Have you ever been in a tennis match and you’re playing brilliantly for three-four games and then suddenly you lose focus and start to throw away points like they were candy wrappers? I have. Did you feel have difficult it was to get back to the right mindset? That feeling is so disappointing i
t’s disgusting. There are no simple remedies for this, everybody gets into a slump from time to time, but you can change your mindset to make it easier to get back that important match-winning focus.
How do you do that? Just buy my secret focus potion consisting of Rafael Nadal’s blood, sweat and tears called Rafa Juice!
Act now and get a “30-day Your-Dignity-Back-Guarantee!”. If you don’t like the drink and don’t feel you’ve gained focus and intensity, just send an e-mail to [email protected] and we’ll send reimburse you the whole price of $169.99! This is an offer you can’t miss out on!
Ok, enough of that. I don’t have Rafa’s blood, sweat and tears on a bottle. And if I did, I’d probably be behind bars fairly soon.
And you’t need Nadal’s juices to adapt his mindset. Instead you need a list:
1. Never ever give up. You can turn around 6-0 5-0 into a victory. This is tennis, not football and has the most interesting scoring system known to man.
2. Give yourself a little bit of VAMOS when you win a good point. Don’t complain about the way you play. Focus on the positives! That’s how Rafa gets his fist-pumping energy.
3. Play each point competitively. Don’t waste any points by not giving it your best. That’s the only way to get back into focus. Don’t tank!
4. If you lose yourself completely and start handing your opponent the match on a silver platter, take a little break. Sit down under a towel Soderling-style, go for a quick toilet break, take some extra deep breaths. It’s important you get a moment for yourself to get back your focus and possibly get your opponent a bit off his. Nadal has hundreds of routines to remind him to focus, focus, focus. Bounce ball x times, move hair behind ear, pull nose, pull pants, step up and down with feet, adjust water bottles etc (yes, he has OCD, but some of these manoeuvres really help him quiet his mind).
5. Come prepared to do battle. Make sure you have enough water, maybe a banana, and that you haven’t eaten a big meal too close to the match. Try to feel your best or close to it.
6. Losing is not a big deal, but losing while not giving your best is a big deal. You’ll always feel better afterwards (even if you lose!) knowing that you gave it your best shot.
Good luck adapting to the Rafa mindset. Drink that Rafa Juice!
