Tennis: lots of training, little confidence – how is that possible?

How is it possible that a young tennis player aged 16–18, who trains 50 hours of tennis per month, 25 hours of physical preparation, and 5 hours of mental training – totaling around 800 hours over 10 months – is not fully aware of this investment and fails to turn it into performance on the court?

Insecurity?
Poor understanding of the value of training?
Coaches not doing enough to raise awareness and reflect with them?
Too much pressure on winning distracts from deeper thinking?
Too much focus on fixing flaws and too little on recognizing strengths?

Emotional Immaturity and Lack of Confidence

At this age, athletic identity is still under construction. Constant comparison with peers or external expectations (family, coach, rankings) can undermine self-confidence.

Despite the workload, self-efficacy (the inner sense of “I can do this”) may not solidify.
Losses feel heavier than hours invested, because the athletic ego is fragile.

Distorted Focus: Winning vs. Improving

Often, the implicit message is: “Winning is what matters.” This leads to:

Disconnection from the process: the athlete doesn’t think “I’ve trained 800 hours,” but rather “I lost in the first round.”
Progress becomes invisible, because feedback is based solely on results.

Coaches: Not Enough Focus on Awareness

Many coaches focus heavily on what to do, but rarely on what it means:

Little or no shared reflection on the athlete’s identity, progress, or accumulated experience.
Errors are corrected, but acquired competencies aren’t celebrated enough.

Low Mental Literacy

Five hours of mental training per month is often not enough to:

Build true awareness of one’s journey.
Learn tools for self-reflection, self-assessment, and emotional regulation.
Deepen key mindsets like work ethic, resilience, and long-term vision.

Over-Correction: The Athlete Doesn’t “See” What They Can Do

When the spotlight is always on what to fix:

The athlete doesn’t internalize what they already do well.
They feel never “ready enough” to express themselves, stuck in a constant “work in progress” mindset that chokes confidence during competition.

Final Note: Awareness Must Be Trained — It Doesn’t Happen by Itself

To turn 800 hours into solid performance, we need:

A multidisciplinary educational approach (coach, mental trainer, parents).
A clear internal narrative: “Who am I? How far have I come? What am I building?”
Less obsession with short-term results.
More value placed on experience, effort, and developed skills.