https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/rss.xml A blog containing articles and posts about tennis playing strategy, and tips. https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/does-the-mental-game-work/ Commentators often cite “having a strong mental game” as a quality which separates the very successful from the somewhat successful players in professional tennis. I would agree. And I would extend this to include competitive USTA players at or above the 3.5 level. The difficulty is that it is impossible to see inside a player’s mind. Physics has the same problem: it can “see” the trail of an electron and can make predictions about its behavior, but no one has actually “seen” an electron.  I have a potential solution for actually “seeing” the effects of a strong mental game and its effects on a player’s ranking on the ATP Tour. There are easily accessible statistics (I got mine from AI) on the % of service points won as well as the % of break points saved. There are also similar stats for % of return points won and % of break points converted. A measure of “clutch” play is the difference between the two metrics as both a server and a returner. I used stats for 2025 for the Top 80 players in the world. A spreadsheet is attached which allows you to look at the raw data for each of the players in the sample. The Mental Game is visible! https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/a-simulated-inner-game-game-plan/ A Simulated Inner Game “Game Plan” Tim Gallwey’s Inner Game of Tennis is in the midst of resurgence as the rights have been sold to a group interested in reviving his ideas. This is a highly worthwhile project. The Inner Game is perhaps best known for its bounce-hit mechanism for focusing and quieting the mind. The concept is that the critical self-analyzing self, Self #1, is silenced by complete involvement of Self #2, the body. By silencing Self #1, Self #2 plays the game. However, it is my contention that Inner Game principles should be engaged in making a game plan as well. First, an example from this year’s Australian Open. https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/dont-feed-the-animals/ After the first set, I jokingly told my two friends: “This match is over. No matter how close it gets, our team will not win.” This ended up being true even though the Chestnut pair came back from 3-6 in a 2nd set tiebreak to send the match into a Super. What was it that allowed me to make my prediction in what was essentially a neck and neck match? https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/wimbledon-2023-alcaraz-vs-djokovic/ It was set to be a clash of titans: a 20-yearold World #1 against World #2 and GOAT, Novak Djokovic, now 37. They had played twice before. The first time in Madrid in 2022. Alcaraz won 6-7, 7-5, 7-6. The second time was this year in the semifinals of Roland Garros. Djokovic won 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1. What happened? https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/alcaraz-vs-djokovic-roland-garros-2023/ In the most highly anticipated match of the 2023 pro season, Carlos Alcaraz met Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. After a close 2 sets, Alcaraz was severely limited by cramps and limped his way to the finish line. We talk about why. https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/so-how-did-watson-do/ IBM's Watson was featured at The US Open website. He gave predictions for each of the 127 matches played in the men's draw. We go back and see how Watson did. Is there Intelligence in AI? https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/revisiting-carlos-alcaraz-what-do-the-stats-tell-us/ Carlos Alcaraz defeated Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic in Madrid earlier this season. He took control with his forehand but made a few too many errors. Has his formula for victory changed on his run to the US Open final? We look to the stats from his semifinal win over Frances Tiafoe for some answers. https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/the-dominance-of-carlos-alcaraz/ Carlos Alcaraz is a fast-rising star on the Men's Tennis Tour. We take a look inside the numbers to what explains his dominance. It turns out that his dominance is DOMINANCE! https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/how-to-make-a-comeback/ The world’s top players excel at a skill that the other players do not possess: they know how to come back from behind. Most often, players in the lead tend to win, so this skill is one of the things that separates them from the rest of the pack. https://www.deconstructingtennis.com/blog/path-dependence-what-is-it/ Path dependence is a fancy term used to describe what happens when you choose one road over another. Just think of Robert Frost’s famous lines: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all of the difference.” Often, there is no ability to revert once this choice is made.