Sport psychologists describe self-talk as thinking, or making internal or external statements.
This dialogue with oneself provides a means of identifying and solving problems by making perceptions and beliefs conscious. On the tennis court, the quality of self-talk needs to be carefully scrutinized to ensure a mental state where optimal performance can flourish and negativity is extinguished. The influence of self-talk on performance has been demonstrated across a variety of sports. The ensuing tips introduce you to ways of identifying and modifying self-talk where appropriate. It should be emphasized, however, that every athlete is a unique individual with internalized beliefs and assumptions reflected in self-talk.