Learning from losing: Tips and reflections

A recent USTA webinar addressed the subject of losing. Losing can be a challenging aspect of playing tennis, yet losing is inevitable. Using the loss to learn can turn the loss into a productive experience.

Our webinar discussed various aspects of dealing with a loss, and five highlights are as follows:

1. Have a routine that you maintain whether you win or lose. This can help provide comfort and a sense of security that may be lost due to losing a tennis match. This will also possibly help normalize loss.

2. Keep the perspective. Tennis is a game and a part of life, but hopefully not what a player, coach, or parent hangs their hat on as a benchmark for their self-esteem or identity. Losing will happen: It's what you do with the loss that can help the next one have less of a negative impact.

3. Improvement in tennis is a process, which means that it will have ups and downs, good days and not so good days. Keep your focus on moving forward. Assess what worked and what didn’t work. Look at a loss as an opportunity to learn.

4. Maintain positive self-talk no matter the result. For example, language such as “It's ok, it happens, and I’ll do better next time,” may help to move past any disappointment.

5. Remember that the player will most likely need reassurance that a loss will not change how you feel or think about them. 

Although losing a tennis match may be challenging, giving your best effort, having a positive mindset, and remembering that the goal of tennis is to have fun are essential pieces to keeping a loss in perspective. Losses are part of life, and developing a routine or plan to manage the feelings associated with a loss may help to navigate them.