In tennis, the difference is often made at equal technical levels. An important point, a break point, a tie-break… and everything comes down to the ability to stay lucid, engaged, and confident. Mental preparation is not “in the head” in a vague sense: it is a concrete training, with simple tools to repeat, just like a forehand. Clarify your objective (and your match plan) Before thinking about the result, set yourself a process goal: what you want to do on the court. Example