Fear of Making Mistakes on the Court: How a Coach Works With It

Mistakes in tennis are not enemies but learning material. The fear of making mistakes often prevents children and adult beginners from opening up on the court. It is important to understand why this fear arises, how it affects technique and movement, and how a coach helps to work with it without excessive pressure.

Why Fear of Mistakes Appears in Beginners

Fear of making mistakes is a natural reaction when a person does something new and unfamiliar. In tennis, this feeling is especially noticeable because the game requires not only physical but also mental flexibility. Beginners fear looking bad in front of the coach or peers and worry about how they will be judged. For children, fear can increase if parents are too demanding or react emotionally to mistakes. Adults often set too high expectations for themselves, not allowing room for error.

How Fear Affects Movement and Technique

Tension and fear of mistakes create internal stiffness. As a result, movements become constrained, losing natural rhythm and coordination. Shots may be uncertain or too harsh, and footwork less agile. Instead of smooth and free movements, there is either rushing or freezing. This hinders learning because the brain and body cannot “remember” the correct sensations and positions for the stroke.

How a Coach Reduces Pressure and Helps Work With Mistakes

A coach looks at the student as a whole — not only at the result but also at how they move, perceive tasks, and react to misses. Instead of criticism, the coach offers a format where one can calmly try without pressure or examination. Mistakes are seen as useful material: they are studied together to understand what can be improved.

At the start of training, it is important to choose exercises for calm repetition: simple movements, multiple ball touches without hurry, game tasks with low difficulty. This helps reduce internal tension and gradually enter the working mode.

Practical Examples From Training

• Warm-up with light exercises for footwork and racket handling to feel the ball.
• Game tasks where the goal is not to win but to correctly perform technical elements.
• Repetitions of strokes at a slow pace with feedback from the coach, who supports and explains without criticism.
• Breathing breaks and short conversations to allow the student to “reset” and not fixate on mistakes.

The Role of Parents in Reacting to a Child’s Mistakes

It is very important that parents act as helpers, not judges. Excessive criticism or high expectations increase fear and tension, leading to withdrawal and reluctance to learn. It is better to calmly support the child, acknowledge effort and process rather than just the result. One-on-one communication after training, without outsiders or loud remarks, helps the child feel more confident.

What You Can Do Right Now

• Approach training as a living experience, not a test.
• Dress comfortably, bring water, and do not set a goal to “not make mistakes.”
• On the first training, calmly try and perform tasks without hurry.
• Observe how the coach explains and supports, and choose the format that suits you.
• Remember: a mistake is part of the journey, not a reason for disappointment.

How TS WINNER Supports Students

At TS WINNER in Budva (Slovenska plaza, hotel Aleksandar), coaches tailor the format considering the age, level, condition, and goals of each student. Here, live contact with the coach, absence of pressure, and the opportunity to calmly analyze mistakes are valued. It is easier to clarify the choice of lesson and schedule through @TSWinnerbot.

Conclusion

Fear of making mistakes is not a reason to stop. It is a signal that the coach pays attention to in order to choose the right approach. Mistakes are a source of knowledge, not a verdict. A calm start and live contact with the coach are realistic next steps in tennis learning.

If you or your child experience tension on the court, we invite you to a live training session where mistakes can be calmly analyzed together without pressure or examination.

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Nataliia Nemsadze

Sport psychologist at TS WINNER tennis school · licensed coach (ATP · TSS · TSCG)