ITF Coaches Education Programme: Momentum in Tennis

ITF Coaches
Education Programme
Coaching High Performance Players Course
MOMENTUM IN TENNIS
By Miguel Crespo & Machar Reid
Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009
In this session we will

Explain the definition of momentum
Introduce the characteristics of positive and
negative momentum
Elaborate on the different stages of
momentum
Explain how players can develop a positive
momentum
Introduce how momentum can be charted
Present several studies on momentum in
sport and in tennis
Momentum: Definition
Is what you can feel when things go for or
against you
It can be controlled
Controlling it is a vital skill for all players
It is a hidden force that is there every time we
play
The score does not always reflect the flow of
a match
Higham (2000)
Momentum: Importance
Many coaches think that momentum is
a crucial factor in deciding the outcome
of many contests
During all close tennis matches there
will inevitably be periods where one
player is dominating her opponent and
vice versa
Momentum: Evidence
Most coaches and players attest to its
existence claiming that they have both
observed and experience periods during
competition in which they have had "hot
streaks" or "cold streaks".
In tennis, psychological momentum plays a
critical role in many games and it may be
either positive or negative.
Momentum and Competition

Much of contemporary sports psychology is
directed toward assisting athletes to achieve
peak performance.
Fluctuations in performance are consistent
with what is called "psychological
momentum".
It is a phenomenon which appears to be an
important component during competition.
Momentum: Awareness
Some players do not realise the flow of the match
they had just competed in.
There are countless examples of players winning
important rallies on a slow clay court - mentally
destroying their opponents confidence and then
serving a double fault on the next point - thereby
losing the momentum; i.e. throwing away the mental
initiative just gained!
As coaches, it is our responsibility to try to prevent
players from shooting themselves in the foot.
Momentum:
Factors that Influence
Momentum is influenced by situational
and/or personal variables,
It may be experienced by spectators
and athletes, although spectators
experiences of momentum are more
likely to be less intense.
Positive Momentum
Psychological state of mind affecting performance in
a positive direction where most everything seems to
"go right" for the performer(s).
For example, within a short time frame in a game a
player may serve two aces in a row, make a good
passing shot, break a serve, and intercept two
passing shots from the opponent.
It is characterized by increased motivation,
expectations of success, highly energized feelings
and bursts in performance.
Positive Momentum
The crucial factor appears to be
whether or not the athlete feels in
control of the situation.
Momentum is most clearly observed
when the player is on a roll or
unstoppable.
Positive Momentum
When the player is really focused and plays
well at the beginning of the game, he is on a
roll and is really tough to stop.
This type of strategy can often be used in the
early stages of the game and the momentum
created attributes to an expectation of
success and can be used to enhance
performance.
Negative Momentum
Psychological state of mind affecting
performance in a negative direction where
most everything seems to "go wrong" for the
performer(s) (Burke et al.).
For example, within a short time frame in a
game a player may commit a double fault, get
a warning, miss two easy shots, and get a
bad call.
It involves negative expectations,
lackadaisical attitude, low energy and lags in
confidence.
Negative Momentum
It can occur if the player begins to miss shots.
In this situation, negative momentum may
develop with accompanying negative feelings
and expectations.
This has happened to many players at one
time or another and it is difficult to overcome
once it begins.
MOMENTUM
For or Against You?
With you
You feel in control

The ball and court seem so
big
Lucky things seem to
happen
You move to the ball easily
You are relaxed and focused
Your strokes feel smooth
and effortless
You dont worry about the
score or losing
Against you
Nothing seems to be working

The ball and the court seem
so small
Unlucky things seem to
happen
Your legs feel like lead
You feel unsettled
Your opponent is controlling
play
Small things get on your
nerves
Weinberg (2002)
MOMENTUM
What to do when it is...
With you
Stay focused
Stay with what
brought you there
Be prepared for a
change in tactics
Be prepared to fight
Win the first point
Against you
Stay positive
Closely monitor your
tactics
Slow down
Stay present focused
Being alert for patterns
of play
Weinberg (2002)
Momentum: Five stages
Totally with you

With you
Neutral
Against you
Totally against you
Higham (2000)

Totally with you
Avoid the dangers

Understand the scoring system
Know how you got there
Fighting spirit is not only needed when behind
Win the first point
Watch for a change in tactics
Set up a gear
Higham (2000)

With you
Focus to make sure that potential turning points
against you are merely blips
Fighting spirit is not only needed when behind
It is not what is going wrong that matters, it is your
reaction to it
Learn to deal with gamesmanship choose the right
battlefield
Keep the match running especially when you are in
the lead
Keep chocking in perspective be a tennis expert
Higham (2000)

Neutral
Dont wait
Grab it
Be ready before you begin
Come back and go!
Higham (2000)

Against you
Show fighting spirit

Dont rush
Focus on your body language
Keep an eye on the opponent
Spot potential turning points quickly by having a
positive attitude
Review your tactics
Try to win the best rallies
Spot patterns of play
Never use gamesmanship
Higham (2000)

Totally Against you
Dont lose hope
Take your time and play one point at a
time
Read the future
Higham (2000)
Momentum: Shifts
A shift in momentum is often tracked back to
a particular point or event (a turning point)
Turning points are created by the actions of
players or external events
They can be merely a blip if players regain
their composure immediately
The player can make his luck work for or
against him!
Higham (2000)
Momentum:
What makes it turn
A change in your opponents mental
energy either gradual or sudden
A change in your mental energy either
gradual or sudden
Higham (2000)
Momentum:
Starters and Breakers
Starters: Early success, positive
expectations, playing consistently and crowd
behaviour
Breakers: Lack of confidence, inconsistent
play and not sinking shots
It can exist for either brief periods of time or
long periods of time throughout a game.
These patterns may persist over several
games and they can have a very powerful
impact on performance.
Momentum:
How to control it
Current player form and different
personality traits can both affect
momentum
Use this knowledge to anticipate and
prepare for the tough points
Find your own solutions to keeping
tough at crucial moments
Higham (2000)
Momentum:
General Guidelines
If behind never give up
Keep a positive attitude
Focus on potential turning points:
At the start of a set
At the end of a set match point down
A new set is a new start

Early on the momentum is neutral
Higham (2000)
Momentum:
General Guidelines
Have hope things can always turn around
A break is only effective if you can hold your
own serve
Rain breaks, string breaks, bad calls can
have a big effect on the flow of the match
Dont relax if you get in front!
Higham (2000)
Momentum:
Mental Guidelines
Keep your focus in the present
Renew your efforts quickly after a setback
Learn to control your energy find another
gear when it matters
Set your own energy levels dont copy your
opponents
Keep your body language positive
Keep a look out for the negative signs from
your opponent but beware of the fakers
Higham (2000)
Momentum:
Tactical Guidelines
Make sure you choose the right tactics
Know your own game
Be aware of your opponents strengths and
weaknesses play smarter, not harder
Get the ball in the court consistency matters
Keep your opponent guessing
Learn to play the right shot at the right time
Higham (2000)
Momentum:
Pre-match Guidelines
The point of the practice is to prepare for
getting things right during the match
Employ your own ranking system prepare to
do the hunting or to be hunted:
Opponent much worse than you

Opponent bit worse than you
Opponent bit better than you
Opponent much better than you
Higham (2000)
Momentum and Top Players

Great players acquire the ability to
weather the storm when the balance is
against them and to take maximum
advantage when the flow of the match is
in their favour.
How to develop a positive

Momentum
Practice, practice, practice
It is extremely important that you allow
yourself to get into the mind set of "practice
as you would play the game".
Too many times, players and coaches
overlook this crucial training strategy.
Coaches can do a great deal to intensify the
performance of their athletes, and in setting
goals and maintaining a perspective of
excellence and focusing on little things within
the player's control.

Momentum
Practice, practice, practice
It is not unusual for the player to enter the
practice area with a negative or lackadaisical
attitude, and simply go through the motions of
practice. In fact, this is often human nature.
However, if this is a standard, then you might
expect that during games, this attitude will
contribute to outcomes.
The key is to set high expectations and
intensity in practice sessions.

Momentum
Go for it
During the game utilize positive self-talk to
maintain your focus.
Affirmations such as "I expect to play well..."
"I will correct mistakes..." "I will not give up..."
By keeping your emotions controlled through
affirmations, your play will become more
consistent over time.

Momentum
Go for it
Many players get into a negative mindset and
negative self-talk which only occurs
performance and game preparation.
Maintain a sameness each time you prepare
yourself to go out on to the court.
Engage in familiarity exercises such as looking
around the court, visually getting in touch with
the environment, walking the court, feeling the
surface and make sure you are comfortable in
the setting before you start to play.

Momentum
Go through a psychological warm up
This might involve visualization and self-talk
regimen involving positive self-talk statements
such as "poise", "confidence", and "control".
Finally, as you think about momentum, think
about organization of execution and
moderating your game as the circumstances
dictate.

Momentum
Go through a psychological warm up
Remember that your own perceptions of momentum
have real consequences in terms of outcome. If you
believe it exist, then set realistic goals and maintain a
perspective of excellence and utilize these strategies
to enhance your performance.
Remember that your brain works like a computer
and, ultimately, it will do what you tell it to do. Work
with your coach to improve your techniques, but work
with yourself to improve your confidence and
consistency.

Momentum
Players must learn to build momentum within
themselves during practice, so that it
becomes a natural tactic in a match.
Every opportunity to get positive energy
flowing must be taken.
The challenge to us as coaches is what
fosters this momentum during a match and
maintains it in consecutive matches, e.g. in a
tournament.
Momentum: 3 in a row
The player who wins more series of 3 points
in a row throughout a match, will win. Hence
the phrase three in a row starts the flow!
3 in a row drill:
In a normal singles situation, player A serves
and, over a period of time, attempts to win 3
points in a row, which constitutes 1 goal. If she
wins 6 points in a row, she gains 3 goals and 9
points gains 6 goals. The same scoring system
also applies to the receiver.
The drill becomes extremely enlightening
when one of the players hits an ace, a good
smash, or fights hard for a well earned point.
It also becomes very informative when a
player serves a double fault, misses a smash,
or fails to make a drop-shot!
It is an excellent opportunity to develop
thinking players, enabling them to sense
and indeed see when their opponent is
psychologically up or down.
Players quickly learn how a winning smash
can give them the upper hand in the next
point and also how they must try to forget a
poorly executed drop-shot within seconds!
Ian Barclay has often expressed the
view that the player who wins a point
with an aggressive smash will often
win the next point.
Momentum and Statistics

Statistics are more useful to players if
they are put in context with the flow of
the match
Higham (2000)
Momentum: Charting
Higham (2000)
Research on Momentum in sport

Researchers have provided several similar
definitions to describe this phenomenon,
some definitions distinguishing between
positive and negative momentum
(See Adler, 1981; Adler & Adler, 1978; Alderman, 1974; Burke et
al., 1997; Iso-Ahola & Mobily, 1980; Taylor & Demick, 1984;
Vallerand et al., 1988).

Typically past research has attempted to
examine only positive momentum sequences.
To investigate this evasive concept
researchers have analyzed winning and
losing streaks throughout the course of sports
seasons and other performance variables in
similar activities
(See Burke et al., 1997, Mack & Stephens, 2000; & Vergin, 2000).

Momentum is a common term in the
vernacular of the sporting world but has been
a difficult concept to scientifically quantify
(Burke & Houseworth, 1995; Vergin, 2000)
It has been referred to as a subjective
variable (Cornelius, Silva, Conroy, &
Peterson, 1997; Vallerand, Colavecchio, &
Pelletier, 1988).

Momentum has been a topic of
research for more than 20 years (for an
extensive review of past momentum research, please see
in sports
such as tennis, and laboratory studies
Burke, Edwards, Weigand, & Weinberg, 1997)
(Silva, Cornelius, & Finch, 1992).

Vallerand et al. (1988) proposed the AntecedentsConsequences model (ACM) in which perceptions of
momentum are influenced by:
situational (i.e., perceived situational control, crowd
behavior, task difficulty, game/contest importance) and
personal (i.e., skill level, need for personal control, sport
competition anxiety, motivation) variables.
The model also proposed that momentum may be

perceived by both participants and spectators
It was suggested that spectators experiences are
usually not as intense as the athletes
Research on Momentum in tennis

Ransom and Weinberg (1985) identified the top 20
ranked male and female tennis players from the 1980
USTA yearbook and coded 242 matches (all best 2 of
3 sets) in which a top 20 player lost the first set.
The percentage of the time the players came back to
win the match after losing the first set was
determined.
Results indicated that the players did not significantly
differ in their ability to come from behind to win after
losing the first set. Results are discussed in terms of
self-confidence and success.

Richardson, Adler, and Hankes (1988) determined if
winning a specific game in a tennis match would predict
success in the match and if psychological momentum
(PSM) was influenced by ability levels or gender of the
players.
Results revealed that winning any of the first 8 games in
the 1st and/or 2nd set was a significant predictor of
success in the tennis match.
However, when only the results of more competitive
matches (when sets extended to 9 or more games) were
examined, Games 8, 10, and 11 in the first set were
significant predictors of winning the match, while only
Game 4 of the second set resulted in an increase
probability of match victory.
There was a wide variation in players' perception of PSM.

To explore the spectator aspect of the ACM,
Burke, et al (1997) investigated momentum
They analysed the amount of spectators
agreement of perceived momentum changes
while watching videos of a tennis match.
Results indicated very low agreement in
events that began or ended momentum
periods.

Silva, Hardy and Crace (1988) investigated the
extent to which psychological momentum (PM)
affected performance of 393 female and 531 male
college tennis players.
Results from singles and doubles, singles set
outcomes to match and singles set outcomes, and tie
breakers to set and match outcomes were analyzed
to examine whether manifestations of PM were
operative and whether gender mediated the
magnitude or direction of PM effects.
Results raise questions that may support the
cognitive illusion explanation of PM. PM effects did
not vary as a function of gender.
Weinberg and Jackson (1989) investigated gender differences

in tennis players' ability to come back after losing a set and win
2 of 3 sets in a match.
Data were collected from over 67,000 US Tennis Association
matches for the years 1984-1986.
Matches included senior, professional, and junior men's and
women's singles and doubles.
Overall, males came from behind significantly more often than
females.
Analysis within categories revealed that this trend reached
significance for the juniors only.
Unlike an earlier study by the author, seniors and professionals
did not show any significant gender differences.
Apparently, the gap between male and female tennis players'
ability to overcome psychological momentum and come from
behind to win a match is closing.

The results suggest that:
momentum is still an elusive concept to
scientifically validate, or,
that attempts to empirically measure
momentum have not been scientifically
sound.

ITF Coaches Education Programme: Momentum in Tennis

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ITF Coaches Education Programme: Momentum in Tennis

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ITF Coaches

By Miguel Crespo & Machar Reid

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

In this session we will

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Momentum and Competition

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

You feel in control

Nothing seems to be working

Momentum: Five stages

Totally with you

Momentum: Five stages

Avoid the dangers

Momentum: Five stages

Momentum: Five stages

Momentum: Five stages

Show fighting spirit

Momentum: Five stages

A new set is a new start

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Opponent much worse than you

Momentum and Top Players

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

How to develop a positive

How to develop a positive

How to develop a positive

How to develop a positive

How to develop a positive

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

How to develop a positive

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

How to develop a positive

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Momentum and Statistics

Research on Momentum in sport

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Research on Momentum in sport

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Research on Momentum in sport

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Research on Momentum in sport

Burke, Edwards, Weigand, & Weinberg, 1997)

(Silva, Cornelius, & Finch, 1992).

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Research on Momentum in sport

The model also proposed that momentum may be

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Research on Momentum in tennis

Research on Momentum in tennis

Research on Momentum in tennis

Coach Education Series Copyright ITF 2009

Research on Momentum in tennis