There are always at least two games taking place during a tennis match: the one on the court and the one in your head. There’s not an experienced player alive who hasn’t practically won the game on the tennis surface only to lose it in his head and in the final score. Tennis is often compared to chess because of the almost limitless strategic alternatives and the enormous mental pressure that can increase as you play through your strategy*. Keeping all this under control is what a good mental attitude is all about.

*strategy : a particular plan for winning success, as in a game.