In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss an article about Cameron Young from the PGA Tour and the paradox of outcomes. They talked about how acceptance of his self-talk, staying present, and taking things one shot at a time ultimately led to his success at The Players Championship. The co-hosts examined how tennis players, coaches, and parents can learn from the successes of professional athletes in tennis and in other sports to understand what strategies and mental skills can improve performance.

Article: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7127018/2026/03/18/cameron-young-players-mental-skill/

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh review an article about Emma Raadacanu losing her “natural” playing style and trying to find it again. They discuss the issues with coaches teaching a ‘one size fits all’ approach to tennis and advocate for players to build their game based on individual strengths and preferences instead. Lastly, they examine which characteristics tennis players can build to help themselves utilize their “natural” playing style including self-belief and trust.

Article: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/mar/05/emma-raducanu-hopes-rediscover-natural-style-tennis

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

The first round of a tournament or the first match of a league/conference championship weekend can lead to more anxious feelings for tennis players. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss research on first match anxiety to help you understand it better, and take practical steps to handle it better.

Psychophysiological stress in tennis players during the first single match of a tournament: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030645300800228X

To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.