The Players' Lounge (Tennis Podcast) (Jennifer M)

Last week, WTA number 1 Ash #Barty shocked the world when she announced that she was retiring at 25 only a few weeks after winning her home slam at the Australian Open.

🏆 Barty is not the first player to retire young and at the top of the game. Players like Bjorn Borg or Justine Henin did it before her. Is it the end of long careers like the ones of the Big 3 or the Williams sisters. Are short-lived careers going to become the norm on the #ATP and #WTA tours?

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

🙋‍♀️-Why is Ash Barty’s decision to stop is not really a surprise;

💪🏾-How to stay motivated after reaching a major goal and how to set up new goals;

🤓-What strategies coaches should use at practice to keep their players motivated and engaged and to limit the frustrations that come with the life on tour 

-The secrets Roger Federer uses to stay motivated at 40 years old and deal with the negative aspects of playing on tour

-The reasons why tennis legends Andy Murray and Venus Williams keep playing despite the recurrent injuries and not being the #1 player in the world.

🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to:

Ep 27: Use Ash Barty's 4 Strengths to Dominate Your Opponents

Ep 22: How to Win a Grand Slam in 24 Days? Learn Ash Barty's Mindset Techniques to Win

Ep 9: Tennis "Prodigies": Why They Make/ Don't Make It on the ATP/WTA Tour

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

🏆 By winning her second French Open and her 35th match in a row, Iga Swiatek has without a doubt shown that she is the undisputed boss of the WTA. Her “tour de force” is even more admirable as she has shown a real psychological domination over her opponents and a real comfort in filling the shoes of the ultra favorite. We haven’t seen this since…Serena…

In this episode dedicated to “How to Win When You Are the Favorite”, you will learn:

😎-How to accept stress and built on it

💨-Iga’s mental solutions to keep high intensity during her matches

🤓-The 3 winning strategies Iga Swiatek goes to when she is under pressure

-How to handle external elements when you start getting results on tour ’re an upcoming tennis player on tour

🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to:

Ep 10: Rafael Nadal: Clark Kent vs Superman or the Power of the Alter Ego to Win

Ep 23: Interview with Legendary Coach Valorie Kondos Field: How to Coach Champions in Life

Ep 1 : How Do You Define Your Tennis Identity ?

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

🏆The third Grand Slam of the year is over and the least we can say is that Wimbledon 2022 was a special one! Novak Djokovic won his 4th consecutive Wimbledon and 21st Grand Slam and Elena Rybakina came back from one set down in the final to win her first Grand Slam against Ons Jabeur.

Dans cet épisode, vous apprendrez les leçons que l’on peut tirer du parcours de ces différents champions :

Here are the 8 lessons you can learn from Djokovic, Rybakina, Kyrgios and Jabeur's tournaments:

Novak Djokovic: 

-How to be resilient when facing a difficult situation?

-How to stay calm and spot the opportunities during a match to win ?

-How to "absorb" your opponent's strenghts ?

Elena Rybakina:

-How to get out of your comfort zone during a match and show bravery to win ?

-How to get rid of a  high level of stress and focus on your game?

Nick Kyrgios: 

-How to get in your opponent's head and how to respond when your opponent is provoking you? 

Ons Jabeur:

-How to stay focused when you are up and make the right tactical choices

-How to find the good rhythm throughout the match

🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to:

Novak Djokovic is the GOAT...at 'Shark Empathy': Why Is He A Beast Mentally ?

Ep 11: How to React and Win Against "Cheaters" ?

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

The last Slam of the year was an instant classic! After a dull summer, Iga Swiatek won her third slam and has once more shown why she is the dominant force of the WTA.

But the biggest event (apart OF COURSE from Serena’s retirement) is without a doubt the crowning of  Carlos Alcaraz who not only won his first Grand Slam but became the youngest N1 at only 19 years old.

How can we explain the level of maturity and success of these two young players? In this episode, you will learn the common mental strengths of “Iga and Carlitos” 

• How to build your physical strength to serve your game identity

• How to find the mental resources when you are losing

• What key elements to consider when you are building your team to succeed?

• How to increase your competitive instinct

• How to turn your vulnerability into strength

• + one bonus:  Iga and Carlos’s personality trait that sets them apart 

🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to:

Ep 29: Iga Swiatek: How to Handle Pressure and Win When You Are the Favorite

Ep 19: What does it take to be a Great Coach? Interview with Top Juniors and Tour Coach Emma Doyle

Ep 9: Tennis "Prodigies": Why They Make/ Don't Make It on the ATP/WTA Tour

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

It might take us a while to get over Roger Federer’s retirement and Rafa Nadal’s tears after the Swiss Maestro’s last official tennis match. But instead of plunging into despair, let’s be grateful for the 24 years of highlights that will live on forever on YouTube and the unreal emotions we got from Roger.

Federer’s amazing talent is a given but throughout his career, we sometimes forgot how mentally tough and resilient he has been. In this episode, we will discuss the mental construction of Roger Federer who started the whole #GOAT debate. In this first part, we will learn:

1. Pleasure and joy as the basis of everything
2. The importance to have a long-term vision
3. Be the engine of your tennis career
4. Build a team that matches your ambition
5. Focus on your strengths

Subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss the part 2 of the episode dedicated to the “10 mental commandments” of Roger Federer! In the meantime, listen to these previous episodes:

Ep 6: Talent is a Myth...Even for Roger Federer (Part 1)

Ep 6: Talent is a Myth (part 2) : The 8 Skills Any Tennis Player Can Develop

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

Roger Federer retired at the Laver Cup a few weeks ago and it was normal to do an episode dedicated to the Swiss giant. In this second part of this episode (the first part in at the end of the description if you have not listened to it yet), we reveal the 5 additional commandments of Roger Federer’s mental toughness:

              6)High level of self-awareness and know when to make changes
              7) Be decisive and not have regrets
              8) Learn  from your losses and know when to take a step back
              9) Be yourself and build sane rivalries
              10) Always try to improve
              11) Bonus tip: don’t miss it (play the ball not the man)
🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to:

Ep 32 (part 1): Roger Federer: the "10 Commandments" of His Mental Toughness


Ep 16: How to Succeed as a Tennis Parent? Interview of Hernan Chousa, former ATP player, Author and Expert on Sport Parenting

How to Take Juniors Tennis Players to Top 20? Interview with Tennis Coach Vlado Platenik

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

🏆What a start of 2023 with a great Australian Open final between Aryna Sabalenka who wins her first Grand Slam title and Elena Rybakina who proves that, 6 months after winning Wimbledon, she’s here to stay at the top of the WTA. 

Here are 5 keys that helped Sabalenka win the Australian Open:

-Accept the adversity and to be “boring”: learn the crucial decision Sabalenka took one week before the beginning of the Australian Open that made her win

-Respect yourself and believe in your potential: how a radical change of your mindset is the key to reach your goals 

-Why stopping working with her sports psychologist was beneficial to her: the importance of taking responsibility to be successful

-Be open to change: how a biomechanics expert saved her serve

-Being able to make the difference between “overhit/overplay” and play with high intensity: the physical and tactical reaction of Sabalenka after losing the first set

🌟🌟Bonus lessons: 

-How both Sabalenka and Rybakina created their unique tennis DNA

-Why Rybakina has everything to stay at the top of the WTA

⚠️ Don’t miss the part 2 of this Australian Open which will focus on Novak Djokovic’s victory and 22nd Gran Slam title.
 
🎙️In the meantime, here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to:

Ep 30: Wimbledon: the 8 Mental Lessons from Dkojovic, Rybakina, Kyrgios, Jabeur

Ep 23: Interview with Legendary Coach Valorie Kondos Field: How to Coach Champions in Life

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆He did it. Exactly one year after being kicked out of Australia for refusing to take the vaccine against Covid-19, Novak Djokovic wins on “his turf”, the Rod Laver Arena a 10th Australian Open. Besides winning his 22nd Slam and regaining the number 1 spot, he showed once again how incredible his mental strenght is.

In this episode, you will learn: 

-How to have a strong start in your matches and to put a mental pressure on your opponent: I will share how Djokovic quickly took control of the match by imposing a high intensity physical and mental battle upon Tsitsipas;

-Destroy your opponent’s strenghts: find out how Djokovic prevented Tsitsipas to play his game and use his best shots throughout the match;

-Take control of the energy of the match and learn how to control your “weak moments”: how Djokovic managed to throw off Tsitsipas from his game by controlling the intensity of the match;

-Create a “negativity-free bubble” around yourself: learn the tools to create handle negativity and create harmony with your team.

-🌟Bonus: learn why it is important to DREAM BIG according to Novak Djokovic

🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to:

Novak Djokovic is the GOAT...at 'Shark Empathy': Why Is He A Beast Mentally ?

Ep 33: Australian Open (Part 1): The 5 Reasons Why "Boring" Sabalenka Won Her 1st Slam

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

This is episode 0 of The Players' Lounge, the first bilingual tennis podcast ! What will you get in this podcast?
-The mental strategies of tennis icons such Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Serena Williams and how to apply it to your game ;
-The struggles and solutions when you want to become a professional tennis player; 
- Mental tools and strategies you can apply during matches ;
-Interviews of tennis players, coaches, parents, agents and anyone involved in a tennis player career.
Welcome !

In the first episode of the Players' Lounge, you will learn:
-What type of tennis player you are ;
-How to define your Tennis Identity;
-The three main stages in the development of a tennis player's mental identity :
   *7 to 12 years old (development of the love of the game and initiation to competition)
   *12 to 16 years old: foundation and building of the player's identity 
   *16 to 21-22 years old: "The grind to the top" period: when players start to play on the ITF, WTA, ATP circuits and are making the transition from juniors
Mentioned in this episode: Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Alex Zverev

Tennis is facing its biggest crisis with the ATP, WTA and ITF circuits being on hold until the 13th of July (at the earliest ) due to the coronavirus pandemic. As many tennis players have expressed their lack of motivation, in this episode, you will learn:
How the coronavirus can prepare you for the ATP, WTA, ITF circuits
How to change the way you approach the game mentally 
How to improve your physical and mental skills 
How to identify your mental weakness in match situation
How to identify your mental strengths and create winning mental routines

Is Novak Djokovic the GOAT? I don't know, maybe. To be honest, it does not matter. What is exceptional is his mental toughness that has allowed to dominate men's tennis over the past 10 years. In this episode, you will learn:
-What is Shark Empathy and how you can use it to improve your mental skills;
-How Djokovic used his mental toughness to fill up the gap between Federer and Nadal and how you can use it when playing against players with a tennis skills;
-How to deal with adversity and how you can use it to building mental strenght;
-How Adopting a "Growth Mentality" will make you a better tennis player

There are no "crazy tennis parents". Only parents who want the best but don't always do what's best. Do you sometimes feel frustrated watching your kid play ? Do you sometimes feel he/she didn't try his/her best ? Do you compare your kid with other players ? If the answer is yes, this episode is for you ! You will learn: 
-Can you Be a "Tennis Parent"? What does it take ? (from 3'10 to 11'37)
-Do you do What to preach ? Teaching Responsibility and Accountability (from 11'40 to 24'14)
-How to NOT compare your child with other tennis players (from 24'15 to 28'35)

Also included: parenting stories of Roger Federer and Coco Gauff

This episode is about overcoming doubt as a tennis players and the feeling of "not being enough". You will learn:
-How to Deal With Self-Doubt;
-How to Respond to Negative Comments and to Naysayers
-How to Reprogram your Brain for Success

In this episode, you will learn:
-Why praising (young) tennis players for their "talent" can have a negative impact (from 3'20" to 11'10")
-How Roger Federer did not become another "wasted talent" and what are some of the less-talked about skills who makes him great (from 11'11" to 30'01")
-How tennis players can use Federer's approach to build their team (from 30'09" to 33"51')

After discussing why Talent is a Myth even for Roger Federer in the part 1 of this episode discussing the topic of talent, in this episode, you will learn the 8 Skills that every tennis player can develop in order to take their mental game to the next level.

In this episode, we discuss the 6 main Mistakes that prevent tennis players to have a successful tennis career on tour. Here they are:

1. Chasing a dream that is not Yours (from  2'16" to 8'42"  );

2. Not building a solid team (from 8'43" to 15'06"   );

3. Not having a holistic approach (from 15'08" to 18'32"   );

4. Failing to have a money strategy (from  18'34  to 23'35" );

5. Focusing on the wrong things ( from 23'38" to 29'30"   );

6. Not Taking responsibility of your tennis career (from 29'31 to 35'35" );

Reflecting on Robin Soderling's recent interview in which he revealed the mental health issues he faced while at the peak of his career. In this episode, you will learn about the 5 most common mental struggles tennis players face and that have a negative impact on their career and the solutions to overcome these struggles.
1: Not Feeling Good Enough ( from 2'53 to 10'12 )
2: Letting Anxiety Taking Over ( from 10'13 to 19'05)
3: Holding on Your Perfectionism ( from 19'06  to 26'40 )
4: Building Your Self-Esteem Based on Your Results ( from 26'41 to 30'58 )
5: Not Knowing When to Rest and Overtraining ( from 30'59  to 34'55)
+ Bonus 

Last week, Brenda Furvithova, 13 years old beat her fellow Czech countrywoman Katerina Siniakova ranked 54 at the WTA rankings at an exhibition tournament. Earlier this year, Furvithova already made her name for herself when she won Les Petits As, the "unofficial" under 14 world championship. As some tennis observers are already predicting her a very bright future, this episode will discuss the topic of "tennis prodigies" and what are the keys  or pitfalls to their success on the ATP/WTA tours. 

You will learn:

The common characteristics of tennis prodigies
*born and raised in an environment in which excellence is the normal standard (from 2'47 to 7'28 );
*very close role models they can learn from (from 7'29 to 14'45 );
*being the engine of their tennis dream (from 14'46 to 18'42);
*a structure built around their goal (from 18'43 to 23'49); 

The common pitfalls to avoid
*lack of emotional stability from closed ones (from 23'50 to 30'18); 
*short-term goals and excessive playing (from 30'19 to 37'43); 
*not building the individual  alongside the athlete (from 37'44 to 43'57); 

If you enjoy the content on The Players' Lounge don't hesitate to subscribe, to rate and share with people who will find it valuable too! Thanks :)

This week, Rafael Nadal has announced that he would not defend his title at this year's US Open and also implied that he wouldn't play at the French Open if he was not sure about the safety measures. That news is a great opportunity to take a closer look at this incredible champion who is quite shy and introverted in his daily life but who knows how to unlock his alter ego, the fearless gladiator who's been electrifying the ATP Tour for almost 20 years.

In this episode you will learn :

What's an alter ego in sports (from 2'37 to 5'19);

How Toni Nadal created Rafa's alter ego to build his champion's mindset (from 5'20 to 17'26);

Why and How you should create your sports alter ego (from 17'27 to 30'53);

The importance of rituals to improve your performance (from 30'54 to 37'23);

How to find a good balance with your alter ego (from 37'24 to 43'06)

Many thanks! You are more and more to follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Google and Apple podcasts and Spotify, and after 10 episodes I want to give you the floor! In order to produce content that is more in tune with your needs in terms of content to improve your mental performance !

That's why I'm organizing from Tuesday 25th until Sunday 30th of August, free coaching sessions to help you improve your mental performance ! Each session will be 45 minutes via Zoom and it is limited to 15 people ! (one session max per person)

To participate:

1) Follow my Instagram account @theplayersloungepodcast

2) Book a session on Doodle on this calendar: Free coaching session The Players' Lounge calendar

3) Send me a message on Instagram with your name and date of session, so I can send you the link for our Zoom meeting

Can't wait to hear from you and meet you!

Jennifer

"I lost because he/she cheated the whole match..."
"He/she called the physio but he/she wasn't injured..." 
We hear these often and in this episode you will learn: 

-The NUMBER ONE MISTAKE players make when their "injured" opponent keeps playing
-If cheating is a "valid" strategy ?
-How to win the game using your physical strenght and body language
-What is the "Green light-Red light strategy🚦" and to effectively use it?
-How your opponent's cheating ways can become an asset
-Bonus: cheaters will crumble if you do this... (to use with caution ;) )

Follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and on Facebook ! 

Happy New Year everyone ! In this first 2021 episode of The Players' Lounge, we won't talk about New Years resolutions but will reflect on how 2020 was a big shock to everybody but forced tennis players to rethink how to approach their career. You will learn:

-How to deal with mental health struggles when there's still uncertainty;
-Why tennis players need to adapt an "entrepreneur mindset" in order to find sustainable ways to fund their careers even if they can't earn money from tournaments

Follow the The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast or on Facebook

The fear of winning... We have all at least once faced it. On the eve of the Australian Open, first Slam of the year, let's discuss the topic of fear of winning, how it comes unannounced at the worst possible time, and how to face it by analyzing one of the most iconic matches of the tournament: the 2009 semi-final between Verdasco and Nadal. You can watch the highlights or the whole match by typing this on Youtube: Verdasco Nadal Australian Open 2009

The themes of this episode are:
-What is the fear of losing ?
-When does it happen ?
-How to accept it ?
-What strategies you can use to manage it better

Don't hesitate to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

Alright Australian Open 2021, that's a wrap! Besides the dominant performances of Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic, we saw great matches and multiple reasons to be excited for the rest of the season! Let's see how you can learn from Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic to take your game to the next level!

In this episode:

-Naomi Osaka: How being a leader outside the court can help you win on the tennis court
-Serena Williams: How to Build a Champion mindset and keep your determination high despite the doubts and external judgments;
-Daniil Medvedev: How to quickly learn from your mistakes and become a Champion;
-Novak Djokovic: Prevail despite adversity and how to use your opponent's strengths against him/her and undermine his/her confidence


Don't hesitate to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

Since the resumption of the ATP WTA circuits, several players have spoken publicly about their difficulties dealing with the new sanitary restrictions on tour due to the covid pandemic. If Benoît Paire stirred a lot of controversy with his recent poor performances on court and controversial statements, it seems that more and more players seem to mentally struggle with navigating the "tennis bubbles", staying motivated, the multiple covid testings and most importantly the difficulty to play in empty stadiums. 

In this episode, we will identify:

-The 5 main reasons why some ATP and WTA players are struggling mentally in the "new tour" and what are some of the best practices used by the players who have been adjusting well.

Token podchaser: AD5Z28PP3SB8LPHk4nvs

Don't hesitate to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

How often do we hear stories about the so-called “crazy tennis parents”? A lot. But how often do we discuss the struggles tennis parents encounter or the tips and tools they can use to help their children reach their full potential? Not so much. In this episode of The Players’ Lounge, my guest Hernan Chousa shares his expertise on this topic.

Hernan Chousa is an author and public speaker. He lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and runs a zinc flake coating business.He is a former top 300 ATP tennis player and willing to share his youth sports parenting experiences from both sides of the coin. He was gracious to share his wisdom for The Players’ Lounge podcast right before the release of his 4th book called Parentshift: The Skills You Need To Become a Tennis Parent. He published My Son the Tennis Player and How to Help Your Kid Succeed in Sports. He also published Unplugged, his first novel, where he could fuse two passions: music and writing. tHe is married to Marianne with two sons: Julian and Sebastian.

During this candid conversation with Hernan, we discussed several themes:

1. Hernan’s tennis career and his relationship with his parents while he was on tour and why he retired at only 21: from 2’08 to 13’16
2. His transition from being a tennis player to becoming a “tennis parent”: from 13’16 to 16’34
3. How to pick a tennis coach for your kids and how to help them build their mindset off the court: from 16’35 to 23’18
4. The 5 most common mistakes tennis parents make: Hernan shares his own experience with his son Julian: from 23’19 to 28’35
5. How to keep the family dynamic healthy when you are a tennis parent and what to do if your child wants to quit tennis: from 28’36 to 35’54
6. How can young tennis players find balance between and develop their identity outside the game and engage in other activities: from 35’55 to 39’39
7. How is the covid situation benefiting the young tennis players on tour: from 39’40 to 44’40
8. The financial aspect: how to build a solid financial strategy to fund your children’s tennis career: from 44’41 to 47’08
9. How to remain humble when your child is having good results, the importance of mentoring: from 47’09 to 53’27
10. Closing remarks: final tips for tennis parents: from 53’28 to end

If you would like to get in touch with Hernan Chousa, you can find him on LinkedIn and learn more about sports parenting by purchasing his latest book Parentshift: The Skills You Need To Become a Tennis Parent on Amazon.

Don't hesitate to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

Making a successful  transition from juniors to the pros is something a lot of tennis players struggle with. One of the keys to succeed in this transition is to have the right team to help you reach your goals. Vlado Platenik, a former tennis player from Slovakia has been a very successful coach who over the 20 years he spent coaching on tour, he took 4 players from the ITF circuit to top 20 WTA and many more from top 400 to top 50.

Some of the players Vlado coached are: Dominika Cibulkova, Daria Kasatkina, Anjla Tomjlanovic, Henrietta Nagyova, Nadia Petrova and many more. Few months ago, he joined the team of Veronika Kudermetova  as a tennis consultant with already great success as she won her first WTA title in Charleston and is ranked 28 at the WTA,  her highest ranking so far. In a very candid  conversation, Vlado shared a lot of wisdom about the ups and downs of the life on tour. You will learn:

1) How to join an already existing team as a tennis consultant? From 2'40 to 4'58

2) What was Vlado's biggest challenge as a coach during the pandemic and how he used the cover crisis to help his players improve? From 5' to 8'09

3) What are the strategies Vlado used over the years with his players to achieve a successful transition from the juniors to the pros? From 8'10 to 13'03

4) How Vlado's personal story as a tennis player got him into coaching? From 13'04 to 20'13

5) How do you implement mental training into your coaching of young tennis players? Vlado explains how he used these techniques with Cibulkova and Kasatskina From 20'14 to 23'56

6) The importance of communication with the entourage of the player and what are the consequences when difficulties between the coach and the player's family arise? From 24 to 32'

7) What are some of the money strategies players can use when they start on tour with limited funds? From 34'28 to 39'53

8) As a coach, how to remain honest with your players? From 39'55 to 45'40

9) What is the biggest quality successful tennis players share? From 45'45 to 47'23

10) How is the covid crisis changing the dynamic between the more experienced and upcoming players on tour? From 47'24 to 50'47

11) Vlado's advice to junior players starting on tour: from 50'48 to 57'49

12) What are some of the values Vlado teaches his players on and off the court? From 57'50 to end

If you would like to get in touch with Vlado Platenik and learn more about the services he's offering as a tennis consultant, you can email him or visit his website:

Website: https://www.vladimirplatenik.com

Email: platenik76@hotmail.com

Don't hesitate to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

“He/she knows vs he/she doesn't know how to deal with pressure on big points”. How often do we hear these sentences from commentators while watching matches or from people watching us playing from the sidelines? A lot. But how often do we hear people talk about the reason why players feel pressure and why do most of us hate pressure? Not much. As if dealing with pressure was something you were born with or without.  What if pressure was your best friend? To discuss "the elephant in the room", it was my pleasure to welcome Mark Jeffery in The Players' Lounge! Mark  believes handling pressure can be taught and after listening to our convo, you will believe it too!

Mark Jeffery is the Founder of Big Point Player Training, The proven T.R.U.S.T winning formula and Winning Summit.  Mark's mission is to democratize what the elite of the Military and Tennis know and train to bring this to the competitive amateur tennis community worldwide. Learn how to harness Pressure and reliably, predictably and WIN when it matters the most  and become a "Big Point Player" T.R.U.S.T is also being trained by a proven, replicable, Grand Slam DEVELOPMENT Coach.   

EXCLUSIVE OFFER! For listeners of The Players’ Lounge podcast we have two 'firsts':

-One is a FREE diagnostic WINNING with Pressure tool where you can compare the level of your Closing Out skills to the like of Djokovic and receive a bespoke assessment via this link: http://diagnostic.thewinningformula.tennis

-The second is a genuine discount for the next flagship course, the emotively named One Point Away:  https://bigpointplayer.clickfunnels.com/opt-inpavk1al9

For the people that sign up via the OPA link will get a genuine $50.00 discount from the $397.00 ie $347.00 AND I will rebate you $50.00 as well so the net price is $297.00 

In this fascinating conversation with Mark, you will learn: 

1. Why do we hate pressure? Let’s dive right into it and discuss “the elephant in the room” From 3’58 to 5’41
2. Why did Mark decide to make handling pressure and high performance 
3. How losing a match in Wimbledon after having match points made Mark searching for ways to translate his military training onto the tennis to be performant in stressful situations: from 7’36 to 10’30
4. How Andy Murray became a Grand Slam champion by becoming a “big point player” and how Ivan Lendl helped him being great under pressure: from 10’40 to 14’45
5. Why is Pressure a positive thing and is your best friend to win big games and titles? From 14’46 to 19’45
6. How did the “Big 3” deal with pressure and how do they train this skill? From 20’ to 21’43
7. How do you make winning part of your identity and what can we learn from the military? From 21’46 to 26’48
8. How integrity and accountability are essential to train your brain to perform while in stressful situations: from 26’49 to 34’28
9. How to make pressure your best friend: great tips to train it during practice: from 34’29 to 48’49
10. Mark details his incredible “Big Points Training” which will help you to improve your mental game: from 48’50 to 51’49
11. The importance to train in sequences to create natural and relaxed reactions during matches: from 51’ 50 to 55’18
12. How can you work on dealing with pressure outside the tennis court and Mark’s concluding remarks: from 55’19 to the end

Don't hesitate to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

Coaches play a huge role in the tennis, yet,  we don’t often have the opportunity to hear about their experience on tour and how they help players to reach the top. In this episode, I had the pleasure to interview Emma Doyle, world class tennis coach who coached top juniors and many players on tour. 

Emma is Australian, she’s a high performance tennis coach, a TEDx speaker and Global speaker in tennis. Emma also helps business professionals to unleash their potential. She has just released a course called “Master your Mindset” for players. Enter the code TPL2021 and get a 17$ discount (course will be 40$ instead of 57$)!

In this conversation, you will get to discover Emma’s fantastic energy and you will learn:

1. Emma’s take on French Open and what are some of the lessons we can learn from the early rounds from 4’50 to 8’42
2. How to react when your opponent is trying to provoke you: Emma analyses French Open first round between Kenin and Ostapenko: from 8’43 to 10’55
3. Why did Emma decide to become a coach at a very early age? From 10’56 to 13’54
4. The question that changed everything and why maximizing your potential as a player helps you to become a better coach. Emma also reflects on her college tennis career in the US from 13’55 to 21’20
5. Why it is important to learn from other coaches and stretching your comfort zone to build your skills over time: from 22’25 to 26’40
6. What are some of the main difficulties that many coaches face? Why is it important to have a “player centric” philosophy? From 26’42 to 30’18
7. What are the 3 most important a coach should have according to Emma? Learn about the “3E formula” at the heart of Emma’s coaching style? From 30’20 to 34’33
8. Emma reflects on Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open and the lessons we can learn from her decision as coaches and players: from 34’35 to 38’08
9. How is Emma helping junior tennis players to find their sense of self and build their self-esteem around values instead of results: from 38’09 to 44’49
10. How to find and own your superpower as a player and why being curious helps you to become a great coach? From 44’50 to 50’36
11. How does Emma help players to find their identity outside the tennis court? From 50’37 to 53’52
12. The importance of building a solid “parents-coach” relationship: Emma shares great strategies she uses to “train the tennis parents”: from 53’54 to 61’48 watch that video to learn your playing style
13. What is Emma looking for in a player and shares the top 5 qualities of the best tennis players. She also explains how to build confidence: from 61’49 to 65’57
14. Emma explains how coaching tennis and being a business coach is very similar: from 65’58 to 67’48
15. Emma concludes the interview with a funny story on how eating “tic tac” helped a player to win a match: from 67’49 until end

Get in touch or follow Emma Doyle via the following links:
Email: info@emmadoyle.com.au, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube , Linkedin 

Emma shares  A free visualization exercise 

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

That’s a wrap Roland Garros! And the least we can say is that the 2021 French Open was a special one! The withdrawals of Naomi Osaka and Roger Federer were definitely a shock in the first week of the slam. In the second week, the legendary semi final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, the surprising but very refreshing victory of Barbora  Krejcikova and the great comeback of Djokovic to win his 19th slam were wonderful treats to the tennis fans. 
There are many lessons that we can take from the 2021 French Open that will help us to improve our mental skills. That’s why this episode will be divided into two parts. In this first part, we will focus on the mental strategies Krejcikova and Djokovic have used in order to take the mental edge over their opponents: 

Barbora Krejcikova’s mental strategies:

-The “outsider power”: what is it and how can you apply it to your game? From 3’21 to 7’31

-How to use your stress in order to become stronger and win: from 7’32 to 12’42

-The importance of having a clear game plan in high-pressure situations and how to take responsibility regardless of what’s happening on court: from 12’43 to 18’04

Novak Djokovic’s Djokovic’s mental strategies:

-Why is it crucial to plan ahead and trust your plan to achieve your goal: from 18’05 to 23’42

-Learn how to not panic when losing and how to stay calm: from 23’43 to 32’17

-Be comfortable with having high ambitions: from 32’18 to 36’05

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

In this second part of this episode dedicated to the lessons we can learn from the 2021 French Open (if you did not have a chance to listen to the first part that focused on the mental strategies Krejcikova and Djokovic used to have the edge over their opponents, here is the link), we will dig into the losses of Rafael Nadal, “King of Clay” for the past 15 years and Stefanos Tsitsipas who was one set away to win his first Grand Slam. The main focus of this episode will be: how to recover from a tough loss when we were very close to winning?

Rafa Nadal:

-Why did he come to the French Open with less confidence compared to the previous years? From 3’57 to 9’17

-How did he lose the psychological and physical advantages he had over Djokovic on clay? From 9’18 to 13’18

-Is the end of the “Nadal era” on clay? From 13’19 to 16’57

Stefanos Tsitsipas:

-Why does his French Open run confirm that he will be number one in the future? From 16’58 to 21’06

-What was the missing element(s) for him to win against Djokovic in the final? From 21’07 to 25’35

-What are the 3 things to do when you lose a match that you were very close to win? From 25’36 to 37’06

1. Let out all your emotions
2. Give credit to your opponent and analyze what he/she did better than you
3. Keep in mind your main goal but learn how to change your approach 

As a former professional tennis player on the WTA tour, I am very grateful for the valuable lessons that I have learned and the skills that I have acquired on and off the court. As many tennis players train hard in the hopes to step on Center Court at Wimbledon one day, a lot of players and their parents face obstacles they are not prepared to deal with and prevent them from climbing the rankings of the WTA/ATP tour.

What does it REALLY take to make it on tour?

What do parents/players need to look for when selecting a coach?

How do parents financially plan the 4-5 years that are usually needed so your kid can make it to the Slams?

What is the best way to schedule your children’s tournaments?

It was my pleasure to co-host this webinar with my two co-hosts:

Hernan Chousa, former top 300 ATP, is a business owner, a public speaker and an author of books on sports parenting such as “My son, the tennis player” and has just released a new book “Parentshift: the skills you need to become a tennis parent”.

Vlado Platenik, who has been on the WTA for over 20 years, and took many player from top 500 to top 20 including former WTA number 12 Dominika Cibulkova, and is current with world number 32 at the WTA Veronika Kudermetova. 

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

🎾Wimbledon is over and while Djokovic's 20th slam has put the tennis in a frenzy in a potential calendar Grand Slam, I want to focus on Ash Barty's win and why her victory is an exceptional mental performance. 

In this episode you will learn:

📄What you can learn from her 24-day recovery plan after her injury at the French Open and why the perfect preparation doesn't exist 

🧠The techniques Ash Barty's mindset coach Ben Crowe used to reframe her mindset

❓What are the 2 most important questions you should ask yourself 

💆🏻‍♀️How to focus on the things you can control 

🤝The importance of harmony in your team and how to create common values

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦The importance of a supportive environment 

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

Interviewing people whose purpose is to help athletes become the best version of themselves on and off the court is one of the reasons why I started The Players’ Lounge podcast. In today’s episode, I got the privilege to chat with legendary UCLA gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field, also known as “Miss Val”. From 1989 to 2019, she won 7 NCAA titles, 22 regional and 18 Pac-12 championships with her teams and was named “Pac 12 Coach of the Century”.

What’s more extraordinary in Valorie Kondos Field’ story is that she never did gymnastics. She is also a Ted Speaker and the author of the book “Life is Short, Don’t Wait to Dance”. In that great conversation, learn how a professional ballet dancer became one of the winningest coaches in history and what valuable lessons she taught hundreds of athletes to become “champions in life”

From 0 to 2’50: Introduction Valorie Kondos Field

From 2’51 to 4’59: Miss Val’s take on professional athletes’ speaking out about their mental struggles

From 5’ to 6’30: Miss Val’s debut as a coach and some of her early mistakes 

From 6’30 to 7’39: How did she change her style of leadership/coaching, how did she redefine coaching:

From 7’40 to 12’09: What were the triggers for Miss Val to change her coaching style? How did she redefine the meaning of success and what she learned from being mentored by legendary basketball Coach John Wooden

From 12’10 to 17’17: How do you teach that to athletes to build a winning mentality and the importance of goals setting: how to set big goals and breaking them into daily goals

From 17’18 to 22’24: Valorie Kondos Field’s transition from being a pro ballet dancer to becoming the head coach of one of the most prominent gymnastics programs in the United States knowing she was never a gymnast. Learn the importance of “making the ask” and using your past experiences to your advantage

From 23’20 to 28’28: how positive parenting and the ability to learn and move on quickly from your mistakes are key ingredients to becoming a successful athlete

From 28’30 to 32’59: tips for athletes so they don’t get affected by negativity

From 33’ to 36’29: what are the actions athletes can take to deal with social media hate

From 36’30 to 40’42: the importance of celebrating “small victories” and how to keep the fun while aiming for big and ambitious goals

From 40’43 to 49’59: Miss Val shares her experience on how to communicate effectively with parents and gives some tips on how to talk to young athletes in an empowering way

From 50’ to 54’54: As a coach, what you can do to build trust and help an athlete who has lost his/her motivation and confidence

From 55’28 to 58’48: Valorie Kondos Field explains the difference between great athletes and champions and why coaches need to become better listeners 

From 58’49 to end:How Miss Val’s book “Life is short, don’t wait to dance” is an encouragement for people to become their authentic best version of themselves, her upcoming project and how life is about choices

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

The US Open is over and the least we can say is that it was an emotional one! From the MAJOR performance of Emma Raducanu who grabbed the title coming from the qualies to the incredible run of Leylah Fernadez, what a blast we had watching these two! But what most of us will remember is the shocking victory of Daniil Medvedev over Novak Djokovic preventing from achieving a calendar Grand Slam.

In this episode, we will analyze the misfortunes of Osaka, Tsitsipas and Djokovic and what we can learn from them:

-Naomi Osaka: what are the roots of her mental struggles and how can she can find herself again?

-Stefanos Tsitsipas: why is the "Greek God" struggling since his loss in the final of the French Open

-Novak Djokovic: what happened in the final and will Djoko recover and come back stronger than ever?

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

The "mental breakdown" of Novak Djokovic was heavily discussed these past couple of days, but little or no credit was given to Medvedev's massive performance . A true mastermind, the Russian player proved why he definitely is the frontrunner of the infamous "Next Gen"

In addition to Medvedev's success, it is impossible not to comment on the historical "tour de force" of Emma Raducanu who won her first Grand Slam (and WTA tour) coming from the qualies and winning 10 matches without dropping a set!

In this part 2 of this "US Open episode", you will learn:

-The 3 mental strategies Daniil Medvedev used to beat Djokovic and to win his first grand Slam

-Why Emma Raducanu's winning spirit sets her up perfectly to be at the top of the WTA.

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

As we're heading slowly but surely toward the end of the 2021 tennis season (let's not forget about the infamous Davis Cup), one thing we can say is: what a year it was!

👨🏆Sacha Zverev's triumph at the ATP Finals in Torino is a great way to end a great season after a heartbreaking loss in the US Open final last year against Dominic Thiem.

🎙️In this episode, you will learn about the 4 key elements who made Zverev excel this season:

Dans cet épisode, on va analyser les 4 éléments qui ont permis à Zverev de s'illustrer cette saison :

✅-Match your actions with your ambitions

✅-Improve the shot(s) that will make a huge difference in your game and allow you to get big results
✅-Understand when you lose a game but with the right strategy Comprendre quand on a perdu un match en ayant la bonne stratégie

✅-Learn when to use a strategy different than your natural game to get the win

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

🦘The slam "down under" came to an end and we witnessed Rafa Nadal 🏆clinching his 21st Grand Slam after one of the greatest comebacks in a slam final. It really seemed that Daniil Medvedev who had a 2 sets lead was going to once again delay history.

🎙️Here are the 6️⃣ to take away from this incredible battle

🥊-Accepter the fight : Medvedev pulled a "Nadal" on Rafa himself for more than 2 sets by imposing a great physical battle

➕1️⃣- Be ready to play an extra shot in order to mentally break your opponent

🧠-How to impose your strategy in order to make your opponent doubt him/herself and miss on his/her strongest shots

👉-Seize the opportunities and kill the match : Daniil Medvedev dominated Rafael Nadal whose defeat seemed inevitable and yet... This is what you must do when you have a strong lead so your opponent never comes back

💆‍♂️-Don't get distracted: responding to the crowd's provocations made Medvedev lose some of his composure. Learn how to keep your emotions in check and deal with external elements.

💪🏾-Stay focused on the positive even when it seems over : be inspired by Rafa's mental strategy in order to get yourself out of very tough situations and get the win

Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast related to Rafa Nadal: 

Ep 10:  Rafael Nadal: Clark Kent vs Superman or the Power of the Alter Ego to Win

Ep 20 (part 2): Is it the end of the "Rafa era" on clay? Tsitsipas' loss: 3 Things to Do After Losing a Match You Were Close to Win

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook! 

😎After a flawless performance, Ash Barty clinched her 3rd slam "at home" 🏆. What stood out during the Australian Open was her undisputed dominance over her opponents. 👀👀

🎙️In this new episode, you will learn the 4 key biggest strengths of Ash Barty:

1️⃣: Use variety to control your opponent's power : Ash Barty is not the biggest hitter on the WTA tour, hitting the ball early and using smart angles give her an important advantage to control most points. Find out how to use slice to neutralize the other players and why you don't need to serve at 140 miles an hour to earn free points.

2️⃣ Tactical superiority: Ash Barty had one scare in the whole tournament when she was 5/1 down in the second set against Danielle Collins in the final. I give you tips on how to change the momentum of the match when you are losing and how to set up automatic game plans.

3️⃣-Emotional stability : Ash Barty's way of handling her emotions and dealing with pressure is impressive. She manages to stay calm and focused in every situation. Learn about the strategies she uses to remain focused and create great harmony and balance with her team.

4️⃣She is clear about her identity and does not care about fame: Ash Barty has built a balance life in which media over exposure is not part of it. In that part, you'll learn how to deal with distractions so you can stay on top of your game.

⚠️BONUS: stay tuned until the end for a tip that will definitely help you get to the next level!  💪

🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to:

Ep 22: How to Win a Grand Slam in 24 Days? Learn Ash Barty's Mindset Techniques to Win

Ep 1: How Do You Define Your Tennis Identity ?  

Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!