Kwong Young

As a player, do you have the capability to change the way and where you hit? Can you calm yourself down or fuel yourself into a positive emotional state?

When thinking back to the time I started playing tennis in upstate New York, I was a ticking time bomb on the court and sadly displayed negative, bad behavior. While there are many things we cannot control, one can develop “mental toughness” to manage those instinctive reactions on the court.

Understanding and playing despite the emotion is the trick. It is like being upset over a cloudy day. You can be upset, but that is not going to change the fact that it is a cloudy day. A bad shot or a bad call is the same way. While we may be upset, frustrated, or furious, it will not change the fact of the shot and the call being bad. You must deal with your emotions effectively on the court and continue to play the game.

In this crazy time of coronavirus, there is very little we can control. Tennis is an opportunity to get on the court and play, no matter howl we play.