The Tennis Brain: A Neuroscientific Perspective on How the Mind Influences Performance

By Federico Di Carlo

Most times, tennis players and athletes in general finish the competition unhappy about their performances. They feel that the potential was there, but a hidden force prevented them from achieving a feel-good performance. Performances, however, are never usually black and white. Most times athletes feel as though they were going through flows, flash-in/flash-out phases. Falls during performance are conventionally defined slumps and are among the most hated between athletes, above all when they feel that the main reason for slumps is not due to technical, tactical, or athletic flash-outs but rather to the mental components of the sport activity.

In The Tennis Brain, you will find the following:
Journey inside the processes and functions of the human brain
Find a neuroscientific-based evidence for theories on the mind and conscious processes
Discover why the game of tennis is so prone to mind influences
Understand how the mind processes influence tennis game-specific situations
Learn how to synchronize brain, body, and mind for best tennis in match performance.

Book Endorsements:

This work by Federico Di Carlo is a cornerstone among the contemporary research on cognitive neuroscience. The reader is introduced to the exploration and a step by step understanding of the brain and mind mechanisms. Through a fascinating journey in the world of tennis, the author motivates the reader to discover and change wrong behaviours in a positive way. This is a complete manual, useful to both tennis professionals and fans, as well as to anyone aspiring to achieve better results in the game of life (Renzo Ardiccioni, associate professor of communication, Universit du Maine, France).

Drawing upon a great number of studies as well as on the authors personal experience, Tennis Brain brings together neurosciences and tennis practice, challenging the readers to critically reconsider some of their habits and beliefs. Di Carlo summarises the extensive research produced in the last three decades and makes it accessible to a wider audience, bringing our understanding of key mental aspects of tennis out of the realm of empirical opinions and into the realm of science and knowledge. Tennis Brain can actually guide the readers to develop their own critical thinking and to learn to improve(Alessandro Bruinen Serio, PhD, founder of RISED [Research for Integrative and Sustainable Development]).

Since the first time we met, I was really impressed with Di Carlo well founded opinion, genuine love and immense enthusiasm for a neuroscientific driven tennis which comes out from every single page of The Tennis Brain. Starting from a presentation of the structural and physiological mechanisms of the nervous system and the psychological assets of the mind, Federico Di Carlo uses the tennis court to change the tennis player mind to a positive thinking and correct competitive mentality. For scientific consistency, I compared my thinking on the book with other readers and I received a similar feedback. The Tennis Brain actually might represent a benchmark in the developing field of cognitive neuroscience applied to sport coaching (Prof. Salvatore Guccione, Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania).

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Dec 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524664732

Federico Di Carlo

Federico Di Carlo educated in the mental aspects of tennis in England and Australia. He is a GPTCA (Global Professional Tennis Coach Association) and ISSF (International Sport Shooting Federation) coach. In tennis, he developed international experience as a tennis mental trainer by working in several academies and clubs, and by collaborating with ATP- and WTA- ranked tennis pros. He works as an independent researcher on the neuroscientific aspects of tennis and has already published Il Cervello Tennistico, a manual on tennis mental training. He is also the author of several research articles related to tennis mental aspects in the Journal of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and in the Journal of Sports Science.

Book preview

© 2017 Federico Di Carlo. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

The publishers have done their utmost to respect the rights of third parties. Anyone who believes that certain rights can nonetheless be asserted may apply to the publishers. It will be included in the next edition of the book upon notice or removed. Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes in typography or content. This book is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publishers are giving specific advice. Each person has unique needs that are beyond the scope of this book. This book provides information only up to the publishing date and therefore it should be used as a guide, not as the ultimate source.

Tennis player image in the front cover: Science Photo Library/Alamy Stock Photo

Federico Di Carlo Picture in the back cover © Riccardo Piccioni

Published by AuthorHouse 12/16/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5246-6474-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-6475-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-6473-2 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

BOOK ENDORSEMENTS

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

PART 1

BRAIN, BODY, MIND, AND PERFORMANCE

CHAPTER 1 SELF 1 AND SELF 2

CHAPTER 2 LATERALISATION

CHAPTER 3 VISIVE PERCEPTION IN TENNIS

PART 2

THE MIND INFLUENCE ON PERFORMANCE: THE LOOP THOUGHT-EMOTION-BEHAVIOUR

Introduction

CHAPTER 4 THE THOUGHT AS A DELIBERATE TENNIS MOTOR RESPONSE

CHAPTER 5 THE THOUGHT AS A PROCESS OF THE MIND. META-MODELS, CONCEPTS, BIASES, PREJUDICES, AND SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECIES

CHAPTER 6 NEURAL THREATENING DEFENCE MECHANISMS, EMOTIONS AND THE FEELING OF FEAR

CHAPTER 7 BEHAVIOUR AND THE NEUROBIOCHEMISTRY OF AROUSAL

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

RECOMMENDED READING

If you can’t control your mind and emotions, you can’t be great at anything. Temperament and mental conditions make the difference between a good player and a great one.

Jack Kramer

The strongest part of my game is my head. The rhythm and the timing are much more important to me than power. I never had power. I needed something else. Instead I had to be smart. I had to think until my head broke.

Martina Hingis

One or two years ago I didn’t know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I’ve learned how to cope and can therefore win ten matches in a row. I want to be remembered as a good player rather than an idiot on court.

Roger Federer

In terms of playing ability there is nothing to choose between number one and 100. Instead, it’s a question of who believes and who wants it more? Which player is mentally stronger? Which player is going to fight the hardest in the big points? These are the things that determine who is the champion.

Novak Djokovic

I’m not afraid of anyone, but sometimes I’m afraid of myself. The mental part is very important.

Justine Henin

The mental side is an important part of the tennis puzzle. If you are able to master all areas of being a professional athlete, you can be successful. My mental coach has taught me very simple things, such as creating a system and a routine in your daily life that helps you to work. It is a part that many people think of, but don’t apply. A lot of people talk about how many hours they have spent running and in the gym, but to what end?

Thomas Berdych

This game is 50 percent mental, 45 percent physical and 5 percent tennis.

Carlos Ferrero

For sure, with golf it’s not a physically demanding sport like tennis. That’s what makes tennis great – you combine both things. It’s a very mental sport and at the same time can be dramatically physical. But I do admire the mentally of sport more than the physicality because physical performance is much easier to practice than mental performance.

Raphael Nadal

The difference between a Top 10 player and a player trying to break into the Top 25 isn’t tennis strokes. It’s tennis smarts, the mental part of the game. I found that out in my own journey from the tennis wilderness into the Top 10. For recreational tennis players it’s the same. […] One of the biggest misconceptions recreational tennis players have about the game is that there’s not much to it mentally. Some of the big names in tennis also felt that way. Fortunately for me.

Brad Gilbert

By their own admission, almost all coaches and players felt that tennis success (i.e. performing up to one’s capabilities) was at least 50% mental, with many indicating that it was 80% to 90% mental. These percentages held true regardless of age, gender, or ability of the players in my informal survey conducted over the past 5 years.

Robert Weinberg

BOOK ENDORSEMENTS

This work by Federico Di Carlo is a cornerstone among the contemporary research on cognitive neuroscience. The reader is introduced to the exploration and a step by step understanding of the brain and mind mechanisms. Through a fascinating journey in the world of tennis, the author motivates the reader to discover and change wrong behaviours in a positive way. This is a complete manual, useful to both tennis professionals and fans, as well as to anyone aspiring to achieve better results in the game of life.

Renzo Ardiccioni,

Associate Professor of Communication,

Université du Maine, France

Drawing upon a great number of studies as well as on the author’s personal experience, Tennis Brain brings together neurosciences and tennis practice, challenging the readers to critically reconsider some of their habits and beliefs. Di Carlo summarises the extensive research produced in the last three decades and makes it accessible to a wider audience, bringing our understanding of key mental aspects of tennis out of the realm of empirical opinions and into the realm of science and knowledge. Tennis Brain can actually guide the readers to develop their own critical thinking and to learn to improve.

Alessandro Bruinen Serio

PhD, Founder of RISED (Research for Integrative and Sustainable Development)

Since the first time we met, I was really impressed with Di Carlo well founded opinion, genuine love and immense enthusiasm for a neuroscientific driven tennis which comes out from every single page of The Tennis Brain. Starting from a presentation of the structural and physiological mechanisms of the nervous system and the psychological assets of the mind, Federico Di Carlo uses the tennis court to change the tennis player mind to a positive thinking and correct competitive mentality. For scientific consistency, I compared my thinking on the book with other readers and I received a similar feedback. The Tennis Brain actually might represent a benchmark in the developing field of cognitive neuroscience applied to sport coaching.

Prof. Salvatore Guccione

Department of Drug Sciences

University of Catania

FOREWORD

Writing a book is a long journey and the result could not be obtained without the useful collaboration of friends who helped in thousands of ways in each aspect of the publication.

I am grateful to the sport psychology department of the University of Chieti and especially to Prof. Laura Bortoli and Prof. Claudio Robazza for their invaluable support and advice about sport psychology research, studies, and trends.

I am immensely thankful for the text revision work made by Ornella Gueli. You really did an amazing job!!!!! The text would have never been so fluent and natural without your suggestions and revisions.

Paolo Ceci and Maurizio Lucenti deserve a special mention for they took charge of the charts and images that are in the publication. Your work helped to make the subjects easily accessible to everybody.

The book editor deserves great credit for the organisational aspects of the publication and the quality publishing of the book as for the overall graphics.

I would like to thank Consuelo Manetti and Adriano Nepa for the useful advice, ideas and consult on the book front and back cover.

I am extremely thankful to Tommaso Iozzo, psychologist, researcher, and tennis coach for reading, commenting and sharing his views on the subjects proposed in the book.

I would like to thank my sister for introducing me to the fascinating neuroscientific approach. I am extremely grateful to my parents for instilling in me the passion for research and teaching and for patiently tolerating never-ending days spent at the computer.

This book is dedicated to the memory of grandma Italia Di Ludovico, the one who guessed tennis talent in me and presented me with my first tennis racket. She patiently and silently tolerated me hitting hundreds of thousands of balls against her house wall while she was having an afternoon nap.

INTRODUCTION

Athletes and trainers have understood for many decades now that the mental aspect is a critical factor to determine the quality of sport performance, often more important than the athletic and technical aspects (Weinberg and Gould 1995; Butler, 1988; Sayer & Connolly, 1987; Martens, 1991). A meta-analysis carried out by Williams (1986) shows that in terms of psychological abilities, high-level athletes have better concentration abilities, higher confidence, thoughts related to performance, less distractions and lower levels of stress. Those athletes use imagery abilities to anticipate success in the task, are more determined and show better involvement and motivation (Gould et al., 1989; Orlick et Partington, 1989).¹

The sport of tennis, above all single, has some peculiarities that make it different compared to other sports making it a highly mentally stressing game.

By combining the mentioned characteristics it comes out that tennis has peculiar aspects compared to other sports and, although there may be many common issues, it requires specific mental abilities and adaptive mental skills. Sampras wrote that athletic and mental characteristics which allow a player to shine in tennis are harder than those required to become a star in NBA;² tennis takes a lot of talent because a player needs to combine many physical and mental skills, such as end-eye coordination, speed, strength, endurance and flexibility. Even if all these physical skills are perfected, if the mental part is not as strong, it is difficult to succeed as a tennis player.³ Mental abilities may become a competitive advantage supplementing power-game, physical strength and other characteristics.⁴ Some players postulated the concept that emotional intelligence is the difference between normal players and champions.⁵

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE GOOD AT TENNIS?

In tennis, there are four macro areas to be accounted for:

Technical dimension

Tactical dimension

Athletic dimension

Mental dimension

In Alberto Castellani’s meta-analysis carried out in 2002 by asking top 200 ATP players and professional tour coaches about the importance of mental aspects in tennis performance, it is a perceived belief in tennis that mental aspects are expected to influence about 40% of performance. Though the mental impact on tennis may statistically be impossible to quantify, we do know that mental aspects are very often either an alibi to explain one’s own setbacks or a self-sabotaging fulfilling prophecy.

To see it in Marat Safin’s perspective, playing at a professional level is not just about playing tennis; the mental part plays a very important role. Tennis is not just about hitting the ball over the net, serving or volleying; it is much more than that; you need to use your head. Pro players can all play tennis; what makes a difference is how their brains allow them to use their abilities at best. When players with similar potential and technical-tactical skills come up against each other, the result of the match is often determined by psychological factors such as self-confidence, determination, willpower and concentration.⁶ Observing in training number ten and number five hundred, it is not easy to say who is higher in the rank. Without the event pressure, both players will move and hit the ball in the same way. But playing tennis is not only about hitting the ball well, but taking the right shot selection, and other mental related abilities.⁷

According to some theories, acquiring the abilities to become a top player requires 10,000 intensive training hours. Assuming that mental aspects account for 40% of the overall skills, players should dedicate at least 4,000 hours of mental training in their education. How many tennis players do it? ⁸ It is a question that probably will be answered in the years to come.

Players and experts are surprised by the fact that nearly 80% of playing time is spent on things other than just hitting the ball to win a point. A lot of time is taken up by changing ends, in the intervals between games, between points and sets. Tennis players often perceive that performance slumps/enhancement happen during the above pause times, but they don’t know how to handle such situations and above all transform it into a competitive advantage.

Keeping concentration high while the ball in play is relatively easy. The brain has a yellow ball moving to chase and focus on. The play is so quick that most action happens as automated, subconscious, and reflex responses. Problems often arise during the pause time when the conscious and emotional mind-sets tend to pop in. Most of the work on the mental aspects of tennis before ’60 was based on impression and player accounts. The sport psychological approach dates back to the seventies. Most recent approaches are based on cognitive and behavioural studies. This book is meant to explain and highlight the neural patterns and provide insights of how conscious and emotional processes (chapters 4-5) influence memory work and brain-body connections (chapter 1), brain lateralisation (chapter 2), perception (chapter 3), conceptual system (chapter 6), arousal and behaviour (chapter 7) that may take place during a tennis match.

PART 1

Brain, Body, Mind, and Performance

CHAPTER 1

Self 1 and Self 2

Most modern debates on tennis’s mental aspects are to be found in the Tim Gallwey classic The Inner Game of Tennis.¹ The author’s point of view is that on the tennis court, behaviour is the result of complex relationships between ego (self 1) and mind and body (self 2).

Gallwey brought the researcher’s attention to issues that became the cornerstone for modern discussion on the mental aspects in tennis. Specifically, Gallwey focused on the role of ego in tennis performance. The contribution he offered comes with many exercises and personal experiences. Though Gallwey’s conclusions are somewhat outdated by new neuroscientific evidence, there are two main issues for which Gallwey deserves great credit. First, he foresaw forty years in advance that the mental aspects of the game would become more and more of a competitive advantage in professional tennis. Second, he opened the way for discussion about how mind processes influence motor performance with perspectives that were almost unexplored at that time.

Lateralisation

In the book Winning Ugly, Brad Gilbert proposes that the difference between his point of view and Gallwey’s is that Gallwey focuses on the right brain, or intuitive, process while he focuses on the left-brain process. Playing tennis for Gilbert is not just either a right- or a left-brain activity. The brain uses both sides in an incredible combination of spontaneous and creative mental and physical responses, and there is a cold, analytical approach that involves