Temperament is the development of a stable and ideal manner of thinking, behaving and reacting that is characteristic of a successful tennis player. A player with a good temperament stays positive and level-headed and shows his emotions during a match in a positive way, no matter what the situation. This type of temperament, the kind in which a player has the ability to stay mentally focused in a match, is the key to being successful. It is important for players to control their tempers and be able to solve problematic match situations with a positive attitude.
A bad temperament is when a player becomes physically and verbally angry and loses his cool during a match because things are not going his way, oftentimes throwing his racquet, screaming and yelling at himself. It also manifests itself in negative self-talk. This type of frustration has a profoundly negative effect on a player’s game because it gives way to lack of focus. It also allows the opponent to have hope that this frustration will let him swing the match his way and get a mental advantage.
According to USPTA Professional Jim Parker, a successful player’s ideal temperament is “a balance of fire and ice. You need inner calmness at the same time that you need the urgency of action. All those things are happening simultaneously. At the same time that the match is involving a lot of unpredictability and a lot of fast action, you have to have a still head, internally and physically.” The key to temperament is learning how to balance both ends of the spectrum, having a fiery attitude but still keeping it under control. |
|
