My padel partner and I play much worse in competitive matches than we do in friendly games, and we’re trying to figure out how to fix it.
In casual matches we play freely, attack well, hit aggressively, and everything feels automatic. But as soon as the match becomes competitive, we both tense up badly.
Our arms get stiff, we start missing easy shots, hesitate to attack, and it feels like we lose all fluidity and confidence. It’s almost like a padel version of “dartitis” or the yips.
The strange thing is that technically we know how to play — the problem feels completely mental. It’s like we stop trusting our automatic game and start consciously controlling every shot.
Has anyone experienced this in padel or other sports?
What actually helped you overcome it?
I used to get abit of this - more with tennis.
As I got older, I reminded myself i was playing because I loved the sport, not for the result.
Focus on the process and the joy of the game, not the outcome. Little things like praising the opponent, appreciating great play etc made the whole thing enjoyable.
Good advice here. Started to recognise any good play from opponents or my team. Just to see, learn & appreciate the sport - made me better as a player big time especially in comp. Games
The mental part is a hard part to master of the game. I recommend just playing competitive matches, after a while competitive or not it just feels like what it really is... just a game.
I agree with this. Playing more tournament will help you get better at it.
I was stucked in quarter finals. Losing every one of them, to the point it was 5-6 in a row. Even games we « should have » won.
However, i watched several videos on mental, body language, how to trick your brain to relax, breathing exercices and it worked.
Last weekend we won our first tournament. At no point I felt stressed. Yes, I played bad on some occasion (2-3 games max) but was able to get over it.
Just keep on going, and it will click!
I think it's simply part of what makes you an athlete. It's not just the physical capabilities, the mental ability to perform under different conditions, and it's great that you recognize this early
Happened to me many times! Both on myself and people I play with „cracking under pressure“. In my case it was because I was too preoccupied with not losing points in Playtomic, often rushing to finish when I should have been patient to build up the point or vice versa being too careful not to make a mistake when I should have been more aggressive. What works - ruin your level and start to enjoy the game, no pressure and you go up quicker than you think ;-)
Extremely common. The best way to get past it in my experience (easier said than done) is to focus on the process (ie what you can control) and try to forget the outcome. Consciously reframe your nervousness as energy and channel it into aggression, or control, or whatever else you find to be missing.
It also really, really helps to train seriously so you imprint patterns you can use automatically. People who play a lot but never practice tend to do worse at competitions even if they spend more total hours on court.
I had the same issue and asked coach, his advice was simple - play more tournaments. After 20 or so tournaments you adapt and play normally, there is no simple way, just experience + Inner game of tennis always helps…
