The Power of Routines — SS #32

Yanking wedgies in front of millions.

Never stepping on the baseline.

Staring or adjusting your strings after each point.

Always going back to the towel.

Bouncing the ball in between their legs.

If you’ve been a tennis fan and a player for a while, you’ll know that our world is replete with players who utilize routines while competing. We see them in grand slams all the way to your local courts.

They are not for show but can help us to let go and reset for the next points. And the best players in the world know how to use them to set themselves into appropriate performance states

Why Routines Are Important

Tennis has a unique structure where the actual ball striking and point-play is only a fraction of the match time. After each point, we players are afforded 15 to 25 seconds to regroup and get ready to play the next point. This is when you should utilize routines.

But what are they specifically?

Lauer & Chung (2010) describe them as brief, productive actions executed faithfully between points with the goal of helping the player. I’ll add a little more here: if executed well and automatically, I’ve found that routines are incredibly effective at helping players stay present and in the moment. What do I mean by present? That most players have a tendency to let their minds wander to the future and the past.

Here’s an example: If it’s 4–4 and you have two break points at 15-40, instead of rushing to the baseline to return serve thinking, yes, I’ll win this game now and then I’ll hold serve and win the set, you can use your practiced routines to refocus in on your process goals and play each point one at a time.

Or imagine this: You just played a long 25-shot rally, and your opponent hits a drop shot winner on you. Your heart is pumping, your thoughts are racing with frustration, and anger starts to creep in.

Without a routine to reset, you may be likely to carry that mental baggage into the next point. But with a practiced routine, you can calm yourself, re-center, and approach the next point with clarity.

Lauer & Chung emphasize that routines should be deliberate, meaningful, and personal. For example, Novak Djokovic’s deep breaths between points are not just for show—they’re a way to reset and control his performance state. Similarly, Rafael Nadal’s meticulous habits, while bordering on superstition, are part of his process to feel mentally in control.

Additionally, Lauer & Chung lay out the following impacts of routines (I’ve added a few points, too)

Without Routines

• Tendency to rush

• Easily distracted

• Never feeling settled or comfortable on the match court

• Reduced ability to stay present

• Reduced ability to stick to process goals

With Routines

• Increased familiarity with match scenarios

• Increased confidence

• Increased feelings of control

• Increased concentration

• Can help you to enter “the zone”

I hope you can see the benefits of routines in tennis. They are crucial in helping you to find stability during the high-pressure scenarios of competitive tennis, and can provide comfort and grounding when you need it most.

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Routines—Not Superstitions

That being said, it’s important that routines are not confused with superstitions. Though similar, routines are within the athlete’s control while superstitions are sometimes not. Additionally, superstitions can be downright harmful or disgusting.

Lauer & Chung give examples such as not changing socks and shirts after winning, not doing a full warm-up because it worked in the past, and also eating three hamburgers before a match because the player won after doing so!

Here are some additional superstitions that come to mind:

• Always eating at the same restaurant and ordering the same dish (what if they run out of produce one day?)

• Always buying a blue Powerade from the pro shop before the match (what if they sell Gatorade instead?)

Superstitions can also create a false dependency. If your favorite socks are in the laundry or your go-to restaurant is closed, what then? Avoid building habits that hinge on external factors outside of your control.

Create a Personalized Routine

As we head into the section of this newsletter where you start to construct your own routine, you need to understand a couple of things: the first is that there is not one-size-fits-all routine. The routine that you develop needs to be highly personal and fit into your Individualized Zone of Optimal Functioning. What do I mean by this? For example, if you notice that you’re naturally a performer who plays their best when your arousal level is at a 3 out of 10, then you should try to create routines around that. Conversely, if you have figured out that you perform your best when you’re at about a 6.5 out of 10, then you should also create routines for that accordingly. For this scenario, it might include more bouncing on your toes, and more positive, encouraging self-talk. Your routine should be highly personalized.

Lauer & Chung propose the 4 following phases for planning your routine.

Step 1: Immediate Physical Response: The opponent should not be able to read negative responses in your body language. Win or lose, your walk should be composed or under control—whatever that looks like for you. This might be a fist pump if you win the point, or a short, acknowledging nod of, next point, if you make an error.

Step 2: Relaxation Response: Focus on the breath to relax and center yourself. You could potentially do one cycle of box-breathing. According to Lauer & Chung, the goal of this step is to come down from the last point, let go of it, and start thinking of the next point.

Step 3: Preparatory Response: Here the player can remind themselves of their process goals and where they want to place the ball depending on whether they are serving or returning. For example on serve, down the T and follow it in to the net. Or on the return, place the ball deep through the middle. The goal of this step is to let go of the last point and move forward towards the next point.

Step 4: Automatic or Ritual Response: The final step of your routine. The player can utilize cue words if they work for them, follow a short physical routine like twirling the racket once or bouncing the ball a predetermined number of times if serving. According to Lauer & Chung, the goal of this part of your routine is to turn off the analyzer component of your brain and just rely on automaticity. This is something we all can aspire to!

A Word of Caution

Routines are not magic. While they provide structure and stability, they’re not a guarantee of perfect performance.

Instead, think of them as a tool—one that must be practiced, refined, and adapted as your game evolves.

Here’s an additional point that I want to make: It’s crucial that your routines don’t take up your working memory during matches. Working memory refers to the part of your brain that temporarily holds and processes information needed to complete immediate tasks. Think about someone telling you a phone number and then you trying to hold it in your head and write it down without messing up.

You shouldn’t be actively thinking, crap, what’s my routine? Did I complete the preparatory phase? This means practicing them enough in simulated match conditions so they become automatic.

The more automatic your routines are, the less mental bandwidth you’ll expend on them, freeing up resources for more important decisions and executions.

And remember, routines aren’t set in stone. If you notice a specific element isn’t working or doesn’t serve anymore, don’t hesitate to tweak it in your practices so that they are automatic come match time.

Start Small!

Routines are one of the simplest yet most effective tools to improve your mental game. They can help you manage pressure, stay present, and focus on what truly matters: letting go and focusing on the next point.

And with practice, your routines can become a source of confidence and stability, allowing you to thrive even in the most stressful moments on the match court.

My recommendation? Start small. Even if that means going back to your towel after each point. Build a routine that feels natural, practice it consistently, and adjust as needed.

And if you’re looking for personalized advice or want help constructing a routine tailored to you, let’s work on it together.

This issue relies heavily on Dr. Larry Lauer and Dr. Yongul Chung’s chapter on routines from the USTA’s Mental Skills and Drills handbook. I’ve built upon it with my commentary and added other relevant information.

Disclaimer: I am not an AASP CMPC, certified sports psychology practitioner, nor am I a licensed mental health counselor or PsyD. I aim to bring the best information to tennis players around the world so that you can apply it for long-term improvement—but sometimes I will make mistakes. If this is your area of research or expertise, and you feel I’ve misunderstood something, please get in touch with me and if required I will happily issue a correction.

References

Lauer, L. & Chung, Y. (2010) Successful tennis routines. In Lauer, L., Gould, D., Lubber, P., Kovacs., M. (Eds.), USTA Mental Skills and Drills Handbook (pp. 299–305). Coaches Choice