A non-exhaustive summary of what a psychologist working in tennis should be able to do: understand the player’s emotional states during matches and the origin of mistakes; work to restore certain essential mental functions.
Monthly Archive for April, 2025
In the context of track and field, athletes’ tenacity and resilience are frequently put to the test during training. Workouts based on preset times, exhausting intervals, and simulated race paces represent daily challenges that force athletes to draw deeply on their mental resources to maintain the required performance. In this way, key psychological qualities such as fatigue management, stress tolerance, and the determination not to give up become an integral part of the training process, systematically and directly developed through regular practice.
In contrast, in individual sports with a stronger tactical component (such as tennis, judo, fencing, etc.), training tenacity and resilience outside of competition is much more complex. During practice, emotional stress, uncertainty, and decision-making pressure are often only partially simulated and rarely reproduce the true tension of actual competition. As a result, athletes may arrive at competitions unprepared to handle critical moments such as a drop in performance, a crucial mistake, or intense pressure from an opponent. This “gap” between training and competition exposes athletes to the risk of mental breakdowns at decisive moments.
To bridge this gap, it is essential to integrate training situations that stimulate the emotional and psychological components of performance, by creating artificially stressful contexts or introducing unexpected variables that force the athlete to react, adapt, and maintain tactical clarity under pressure.
1. Simulate pressure and uncertainty
Training should include exercises where the athlete must manage:
-
Simulated unfavorable scorelines (e.g., starting down a set or several points behind).
-
Time- or constraint-based objectives (e.g., “win three consecutive points within two minutes” or “resolve an action within a few seconds”).
-
Quick decision-making with changing options, similar to match conditions.
2. Introduce unexpected situations and variability
Training should not always be predictable:
-
Change conditions suddenly (e.g., narrower playing area, different opponent, altered rules).
-
Introduce controlled “distractions” (noise, interruptions, small errors to manage).
3. Train mental fatigue as well as physical fatigue
In competition, mental stress weighs as much as physical stress:
-
Plan drills under fatigue conditions (e.g., work on tactics or technique immediately after intense efforts).
-
Force athletes to make decisions under cognitive, not just physical, fatigue.
4. Work on self-efficacy and coping strategies
Integrate specific, even brief, sessions where:
-
Stress management techniques are taught (breathing exercises, positive self-talk, mental reset routines).
-
Confidence is built through training-based “problem solving” (“What do you do if you lose confidence? How do you react under pressure?”).
5. Measure mental aspects
Do not evaluate only technical or physical results, but also:
-
The ability to react to mistakes.
-
The readiness to change strategy.
-
The quality of decision-making under pressure.
Roma striker and World Cup winner with Argentina, Paulo Dybala, was today named a Laureus Ambassador. The 31-year-old Argentine footballer kicked off his new role with a visit to the Laureus Sport for Good program in Rome and took part in the 25th edition of the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid on Monday.
Dybala has won five Serie A titles with Juventus and the World Cup with Argentina in 2022. The Argentine star, who now plays for Roma, visited our project ‘Calcio Insieme’, supported by AS Roma, which uses football to help children with intellectual disabilities. Over 30 children and young people met the new Laureus Ambassador.
Sara Curtis’s words, Italian, 18 years old, the first mixed-race female swimmer to set the national records in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle, are deeply inspiring and reveal extraordinary maturity for an 18-year-old. Here are some reflections on her statements:
-
“In sports, if you feed yourself with beautiful and wise words, your body moves in a positive direction…”
This observation highlights the strong connection between mind and body. Sara emphasizes the importance of positive language and emotions in athletic performance. It’s a holistic view: an athlete is not just physical strength, but also emotion, thought, and spirit. -
“Swimmers, in particular, have to withstand the loneliness of the pool.”
This sentence reveals a truth often left unspoken: swimming is a profoundly solitary sport. It requires introspection and the ability to live with oneself, in the silence of water and the repetition of training. -
“And to have a so-called normal life: passions, going out, studying.”
Sara shows that she understands the importance of balance. Even those striving for excellence in sports need external stimuli, relationships, and a daily life that completes them as people. -
“I listen to the podcast by Zazzeri and Restivo about dual careers…”
This detail shows how aware and curious she is. The fact that she draws inspiration from older peers and seeks role models demonstrates humility and intelligence. -
“Swimming is very mental… it can become harmful and alienating.”
Here, the darker side of sports emerges: the pressure, the extreme focus, the risk of isolation. Sara isn’t afraid to address these issues and to say that, without balance, even sport can become a prison. -
“I’m lucky: I have a family that gives me a double perspective on things.”
Her gratitude toward her family is touching. It shows that her balance also comes from a strong emotional foundation, which allows her to see sports with clarity and not only as a source of performance anxiety.
In summary, Sara Curtis is not just a promising talent in Italian swimming, but also a young woman with a clear, conscious, and deeply human outlook. Her words are a lesson for many, both in and out of the water.
Gambling addiction among professional footballers is a worrying and growing phenomenon, not limited to Italy but widespread across the globe. A combination of factors—such as easy access to online betting, performance pressure, and locker room culture—makes players particularly vulnerable.
A Global Issue
European studies indicate that professional footballers are four times more likely to develop gambling addiction compared to the general population. Specifically, 57% of European professional athletes reported having bet at least once, with a problematic gambling rate of 8.2%.
In Sweden, research has found that 6% of elite athletes exhibit problematic gambling behavior, with higher rates among men and those who began betting at a young age.
In the United States, 33% of college athletes meet the criteria for gambling addiction, highlighting the issue’s spread among younger populations as well.
The Consequences
Gambling addiction can lead to serious personal and professional consequences. Some players have reported that financial losses negatively affect their on-field performance, causing anxiety and distraction during matches. Additionally, addiction can expose players to exploitation by unscrupulous individuals, who involve them in illegal betting activities or match-fixing schemes.
What Institutions Can Do
To effectively tackle this issue, a joint effort is required from football institutions:
-
Football Federations: Implement educational and prevention programs, ban sponsorships from betting companies, and actively monitor players’ gambling activities.
-
Clubs: Provide psychological support, foster an environment that discourages gambling among players, and promote a culture of responsibility.
-
Players’ Associations: Offer resources for prevention and treatment of gambling addiction, ensure confidentiality for those seeking help, and collaborate with authorities to identify and address problematic cases.
Conclusion
Gambling addiction in football is a serious and widespread issue that requires targeted and coordinated intervention at a global level. Only through education, prevention, and proper support can we protect players’ mental health and careers, while preserving the integrity of the game.
In the sport world, many athletes (and not only athletes) fall into two mental traps when it comes to mental training:
1. “Understanding” doesn’t mean “knowing how to do”
Many believe that simply knowing how important the mind is makes them capable of using it.
But understanding that focus is essential doesn’t mean being able to maintain it on the field, especially when it matters most.
Mental skills need to be trained. Just like technique. Just like the body. Just like everything else.
2. “Being able to do it in training” doesn’t mean “being able to do it in competition”
Even those who have learned a mental strategy often assume it will work automatically under pressure.
But competition brings different emotions. Different stress. Higher stakes.
If you haven’t trained that strategy in competition-like situations, it may disappear just when you need it most.
“Being able to perform during competition” does not equal “being able to perform in high-stakes moments”
While many athletes have developed the capacity to focus and regulate their emotions under typical competitive conditions,
only a few are able to consistently apply these skills during the most emotionally intense and pressure-filled moments of performance.
In these critical phases, the emotional load can exceed the athlete’s regulatory threshold, leading to maladaptive responses such as impulsivity, hesitation, or risk-avoidant behavior.
These are moments where cognitive control is challenged, and where the automaticity and robustness of mental skills become decisive.
The ability to maintain mental effectiveness under maximal stress is not a given—it is the result of specific, repeated, and progressive training in pressure scenarios.
It is precisely in these situations that the difference between a good athlete and an elite performer becomes evident.
The truth?
Mental skills are built over time, with consistency, and with structure.
Just like every other part of performance.
Knowing is not enough.
You need to train. You need to integrate. You need to repeat.
Sorry, this entry is only available in Italiano.
It’s not easy to understand why international-level athletes sometimes fail to achieve absolute top-level performances. Let’s try to identify the key limitations that might prevent them from doing so:
1. Individual Genetic Limits
Every athlete has a genetic potential that determines characteristics such as:
- muscle composition (more fast-twitch or slow-twitch fibers),
- cardiovascular capacity (VO₂ max),
- response to training,
- recovery and resistance to injury.
Not everyone, even with maximum training, has the DNA to become a Bolt or a Phelps.
2. Quality of Training
Even at the international level, there are differences in:
- training methodologies,
- quality of the coaching staff,
- facilities (equipment, tracks, gyms),
- access to performance analysis technologies (GPS, biomechanics, etc.).
A small error in training planning can make the difference between being “excellent” and being “legendary.”
3. Recovery and Injuries
Injuries are one of the main obstacles:
- chronic or recurring injuries can limit training,
- even fear of injury can affect performance,
- recovery isn’t always optimal, especially with a packed competition schedule.
4. Psychological Aspects
Elite mindset is not a given:
- stress management,
- resilience,
- constant motivation,
- ability to perform at key moments.
The mind can be the difference between a world finalist and an Olympic champion.
5. Career Strategy and Management
Poor tactical and strategic choices (changing coach, federation, etc.) can affect an entire career. Competition schedules and performance peaks must also be planned down to the last detail.
This Blog supports
International Society of Sport Psychology 16th World Congress
31 May 2025 - Early bird registration closing
30 Jun 2025 – Abstract submission closing
31 Jul 2025 – Notification of acceptance
15 Aug 2025 – Abstract re-upload (if required)
30 Sep 2025 – Standard registration closing
How is it possible that, despite knowing from research how one becomes
a resilient person, today’s adults still struggle
to teach it to their children and students, both in school and in sports?
Knowing is not the same as knowing how to do
Knowing in theory how to become resilient (e.g., facing difficulties, learning from mistakes, developing a growth mindset…) does not mean knowing how to put it into practice. Resilience is built in everyday life, with consistency and patience. And that is much harder than understanding it from a book.
Adults’ emotional baggage
Many adults never received emotional or resilience education when they were children. If you haven’t made peace with your own vulnerabilities, your own failures, and setbacks, it will be hard to teach a young person that it’s okay to make mistakes and that challenges can be faced.
Performance-driven culture
We live in a society that rewards results, performance, and efficiency. This creates a context where mistakes are seen as weaknesses, not opportunities. Parents, teachers, and coaches risk unintentionally transmitting performance anxiety more than resilience.
Inconsistent communication
Sometimes the right things are said, but the wrong actions are taken: a parent may say “what matters is taking part,” but then get angry if their child loses a competition. Or a teacher might say “mistakes are part of the learning process” but then harshly penalize errors in assignments. Children learn more from what they see than from what they hear.
Lack of time and listening
Educating for resilience requires listening, patience, and time. In a fast-paced and stressful society, many adults struggle to find the mental and emotional space needed to build a deep educational relationship.
Lack of practical training
Even when the willingness is there, practical training for teaching resilience is often missing: it’s not enough to say “you have to be strong.” Tools, games, conversations, examples, and experiences are needed. Not all educators and coaches have access to these or know how to use them.
