and World Champions” by Robert M. Nideffer, Ph.D., Jeffrey Bond, Alberto Cei, and Umberto Manili. The co-hosts discuss the research findings about the difference between athletes who have won multiple championships and those who were single championship winners, and then consider these findings in the context of professional tennis players. Additionally, they address how all tennis players can apply aspects of these findings to their own games.

Article: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265072003_Building_A_Psychological_Profile_of_Olympic_Medalists_and_World_Champions
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the 2023 French Open. On the women’s side Iga Świątek defeated Karolína Muchová 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to win the women’s singles championship, and on the men’s side Novak Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5. The co-hosts review various sport psychology themes relating to the champions including the “locker room power” of Świątek and Djokovic, as well as their confidence, resilience, and ability to lock in and focus during the biggest moments.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the various challenges of changing surfaces. In a comparable way to how professional players change surfaces throughout the tournament season, non-professional adult and junior players have to handle similar situations. Examples of these sorts of changes include switching from hard courts to clay courts (or vice versa), playing on a grass court for the first time, or playing outdoors after getting accustomed to playing indoors in recent months. The co-hosts discuss how having the right type of mindset, easing into a new surface by focusing on the fundamentals, and utilizing mental skills in different situations that emerge are all helpful while navigating playing on a different surface.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh answer a listener question about creating an episode that can be listened to prior to matches. The co-hosts discussed how tennis players can be clear about their reasons for playing the sport, and find ways to remind themselves of their “why” and their motivation for playing tennis prior to matches. Additionally, they discussed how tennis players can use various mental tools before playing in a match including utilizing types of visualization, reviewing their planned out self-talk, reviewing their in-between point routines, and focusing on their breathing and relaxation.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the difficulties faced in finishing sets and matches. The co-hosts examine why these moments in matches are so mentally challenging for tennis players. Additionally, they review mental tools that tennis players can utilize to handle these moments better when they come up. Topics of discussion include how preparing for these moments ahead of time can be beneficial, the importance of visualization, and how players can use breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and shaking out their arms and legs to release physical tension in their bodies during these moments.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh examine how tennis players can utilize rules for making better decisions during matches. The co-hosts discuss ways that tennis players can simplify their decision making process by developing rules regarding shot selection. This rules-based approach can be used for choosing directionals based on movement and court position, for when a player steps into the court for an approach shot, and also for pressure situations such as deuce points, ad points, and during tiebreakers.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can embrace and accept uncertainty. Uncertainty is an inevitability in tennis and in life, and the co-hosts review strategies and tools that tennis players can utilize in their matches and practices to handle uncertainty in better ways. Examples of uncertainty include uncertainty about how well you’ll play in a match, uncertainty of the level of your opponent, and uncertainty about the final outcome of the match.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss why the concept of acceptance is necessary within a tennis player’s development, and during matches. They review situations in a tennis player’s career when acceptance of one’s progress or current level can be helpful. Additionally, the benefits of accepting the uncertainty of results is examined, as well as accepting that errors will take place, making it easier to process mistakes and move on from them.

TEDx Talk by Eric Butorac - Don’t Dream Big - https://youtu.be/B3OoH_O9Y-U
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss perfectionism in tennis. Due to the individual nature of the sport as well as the demands and time requirements of tennis, it is a sport that tends to attract people with perfectionist qualities. The co-hosts review the benefits of perfectionism, including work ethic and potential for high achievement, but also provide strategies for tennis players, coaches, and parents to combat the negative aspects of perfectionism.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the benefits of consistency in tennis. Oftentimes, consistency is brought up in reference to players being able to make as many shots in a row as possible, however this is only a part of the concept of consistency in tennis. The co-hosts review other aspects of playing consistently, including how to consistently play aggressively, and successfully implement your patterns and tactics. Lastly, they discuss how consistent effort and intensity over time leads to significant improvement over time.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the philosophical concept of suffering and how it applies to persevering and focus in a match. The more that players understand they must suffer through the ups and downs of a match, the more ready they will be when a moment of opportunity arrives. Additionally, the hosts review how taking responsibility for your own game and performance leads to greater results over time rather than looking for excuses.

Mentioned within the episode:
Ep. 26 - The Power of Routines
CNN Article on Rafael Nadal - “This world-class athlete talks like Aristotle and acts like Confucius. We can all learn from him” - https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/27/world/rafael-nadal-philosophy-blake-cec/index.html
Nadal press conference match against Dominic Thiem in 2018 US Open - https://youtu.be/T4wJIa9C5qk
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Carrie Jackson is a performance and mental training expert, a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, and the author of On Top of Your Game: Mental Skills to Maximize Your Athletic Performance. Her insights have been featured in multiple media outlets including Runner’s World, Outside Magazine, New York Times, Washington Post, U.S. News and World Report, and Huffington Post to name a few. She is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the mental and emotional challenges of recovering from injury. She co-authored the book Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries and is the co-host of the widely regarded podcast The Injured Athletes Club.
As a coach and consultant, she has worked with thousands of athletes and coaches on mastering their mindsets so they can perform with less pressure, more consistency, and enjoy the process. Through her coaching programs and the Rebound membership, she brings mindset training tools to athletes that help them shift their focus from anxiety and self-doubt to resilience and confidence. Carrie is on a mission to help athletes challenge their limiting beliefs, regain confidence in their gifts and fall in love with their sport again.
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how discipline with good habits tend to decreases over time. The co-hosts review why this can happen to players, and suggest mindsets and mental tools that players can utilize to try to address this. Approaches discussed included journaling, self-talk, and utilizing a long-term development plan to track your progress.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

We are very excited to announce a new model of support for the Tennis IQ Podcast through Patreon along with some great benefits!

Fan level - $3 per month Supporter level - $7 per month Champion level - $20 per month

This support for the podcast is month-to-month and you can end your support at any time.

The first master class in April will be open to all support levels and all listeners. We will be posting the registration link for the class on a number of social channels as well as in the show notes and on our Patreon page.

The first book club discussion in June will also be open to all. We'll announce the book for the quarter soon, and we'll promote the registration link on social media as well as on our Patreon page.

Feel free to reach out to us via email at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com with any questions.

To become a Patron and support our podcast please go to: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can excel in tryout situations. These tryouts could include evaluations for high school, college, or club teams, and the experience can be similar to the increased pressures felt during important moments in matches. Topics examined include the impact of comparisons with other players, how to use breathing techniques and progressive muscle relaxation to release physical tension, and ways to keep things in perspective by focusing on long-term goals instead of fixating too much on the tryout itself.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the psychological differences between practice and playing competitive matches. Often, players will report that they have a tougher time playing as well during matches as they do during practices, and the co-hosts consider reasons for that, and suggest tactics and mindsets that players can use during matches to help them perform better. Additionally, they talk about differences in intensity and effort between practice and matches, and review how players can try to simulate competitive environments during practice. Lastly, they examine the benefits of playing more matches and practice sets, and offer suggestions for how players can look to build more competition into their practice time.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss developing body awareness via relaxation training. Many tennis players experience physical tightness while playing in matches and struggle to release the tension in their bodies. The co-hosts review strategies that tennis players can utilize to increase their relaxation and awareness in order to raise their chances of performing well.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh review Break Point, a recent documentary series on Netflix about the ATP and WTA tours. The co-hosts discussed multiple sport psychology themes that emerged throughout the series. These themes included the importance of building an effective team around a player, dealing with expectations, the importance of mental toughness on the professional tours, and “locker room power” - the intimidating presence of top players on tour.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh answer a recent listener question about playing in the back draws of tournaments. The co-hosts discuss some of the main factors that cause players to withdraw from back draw and consolation matches. Additionally, they reviewed mindsets that tennis players can utilize before consolation matches as well as strategies and mental tools like self-talk and visualization that can be utilized during consolation matches.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss strategies that tennis players can utilize when they’re playing while tired or in pain. Strategies discussed include visualization methods, utilizing self-talk techniques, and planning out your response to various situations that could take place involving fatigue and pain.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the 2023 Australian Open. Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win the women's singles championship while Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsisipas 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) to win the men's singles championship. The co-hosts reviewed various sport psychology themes from the fortnight, and talked about how the finalists, champions, and a few other notable players exhibited certain mental qualities that helped them achieve success in the 2023 Australian Open.

Post-final Press Conference Transcripts:
Aryna Sabalenka: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=183336
Elena Rybakina: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=183337
Novak Djokovic: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=183330
Stefanos Tsisipas: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=183332

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the idea of approaching situations with a “beginner's mind”. This concept was discussed in depth in the book Zen and The Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel and involves an individual adopting the mindset of a beginner who is approaching an activity for the first time - with fresh eyes and without preconceived notions and biases. By adopting this mindset, tennis players can prioritize their learning rather than fixating on their results, be more accepting of mistakes as they occur, and set their ego aside in order to develop their game and learn more.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the Resonance Performance Model as a way for tennis players to increase self-awareness and improve aspects of their game. This episode touched on various themes from the book The Inner Game of Tennis by Tim Gallwey and various past episodes of the podcast.

Video about Inner Game of Golf from Tim Gallwey: https://youtu.be/fdTmyhdfvZ0

Past episodes of the Tennis IQ Podcast referenced in this episode:

Ep. 14 - Sean Brawley And The Inner Game
Ep. 21 - Jeff Greenwald and Fearless Tennis
Ep. 34 - Finding Flow
Ep. 46 - Angelo Rossetti and the Power of Purpose

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the value of making good mistakes. The co-hosts reviewed what they mean by “good mistakes” and how they differ from “bad mistakes”, and talked about how tennis players should be accepting of mistakes and play to win rather than try to avoid missing and making mistakes. Furthermore, they considered how committing to a game plan and playing style leads to the “necessary experience” of making good mistakes in certain moments, which will lead to further learning and developing a game for the future.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss why tennis players should prioritize developing good character and make it an explicit goal of their training. Results such as winning, rankings, and ratings are often prioritized rather than character and skill development which can lead tennis players to cut corners and exhibit negative character traits and poor sporting behavior. By prioritizing positive character traits, tennis players give themselves a better chance to be trusted by their peers, coaches, opponents and teammates. Additionally, this will also give them a better chance to sustain their progress and development rather than feeling like taking shortcuts is the way to achieve success in tennis (or life).

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Widely regarded as one of the world’s preeminent tennis coaches and experts in the field of coaching education, Nick Saviano emphasizes the importance of approaching the game with joyous passion and a commitment to relentless growth. Nick has 46 years of world-class tennis experience—nine years playing on the ATP tour, followed by 37 years as a high-performance coach. Prior to this, he was a top US junior player, and an All-American and member of the NCAA Championship Team at Stanford University. As a coach, Nick has helped train over 75 tennis players who have gone on to professional tennis careers on the WTA and ATP tours, including Grand Slam winners, Olympic gold medalists, and world’s number one in singles and doubles.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the psychology of doubles. This topic was addressed in one of the first episodes of the podcast, episode 9, which focused mostly on communication patterns and teamwork in doubles. This episode focuses more on the mental barriers that doubles players face, such as not disappointing their partner, as well as how doubles players can be the best partner that they can be.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the dangers of being judgmental. Tennis players have the tendency to be judgmental about a number of different things when they are playing including of themselves and their level, their opponent’s level and playing style, weather conditions, missed shots, etc. The co-hosts introduced strategies that tennis players can utilize to help move past judgmental thoughts and self-talk including journaling about performances, embracing all situations with curiosity rather than judging them as “good” or "bad”, and the concept of respecting all opponents but fearing none.  

Past episodes mentioned:

Ep. 25 - Mindfulness in Tennis
Ep. 48 - Building Mental Fortitude in Tennis
Ep. 76 - How To Play At The Highest Level of Tennis IQ

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can prioritize learning and developing their game instead of just focusing on results. The co-hosts talked about how tennis players can take pressure off of themselves by focusing on being the best player they can be rather than focusing too much on results such as rankings, UTR ratings, etc. Additionally, they discussed how tennis players can analyze their matches in order to learn from wins and losses in a systematic way by reflecting on their performances in a journal.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss tennis as a fighting sport and as a combat sport. This conversation was inspired by The Fighter’s Mind, a book by Sam Sheridan that outlines the mental demands of various combat sport athletes. The co-hosts outline how tennis is a battle between two (or four in doubles) people with a similar goal of winning a match and how they must utilize fighting/combat skills and mental strength to achieve their goals and be successful. Various themes are discussed including self-discipline, avoiding criticism and negative self-talk during a match, understanding yourself and your opponent, and looking for ways to sabotage the opponent’s game plan.

The Fighter’s Mind on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fighters-Mind-Inside-Mental-Game/dp/0802145019

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Brian Teacher is a former top professional tennis player and coach as well as the founder of the Full Court Tennis app. As a player, Brian won the 1980 Australian Open and had career highs of #7 in the world for singles and #5 in the world for doubles. He has coached top players including Andre Agassi, Greg Rusedski, Daniel Nestor and Max Mirnyi.

In this conversation we discuss Brian’s playing and coaching background, as well as the Full Court Tennis app.

The Full Court Tennis app is available on iOS at the Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/full-court-tennis/id1563456530

1980 Australian Open Final Highlights - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXEJ8k8frjY

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can utilize visualization as part of their overall training. Previously, in episode 18, the co-hosts reviewed on-court methods of using visualization, so in this episode the focus was on how visualization can be trained and utilized off-court by tennis players of all levels. Various strategies were discussed to build visualization skills including visualization with a tennis ball, writing out visualization scripts of match situations you may encounter, and visualizing a personal highlight reel.

Using visualization to improve learning and performance - https://performancextra.com/training/using-visualization-to-improve-learning-and-performance/

Other ideas for using visualization - https://performancextra.com/50-for-50/50-50-ideas-13-14-15-visualization/

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Max Newlon is the President of BrainCo USA. Max spent several years working in top hospitals conducting research on the impact of neuro-technology and mind-body approaches to wellbeing and performance. After graduating from Harvard Graduate School of Education, he joined BrainCo as a research scientist in 2016. Now he leads the US company towards its vision of unlocking human potential with brain-computer interface technology. 

Discount code for Tennis IQ Listeners: https://focuscalm.com/discount/tennisiq10

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can focus more on who they are becoming as a way to take pressure off of themselves. The co-hosts discuss moments when tennis players focus on who they were in the past (typically when coming back from injuries and slumps) as well as situations where tennis players tend to focus on who they are at the moment instead of focusing on the type of player that they’re trying to become. Strategies to reduce pressure were discussed including not focusing too much on any one match, noticing the types of thoughts that add pressure and make it harder to be at your best, and focusing more on making progress on one’s development instead.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 whether club players and juniors should emulate professional tennis players. Topics discussed include how to learn from watching pros play on television, developing better decision making in points, and learning from how pros handle their time between points.

(Mentioned in the episode) - Patrick Mouratoglou recent video on the mental game - https://youtu.be/haGv3heQ0kU

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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 self-compassion. Self-compassion is a process that tennis players can/should embrace during matches, practices, and throughout their tennis development. Topics discussed in this episode include: awareness/mindfulness, maintaining perspective during the countless ups and downs that tennis players face throughout their careers, and the inevitability of having to deal with missed shots and mistakes during matches.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

Speech by David Foster Wallace - “This is Water” - https://youtu.be/8CrOL-ydFMI

Information and Resources on Self-Compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff - https://self-compassion.org/

To support the podcast, visit the Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

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.

Mylène Steinhardt is a NASM & PPSC certified health coach who specializes in helping high-school and college tennis players make the cut by rounding out their off court training protocols - primarily through nutrition and strength training. The struggles that Mylène faced as a D2 college athlete have led her to find a passion in helping others work through or even avoid these same problems that keep athletes from reaching their full potential, not only on the court but in all aspects of life. Rather than relying on being told what to do, she believes every young player should be given the tools to coach themselves and thrive as an athlete forever!

Reach out to Mylène via Direct Message at https://www.instagram.com/mylenepetitpas.

Mylène’s Linktree with all relevant links including where to apply for 1:1 Fitness Coaching: https://linktr.ee/myleneps

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.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the careers of Serena Williams and Roger Federer. Both players have recently announced their retirements from the sport and they are both consistently ranked among the greatest tennis players of all time. The co-hosts reflect on their legacies, the mental qualities that led to their greatness, and certain matches in their careers when they exemplified mental toughness, resilience, and perseverance.

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.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the 2022 US Open. Iga Świątek defeated Ons Jabeur 6-2, 7-6(5) to win the women's singles championship while Carlos Alcaraz defeated Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-3 to win the men's singles championship. The co-hosts reviewed various sport psychology themes and talked about how the finalists and champions exhibited certain mental qualities that helped them achieve success in the 2022 US Open.

Iga Świątek post-final press conference transcript: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=179904

Ons Jabeur post-final press conference transcript: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=179905

Carlos Alcaraz post-final press conference transcript: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=180065

Casper Ruud post-final press conference transcript: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=180064

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.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership

For this milestone episode, Brian and Josh answered various questions from listeners of the podcast and shared feedback from listeners in different parts of the world and tennis community. Additionally, they reflected on the origins of the Tennis IQ Podcast, discussed what it means to reach the 100th episode of the podcast, and talked about how athletes can move on and continue to grow after reaching and celebrating their milestones. Lastly, they introduced a program where listeners can help to support the podcast through a new Patreon page (link below).  

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership 

Timestamps from the episode: 

Question from Charlie Ferber about the increased prevalence of sport psychology over the past decades, and growing interest in tennis players pursuing mental training - 6:35

Question from John Kelly about how to continue to grow as a tennis player and develop your game regardless of your age - 16:51

Questions from Steve Gulla about how to avoid playing it too safe, and about how to change to a new surface successfully - 24:50

Questions from Racquel Montemayor about how to play your game when your opponent isn't giving you rhythm, and best practices to handle the most frustrating moments of a match - 40:25

Feedback from Joav Burger - 53:29

Feedback from Barbara Cilli - 55:23

Feedback from John Wilcox - 55:58

Feedback and suggestion from Ian Richmond - 57:13

Announcement about new listener support program through Patreon - 1:01:51 

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. Natalie Durand-Bush is a sport psychology professor in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa. She specializes in mental skills training and assessment, mental health, and coaching psychology. As a Mental Performance Consultant for the past 27 years, Natalie has helped athletes and coaches of all ages, sports, and levels achieve their performance and well-being goals. A relentless advocate for the field of sport psychology, she has co-founded and chaired the Canadian Sport Psychology Association. She has also served as the Vice-President of the International Society of Sport Psychology and as the President of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Natalie has always been physically active and played different sports throughout her life, favoring softball, curling, and martial arts. As the mom of a daughter living with a mental illness and as someone who has coped with the loss of her parents and husband to cancer, she knows firsthand the importance of mental health and the positive role that sport plays in the maintenance of well-being.

Mikaela ‘Mishi’ Papich is a PhD candidate at the University of Ottawa. Her doctoral research, supervised by Dr. Natalie Durand-Bush, focuses on developing a sport-specific mental health strategy for Tennis Canada. Mikaela completed her Master’s degree in sport psychology at McGill University in 2021. She is also a tennis player and coach who started competing at the age of seven, and her career culminated at Bucknell University, a Division 1 collegiate program, where she competed for four years. As a high performance athlete, Mikaela has first-hand experience with mental illness as well as a back injury that required a spinal fusion. She empathizes with the challenges athletes encounter as they train for athletic success and she is dedicated to ensuring that athletes, coaches, and staff are provided with the necessary care and resources to flourish both physically and mentally.

Link to Gold Medal Profile for Sport Psychology (GMP-SP) research article - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10413200.2022.2055224

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 taking a strengths-based approach to tennis. This episode was inspired by a paper titled “The Strengths-Based Performance Profile (SBPP): A Method for Strengths-Spotting and Application in Single-Session Consultations with Athletes” (link below). The co-hosts review the importance of having a clear understanding of one’s strengths and weaknesses as a starting point for adopting this perspective. Additionally, they discuss how tennis players can base their game around their strengths and win matches despite weaknesses or perceived weaknesses in their game.

The Strengths-Based Performance Profile (SBPP): A Method for Strengths-Spotting and Application in Single-Session Consultations with Athletes -
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21520704.2021.1988782?journalCode=uspa20

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.

Universal Tennis Rating, more commonly known as UTR, has become ubiquitous in tennis over the last several years, and it has been especially prominent in the world of college tennis. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how aspiring college tennis players can handle UTR and the pressures that come along with it. The co-hosts review the challenges of expectations and pressure that can increase when tennis players are overly focused on results including rankings and UTR ratings. They also consider mindsets and perspectives, such as focusing on the improvement process and on controllable factors that will help an athlete perform at their best (rather than solely focusing on results), which can be helpful in overcoming the pressure of feeling like you have to constantly improve your UTR.

Resources:

Universal Tennis: Understanding The Algorithm - Complete Summary - https://support.universaltennis.com/en/support/solutions/articles/9000151830-understanding-the-algorithm-complete-summary

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 or Instagram. 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 reflect on a quote by golf legend Jack Nicklaus: “The worse you’re performing, the more you must work mentally and emotionally. The greatest and toughest art in golf is ‘playing badly well.’ All the true greats have been masters at it.”  

The co-hosts discuss how this applies to all tennis players who will inevitably, at some point or another, have days when they are playing badly. Utilizing mental skills on the days when tennis players aren’t playing well is often the difference between a player giving themselves a chance to be successful, and not fully engaging or tanking.

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 or Instagram. 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 to handle playing an injured opponent. The co-hosts review various mental challenges related to playing an injured opponent including how to handle injury time-outs, how opponent injuries can cause a loss of rhythm, and how to handle distractions that injuries can present. Additionally, they consider how utilizing mental skills like self-talk, visualization, breathing techniques, and routines can give tennis players a better chance to handle the situation in an effective way.

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 or Instagram. 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 to integrate mental skills into practice. A number of strategies are covered that players and coaches can utilize in order to practice in a deliberate way and best prepare for matches. The co-hosts reviewed specific games and drills that can be used to enhance mental skills such as focus, hitting targets on the court, and building in-between point routines. Additionally, they discussed the type of mindset that is needed in order to get the most out of practice.

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 or Instagram. 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.

Howard Bryant is an award winning author and journalist who has been a senior writer for ESPN since 2007. Although he writes about a number of sports and topics within sport, he is an astute observer of tennis and he always brings a unique perspective with his analysis of matches and issues within the game. Howard also plays tennis and therefore has first-hand knowledge of how difficult the sport is mentally. As a professional observer of sport, he is uniquely qualified to discuss the mental and emotional challenges that tennis players face.  

For more information about Howard’s background: https://howardbryantbooks.com/about  

Howard’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/hbryant42  

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 or Instagram. 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 2022 Wimbledon Championships. Elena Rybakina defeated Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 to win the women's singles championship while Novak Djokovic defeated Nick Kyrgios 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) to win the men's singles championship. The co-hosts reviewed various sport psychology themes and talked about how the finalists and champions exhibited certain mental qualities that helped them achieve success in the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.  

Ons Jabeur post-final press conference transcript: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=178051  

Elena Rybakina post-final press conference transcript: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=178050  

Nick Kyrgios post-final press conference transcript: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=178045  

Novak Djokovic post-final press conference transcript: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=178042  

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.

"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same"

This quote appears above the door leading to Wimbledon's Centre Court and it is a challenge to all players who step on to that most famous court. In this episode, Josh and Brian discuss the excerpt from Rudyard Kipling's poem 'If-' and relate it to the difficulties players encounter during a tennis match. Additionally, they relate this quote to one from Theodore Roosevelt's 'The Man in the Arena' speech. Both quotes provide important viewpoints and perspectives to consider while watching and playing tennis.

Text of 'If-': https://poets.org/poem/if

Text of 'The Man in the Arena' speech: https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/Learn-About-TR/TR-Encyclopedia/Culture-and-Society/Man-in-the-Arena.aspx

Blog post explaining Triumph and Disaster: https://performancextra.com/stoicism-in-sport/triumph-and-disaster-treat-those-two-imposters-the-same/

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the concept of mini-wins and mini-celebrations. Tennis players can look to celebrate controllable sources of “mini-wins” that they successfully complete in practice and matches. These could include performing a stroke correctly during practice when they are trying to make a technical adjustment, celebrating successfully completing their pre-match routine, and celebrating going through the in-between point routine in matches. Mini-wins have positive benefits physiologically and psychologically.  

Dan Abrahams post on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dan-abrahams-b72a306_i-was-re-listening-to-joe-rogan-interview-activity-6947448262857531392-RmZf?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web  

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 respond to a listener question about playing in the extreme heat. Topics discussed include the importance of preparation, the need to control the controllables, and how understanding your body and limits prior to a match gives you a better chance to perform at a high level. Additionally, they review the importance of maintaining perspective and connecting to a deeper purpose of improvement and performance excellence in order to embrace extreme weather conditions and heat.  

References: 

Craighead, D. H., Shank, S. W., Gottschall, J. S., Passe, D. H., Murray, B., Alexander, L. M., & Kenney, W. L. (2017). Ingestion of transient receptor potential channel agonists attenuates exercise‐induced muscle cramps. Muscle & Nerve, 56(3), 379-385. https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.25611  

Gomes, R. V., Moreira, A., Lodo, L., Nosaka, K., Coutts, A. J., & Aoki, M. S. (2013). Monitoring training loads, stress, immune-endocrine responses and performance in tennis players. Biology of Sport, 30(3), 173-180. doi: 10.5604/20831862.1059169  

Kovacs, M. S. (2007). Tennis physiology: Training the competitive athlete. Sports Medicine, 37(3), 189-198. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200737030-00001  

Kovacs, M. S., & Baker, L. B. (2014). Recovery interventions and strategies for improved tennis performance. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48, i18-i21. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-093223  

Ojala, T., & Häkkinen, K. (2013). Effects of the tennis tournament on players' physical performance, hormonal responses muscle damage and recovery. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 12, 240-248.  

Ranchordas, M. K., Rogersion, D., Ruddock, A., Killer, S. C., & Winter, E. M. (2013). Nutrition for tennis: Practical recommendations. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 12(2), 211-224.  

Reid, M., & Duffield, R. (2014). The development of fatigue during match-play tennis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48, i7-i11. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-093196  

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 self-talk strategies to handle Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANT’s). Certain strategies mentioned were inspired from the book Chatter by Ethan Kross including distancing from the problem (seeing it from an outsider’s perspective), journaling, and using one’s own voice when communicating through self-talk. Additionally, the co-hosts reviewed the importance of developing one’s personal philosophy and building character when it comes to developing effective self-talk strategies.  

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 the 2022 French Open. They discuss Iga Swiatek and her performance in the tournament which culminated with a 6-1 6-3 victory in the championship match over Coco Gauff. This victory furthered her current winning streak to 35 matches and is her second Roland Garros title and second major title. Additionally, the co-hosts chatted about Rafael Nadal’s victory in the final over Casper Ruud 6-3 6-3 6-0 which was Nadal’s 14th Roland Garros title and 22nd major title. For both finalists, Coco Gauff and Casper Ruud, it was their first major final and a key step in the progress of their careers. For all four finalists, their mindsets and mental games were key contributing factors in their success; topics discussed included the importance of prioritizing mental skills, utilizing one’s platform to promote social change, and the importance of character.    

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 or Instagram. 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 strategies for how tennis players can handle slumps. Slumps are times when players have a losing streak, lose more matches than they are accustomed to, or simply when a player has a period of time when they aren’t playing at their best. The co-hosts talked about research relating to the factors that determine how a player handles a slump, discussed the impact of psychological momentum, and reviewed the importance of how an individual appraises their slump.  

Research study mentioned in the episode: “Overcoming performance slumps: Psychological resilience in expert cricket batsmen” -  Chris Brown, Joanne Butt, and Mustafar Sarkar of Sheffield Hallam University http://shura.shu.ac.uk/23679/1/Brown%2C%20Butt%2C%20Sakar%20Performance%20slumps%20resilience%202018.pdf  

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 or Instagram. 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.

Marcus Daniell is a professional tennis player from New Zealand and the Founder & Executive Director of High Impact Athletes (https://highimpactathletes.org/). He is an Olympic bronze medallist tennis player with 5 ATP titles, quarterfinal appearances at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open (twice), and numerous caps for the NZ Davis Cup Team. He has been Giving Effectively since 2014. On January 4th, 2021, Marcus took the Giving What We Can pledge to donate at least 10% of his annual winnings to effective organisations for the rest of his life. Alongside his tennis career, Marcus has completed a B.A. from Massey University in Psychology and Spanish and has been awarded the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award for his work with HIA, joining recipients such as Nelson Mandela and Roger Federer.

In this conversation, Brian and Josh speak with Marcus about his career and playing with an impactful purpose.

Donate via High Impact Athletes: https://highimpactathletes.org/donate

Brian Park is the CEO & Founder of Apeak and is a Sports Psychology Performance Consultant. He has a Master's in Sport Psychology and worked as a high-performance coach and Sport Psychology performance consultant, helping competitive tennis players to reach their full potential. In this conversation, we talk to Brian about his career, and Apeak's mission of making mental toughness training accessible and affordable to all.  

Link to download Apeak: https://apeak.com/onboarding/download  

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 or Instagram. 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 mental attributes of Carlos Alcaraz that have led to his rise in the rankings. The co-hosts consider the confidence, humility, and work ethic that he has shown thus far in his career, and how rare it is to see such traits from someone his age (19 years old). Furthermore, they review how all tennis players can learn from Alcaraz’s motivational and instructional self-talk (featured in the first quote below) and the positive impact that activating the coaching voice by using the player’s own name has on performance. Below are quotes that were mentioned during the episode.  

“I lost the second set, and then after, I went to the bathroom. It helped me,” Alcaraz recalled. “I washed my face. ‘Okay, Charlie, if you're not going to pull out, think about playing. Don't think on your ankle. Don't think on nothing else. Fight till the very last ball, because you know that you are capable of doing it.’”  

"I have five more to go to be the best in the world."  

“I am not afraid to say I want to win a Grand Slam, I know it is going to be really hard, but I am not afraid to say it.”    

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 or Instagram. 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 challenges of parenting tennis players, and offer some good practices to assist in the journey. Topics reviewed include having a clear purpose for why a child plays tennis and the benefits of the sport, parents as performers on match day, ensuring that tennis remains fun, and the benefits of sport sampling for young tennis players. A list of resources for parents and athletes is listed below.   

USTA Player Development Parent Resources Page: http://www.playerdevelopment.usta.com/parent_resources_/   

USTA’s American Development Model: https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/american-development-model.html   

Sport for Life (Canada) - Long-Term Development Resources: https://sportforlife.ca/long-term-development/   

Tennis Canada Tips for Parents: https://www.tenniscanada.com/compete/tips-for-parents/   

Presentation on Positive Youth Development in Tennis by Brian Lomax: https://youtu.be/muWzTZ7iPZs   

Positive Coaching Alliance: https://positivecoach.org/   

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 challenges of closing out a match. Topics reviewed include loss aversion, the benefits of practicing being a closer, and how you can use a self-talk closing script and visualization to help you have a plan for closing situations. Additionally, the co-hosts talk about how professional players often struggle to close out matches, and that this is a phenomenon that occurs at all levels of the game.    

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.

Brian and Josh chat with Swupnil Sahai, the co-founder and CEO of SwingVision, about the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.) in tennis and how the data extracted can relate to the mental side of the sport. Swupnil is a lifelong tennis player and massive Federer fan. He has a triple major from UC Berkeley, a PhD in Statistics from Columbia, and built patented A.I. for autonomous driving at Tesla Autopilot. He created SwingVision with the mission to democratize the professional tennis experience for players of all levels.  

Listeners of the Tennis IQ Podcast can get $100 off the SwingVision Pro subscription bundle, which includes a phone mount that attaches to the back fence or curtain in seconds and provides optimal shot tracking accuracy. Use the link https://swing.tennis/c/tennisiq to get the discount.  

About SwingVision: SwingVision is the A.I. tennis app that provides automated scoring, shot tracking & line calling using just your iPhone. Featured in the 2021 iPhone & iPad Keynote events, designated as Editors' Choice on the App Store and now the Official Player & Ball Tracking App of the ITA, LTA & Tennis Australia, SwingVision has quickly become the most comprehensive, portable and affordable technology solution for tennis players of all levels.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss self-talk strategies for tennis players to optimize their internal dialogue. Strategies discussed include utilizing a self-talk log, cognitive restructuring/reframing, thought stopping/replacement, repetitive writing, and using scripts. The co-hosts emphasize that regardless of the strategy utilized, it is important to “listen to yourself less, and talk to yourself more” (h/t @DanAbrahams77) - don’t listen to everything that goes through your mind and talk to yourself in a productive and intentional way.  

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.

This episode is a follow-up to an earlier conversation on the topic of cheating in tennis. In Ep. 24, Brian and Josh discussed how players can respond to instances of cheating as well as how to handle "difficult" opponents. In this conversation, the co-hosts expand on the topic, and examine why cheating occurs, how to reframe cheating in your mind, what to do when a bad line call occurs, and additional strategies players can use when they encounter cheating.

For more on this topic, check out Ep. 24 - Dealing With Cheating and Difficult Opponents

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.