When you read what Mirra Andreeva said during her match against Iga Swiatek, the instinct is to treat it like a classic mental story: the right phrase, the right self-talk, the thought that brings you back into the match. It sounds good, it even feels useful. But if you slow down and look at it without that surface-level interpretation, you realize something else is happening. It’s not about the words you use. It’s about what happens when you’re down and you don’t get lost inside your own thoughts.

WHEN YOU’RE DOWN AND YOUR MIND STARTS TALKING

You’ve been there. Score against you, rhythm off, no real control. And in that moment, the same thing always happens: your mind starts talking. Quiet at first, then louder. Comments, judgments, little instructions that seem helpful but actually pull you away from the point. And without even noticing, you’re no longer just playing. You’re listening.

And that alone is enough to take you out.

THE PROBLEM ISN’T WHAT YOU SAY

Most players try to fix this by changing the words. They think if they say something positive, controlled, or motivational, it will solve it. It doesn’t. Because the issue isn’t whether what you say is right or wrong.

The issue is that you’re talking while you’re playing.

And the moment you enter that internal dialogue, you’re already away from what actually matters: the ball, the timing, the decision.

WHAT REALLY CHANGES IN DIFFICULT MOMENTS

Strong players don’t find better phrases. They do something much simpler—and much harder. They don’t follow every thought that shows up.

They notice it.
But they don’t go with it.

And that difference is everything.

Because while you get pulled into the thought, analyze it, react to it… they move straight back to the point.

AND THIS IS WHERE YOU RECOGNIZE YOURSELF

If you’re honest, how often does this happen: you lose a rally, and instead of moving on, you stay there? You say something to yourself, you carry the mistake, maybe you even try to fix it immediately. Meanwhile, the next point has already started.

And you’re not fully there.

THE MOMENT YOU ACTUALLY LOSE

You don’t lose when you miss a shot.
You lose when you stay attached to what just happened.

Because every second you stay there, you take presence away from the next point. And in tennis, presence is everything you have.

ONE SIMPLE THING TO TRY

Next time you play, don’t try to find better words. Don’t look for the perfect phrase.

Do something more direct.

When the thought comes…
don’t follow it.

Let it pass and go straight back to the ball.

It sounds simple. It’s not.
But that’s where everything shifts.

IN THE END, IT’S THIS

It’s not the thought that makes you lose.
It’s not even the mistake.

It’s how long you stay inside what’s already gone.

And the longer you stay there, the less you’re in the point that matters.

FINAL TRUTH

You don’t lose because you think the wrong things.
You lose because you can’t step out of what you’re thinking.

📩 Want to learn how to manage moments when you feel lost instead of collapsing?
DOWNLOAD the FREE BOOK: Why You Lose Important Games
👉 https://patreon18.aweb.page/master-pressure-games

Federico Coppini
Mental Coach & Tennis Coach
Founder – Coppini Tennis Academy
🎾 https://www.coppinitennisacademy.com