Professional Tennis on the ATP Tour: A case study of Mental Skills Support

Citation

Mathers J (2017) Professional Tennis on the ATP Tour: A case study of Mental Skills Support. Sport Psychologist, 31 (2), pp. 187-198. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2016-0012

Abstract
Success on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour requires a specific blend of perceptuomotor abilities, technical proficiency, tactical awareness and mental skills. This case study describes the competitive structure of professional tennis and outlines the program of mental skills delivered to a professional tennis player over a 3-year period. The program embraced five stages: (1) education; (2) assessment/profiling; (3) mental skill learning; (4) application of mental skills in context and (5) evaluation, and was associated with some positive outcomes. This case study provides some possible guidelines for sport psychologists who may wish to provide consultancy services within professional tennis.

Keywords
mental toughness; mental skills intervention; professional tennis

Journal
Sport Psychologist: Volume 31, Issue 2

• Mathers 2017 (in press).pdf