PLANNING & ROUTINES
MENTAL SKILL 07
Tennis involves preparation, decisions and unexpected situations.
Having a plan and practising simple routines can help you organize your attention
and actions during training and competition.
A routine is not a lucky ritual or a guarantee of success. It is a familiar sequence
of useful actions that you can practise and adjust when needed.
Your preparation should support your development, not create additional pressure.
Prepare With Purpose. Stay Flexible.
Build Your Routine. Prepare for Your Game.
WATCH & LEARN
Learn how planning and flexible routines can support your preparation before training, between points and during competition.
INTRODUCTION VIDEO — COMING SOON
01 — LEARN: UNDERSTAND PLANNING & ROUTINES
WHAT IS PLANNING?
Planning means preparing the actions, resources and priorities that may help you approach a tennis situation. A useful plan can include:
• Identifying one training objective.
• Preparing your equipment.
• Organizing your schedule.
• Planning a familiar warm-up.
• Choosing appropriate recovery time.
• Discussing a match strategy with your coach.
Planning helps you prepare, but it cannot eliminate uncertainty.
WHAT IS A ROUTINE?
A routine is a familiar sequence of actions practised in a particular situation. In tennis, routines may help organize your preparation, attention and behaviour. Examples include:
• Before a training session.
• Before serving.
• Before returning serve.
• Between points.
• During changeovers.
• Before and after competition.
A routine may include practical actions, movement, breathing comfortably or choosing an attention cue. It should be simple enough to use in real tennis situations.
WHAT MAKES A ROUTINE USEFUL?
• SIMPLE — Easy to understand and remember.
• PURPOSEFUL — Each action serves a useful function.
• PRACTISED — Repeated during appropriate training opportunities.
• FLEXIBLE — Adjustable when conditions change.
• PERSONAL — Suitable for the individual athlete and situation.
A routine is not a superstition. You do not need to repeat every action perfectly to perform well.
WHEN DO I USE THIS SKILL?
BEFORE TRAINING
Prepare your equipment and choose one process goal with your coach.
BEFORE SERVING
Use a familiar preparation sequence to direct your attention toward your next action.
BEFORE RETURNING SERVE
Adopt a ready position and select a useful attention cue.
BETWEEN POINTS
Use an appropriate reset and preparation sequence.
DURING A CHANGEOVER
Review your needs, recover appropriately and prepare for the next games.
WHEN A PLAN CHANGES
Adjust your routine when the schedule, opponent or playing conditions change.
A USEFUL ROUTINE GIVES YOU DIRECTION WITHOUT TAKING AWAY YOUR FLEXIBILITY.
02 — PRACTICE: BUILD A SIMPLE ROUTINE
MY THREE-STEP ROUTINE
DURATION: 3–5 MINUTES
OBJECTIVE:
Learn to design and practise a short, purposeful routine for a familiar tennis situation.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Choose one situation, such as preparing to serve or beginning a training drill.
- Identify what you need to prepare.
- Select three simple actions that support the task.
- Practise the sequence during an appropriate drill.
- Notice which actions are useful.
- Adjust or simplify the routine with your coach if needed.
EXAMPLE:
SITUATION: Preparing to serve.
STEP 1 — PREPARE: Choose my target.
STEP 2 — FOCUS: Use my familiar attention cue.
STEP 3 — ACT: Begin my serving motion.
REVIEW: Was the routine simple and useful? Did it help organize my preparation?
REMEMBER: The goal is not to perform a perfect ritual. It is to practise a helpful and flexible sequence.
BUILD A SIMPLE ROUTINE
03 — APPLY: TAKE IT ON THE COURT
YOUR ON-COURT MENTAL MISSION
During your next tennis practice, work with your coach to integrate one simple routine into a normal technical or tactical training exercise.
- Choose a specific tennis situation with your coach.
- Identify one preparation objective.
- Select a short routine adapted to the situation.
- Practise the routine during an appropriate drill.
- Notice what happens when your routine is interrupted.
- Adjust your preparation and continue.
- Review with your coach which actions were helpful.
EXAMPLE APPLICATION:
SITUATION
You are preparing to return serve.
PLAN
Be ready to observe useful information from the server.
ROUTINE
Move into your ready position, notice the server's preparation and direct your attention toward the ball.
UNEXPECTED EVENT
A distraction interrupts your preparation.
ADAPTATION
Return to your most useful cue without trying to restart every step perfectly.
Explain that a routine should support the tennis task rather than interfere with the timing of play or the rules.
04 — YOUR DAILY MENTAL CHALLENGE
TODAY'S MISSION
Choose one familiar activity today and practise a short preparation routine. It may involve tennis, schoolwork, training or another everyday responsibility.
YOUR CHALLENGE
PREPARE → FOCUS → ACT
PREPARE: What do I need for this task?
FOCUS: What deserves my attention?
ACT: What useful action comes next?
Try your sequence and notice whether it helped.
If something changes, adapt your routine instead of treating the interruption as a failure.
05 — REFLECT: LEARN FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE
Q1
What situation did I prepare
for today?
Q2
Which part of my routine
was most useful?
Q3
What would I keep, simplify
or adjust next time?
These questions are for private personal reflection only. Do not create forms or collect responses.