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How Much Control Do Players Really Have Over How Much Pressure They Feel?
Often when coaches and parents explain to me the challenges that a particular player faces regarding mental toughness they say something like: "He/she puts too much pressure on him/herself".
But how much control do players really have over how much pressure they feel?
In my opinion, usually a lot less in the reality of competition than ideally we would hope that they have.
This is because the pressure a player feels is largely based on the situation they are facing.
Just look at Novak Djokovic's experience of pressure during the US Open.
For example, players tend to feel more pressure as they commit more of their lives to becoming the best player they can be...
And players naturally feel a lot of pressure before playing an opponent who they expect to beat, but who they fear it is possible they could lose to...
And this pressure can be magnified if the player is younger than them, or if they are very close socially to their opponent...
And players feel more pressure...