Temper Control
There is no doubt that tennis is one of the most frustrating games in the world, as you hand control to human error when it comes to line calls.
It is also a sport well known for the little frustrations to creep into the players during a game; few can forget McEnroe's infamous “you cannot be serious!” rant or the racket-breaking antics of one-time Australian and US Open champion Marat Safin.
Basically, frustration is a part of tennis. There will always be a call that you disagree with or a shot you hit wide that you knew you should have made; you just need to learn to handle your temper.
Keeping calm in such a high pressure situation is very hard, particularly on junior players. There is no doubt it does improve with time, as several professional players – such as Roger Federer – were angry youths on court who now behave impeccably on the adult circuit.
We'll look at the issue of thinking you've had a bad line call first. The question you need to ask yourself if there is a decision you don't agree with is: “will shouting actually do any good?” The answer is almost certainly no. If you yell at an umpire or lines person, you can be cautioned or even fined, particularly if you swear. If you really think there is an issue, you have a right to appeal, but without the professional Hawk-Eye system to turn to your chances are not good. Instead, just bear it in mind, take a few deep breaths and refocus your mind on the game. Losing your temper will do nothing but make you lose concentration, which is far more likely to lose you the match than a bad out call. If you really do sense there a serious mistake has occurred, you may complain about it when the match is over, formally in letter if necessary.
If you miss a shot that you feel you should have made, the desire to smash your racket into the ground may at times become overwhelming. But like a bad out call, it doesn't achieve anything. You'll still have made the mistake, you'll still be a point down and you'll now also have a broken racket. Instead, try to internalize that emotion and make your next shot extra special.
One of the worst faux pas you can commit on a tennis court is to directly insult one of the officials. If you really cannot stop yourself from shouting due to a bad line call, then try and stop yourself from directing your fury at an individual. This, however, should only ever be a last resort and you should in all circumstances avoid it.
Standard calming tactics apply here. Take some deep breaths, breathing in for five seconds and out for five seconds until you feel the anger diminishing. Some people also like to count to ten very slowly in their head, as it refocuses the mind. And always try and remember that key point; getting angry will do nothing but distract you from the more important task, which is winning the game.
