‘Breathe, think clearly’: ATP stars share Best Speech Ever | ATP Tour

Player Features

‘Breathe, think clearly’: ATP stars share Best Speech Ever

Tsitsipas, Medvedev featured

October 03, 2024

Tennis players often engage in self-talk as a way to stay focused, motivated or mentally reset during matches. Whether it is a few quiet words under their breath or more animated expressions, this habit helps these world-class athletes navigate through high-pressure moments.

“It allows me to breathe. It allows me to think clearly. It allows me to take the right steps to reassert myself into the match,” said one Top 15 star in our latest feature, ‘Best Speech Ever’.

Take a look into the mental side of tennis as Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Grigor Dimitrov, Holger Rune and Felix Auger-Aliassime reveal how they psyche themselves up before and during matches.

One player recalled his exact thought process in one of his biggest career wins while another player reflected on a match at the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals, where he mounted a comeback by finding “the best tennis of my life”.

Curious about what these top players tell themselves when they are just one game away from suffering defeat? Watch the full video above to find out and don’t miss the “money maker” mindset Dimitrov reveals at the end.