What is meant by dominance?
It is the feeling that inferior players get when they face better players. Highly ranked or otherwise successful players have a way of making their opponents feel weak and ineffective. Roger Federer, in his prime, is the best recent example. His mere presence across the net was intimidating, and not just because he played extraordinary tennis. In some ways he also dominated opponents mentally, so they missed shots against him that they would have made against other players. They were more likely to become nervous against Federer in big situations or discouraged when they got behind.
How does one establish this dominance?
Start by recognizing that all of your actions have an effect on your opponent’s mental state. Human beings are a social species, and we instinctively react emotionally to the way other people treat us. If you show that you fear someone, they feel strong; if you ignore someone and dismiss their efforts, they feel weak. So if you appear tough, confident and resolute, your opponent will tend to feel ineffective.
Much of Federer’s psychological dominance came from the way he carried himself: serene, self-assured and steadfast in the face of his opponent’s winners or his own errors. You can do the same. If your opponent hits a great shot, don’t react. Simply walk back into position as you always do: head up, steady stride and looking like you know exactly what you are doing. This is a dominant attitude. If you make an error, no matter how egregious, act as if you’re unfazed. Just go about your business and ready yourself to play the next point. Realize that displays of frustration, anger or discouragement are signs of weakness that serve only to strengthen your opponent.
Another method of establishing dominance is to control the pace of the match. Between points, deliberately walk to position at your own pace. If it is slower than your opponent wishes, it will make him or her wait a little; if it is faster, it will make him or her feel rushed. Of course, don’t do this outside of any written or unwritten rules. You are not trying to cheat or be irritating; you are merely determined to play the match at your own, dominant pace.
Finally, you can dominate with your match strategy. It is intimidating when you have a clear game plan and a specific purpose behind your shots, rather than—as so many players do—hitting balls randomly into whatever appears to be an opening. It indicates that you think you have found a weakness and intend to exploit it. Thoughtful, purposeful people frighten those who are more tentative.
Resist allowing opponents to think that you fear any part of their game. If your opponent bests you in a long baseline rally, don’t immediately begin to hit harder or rush the net. Go right back at your opponent and force him or her to do it again. After you win one of these long points you can then decide to adjust your strategy, but you don’t want your opponent to feel like you have conceded a part of the court. Dominant players move because they choose to move, not because their opponent makes them.
Acting in these dominant ways imposes your will and force of personality on your opponent. It is an unpleasant and heavy burden—and your opponent, even though he or she may be technically better than you, will often falter under it.
Allen Fox, Ph.D., is a psychologist, coach, former Wimbledon quarterfinalist and author of Tennis: Winning the Mental Match.