By Damon Valentino | Monday, April 24, 2017
"There’s no doubt that that resiliency that I built from scratch, it helps you, but it doesn’t mean you’re not vulnerable,” Maria Sharapova said.
Photo credit: Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Stuttgart
Maria Sharapova stars in a compelling comeback story in Stuttgart this week.
The former world No. 1 returns from a 15-month doping ban to face 34-year-old Italian Roberta Vinci in the opening round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
More: Sharapova Stuttgart Grudge Match
It will be Sharapova’s first match since her 2016 Australian Open quarterfinal loss to Serena Williams.
This comeback of one of tennis’ most polarizing champions offers a fascinating story line: How will the three-time Stuttgart champion respond to the challenges of opponents who have been critical of her receiving wild cards after serving a doping suspension?
How will fans respond to Sharapova, who traditionally received strong fan support prior to testing positive for the banned substance meldonium?
And what impact will all of it have on the steely Sharapova, who was widely regarded as one of the mentally strongest players in the sport?
At the core of these issues is a key question: Can Sharapova still produce the same grit and toughness after such a long layoff?
The only one who can answer this is Sharapova herself. And until she can prove it on the court, deep down even she can’t be 100 percent certain.
We are fortunate to have access to her mindset from a few recent interviews, and they can give us some insight into Sharapova’s mental framework leading up to Stuttgart.
Let’s review some of Maria's recent comments to Vogue Magazine and analyze them through the lens of sport psychology.
When asked about her peers reacting to her suspension, Sharapova told Vogue, “What people think is out of my control...There’s only so much I can do on that score.”
If I were instructing Sharapova, control would be a key area of emphasis.
Each situation should include this question: “What is in—or out—of your control?”
When we frame experiences this way, it’s much easier to determine what truly demands our emotional and psychological energy and attention.
If we determine something is out of our control, we are free to let it go and re-focus on something else. This is a great way to alleviate unnecessary anxiety and stress. This lesson applies to fan reaction as well.
If Sharapova walks out on the court to a parade of boos—unlikely given she's a three-time Stuttgart champion who endorses Porsche, the tournament title sponsor—she can say, “it's out of my control” and engage in the task in front of her.
The 30-year-old Russian touched on the topic of being away from competition for 15 months and its impact on her mental toughness telling Vogue: “There’s no doubt that that resiliency that I built from scratch, it helps you, but it doesn’t mean you’re not vulnerable.”
A key point to this comment is that she is admitting that she is vulnerable.
Too often we associate mental toughness with strength and perfection. By admitting that she is imperfect, Sharapova no longer has to beat herself up for mistakes. Rather, she respects that being mentally tough is really about being mentally flexible and forgiving.
Sharapova also offered some insight about being in the moment, which is a popular, and vital mental skill. When asked if she was thinking about Stuttgart (the interview was in January) she replied: “Why do I need to sit in January and think about April? I’ve got this week to get through”?
She added, “I hate the word balance. What is balance? Because if it’s fifty-fifty, that means you’re only giving 50 percent to both things.”
This place 😍
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Through a sport psychology lens, Sharapova is talking about living in the present moment and focusing solely on the task in front of her. When we project on what might happen months from now, or try and do too many things at the same time, we activate the chemicals in our body that increase stress and anxiety. Our mind begins to play the “what if” game and suddenly we are not dealing with the present.
Sharapova’s responses are clear indicators that she is in the business of being in the moment.
This mental skill can look like a super power to those who don’t possess it, and it speaks to her track record of being mentally solid during pressure situations on the court. It’s always difficult to maintain a sharp mental game after a long layoff, and Sharapova does not provide us any insight on her mental training during her ban.
Here are four evidence-based methods, I encourage Maria to apply to stay sharp.
1. Develop a breathing practice—Not only will a breathing practice help her physically, but it is a great way for her to keep your attention sharp.
2. Perfect routines—Routines begin before we step foot on the court. The process of preparing to practice and play can be rehearsed and performed so that she creates the right mental and physical conditions to be her best. Routines also include pre-match, pre-serve and pre-return, changeover, mistake, between set, and between match. These are not superstitions. Rather, they are actions that she can engage in to keep her mind clear and stay physically energized.
3. Develop a visualization practice—Think of it as being the director of your own movie. You build the set. You write the script. You are the star. Our brain can’t tell the difference from physically performing a task or when we use visualization, so this technique simulates the intensity and environment of a tournament. I would encourage Sharapova to set up a structured visualization practice that becomes more sophisticated as she gets better at using it.
4. Use simulation—Sharapova can simulate the real event by playing in front of crowds, adding TV cameras, doing on-court interviews, or any other detail that can replicate the actual event. The more comfortable she feels with her surroundings and the actions she needs to perform, the better equipped she’ll be to handle them and focus on her own play when it’s go time.
As you watch Sharapova step on the court in Stuttgart for the first time this week, be sure to look for how she seems to be dealing with some of the mental challenges of playing her first tournament in 15 months.
Probing beneath the surface of the physical performance to the mental core of competition may well make Sharapova’s return performance even more fascinating to watch.
Tennis Now contributing writer Damon Valentino was a full scholarship tennis player at Michigan State University. He holds a Masters degree in Sport Psychology from JFK University in Pleasant Hill, CA. He owns and operates a performance coaching company based in San Francisco. Reach Damon at [email protected] or 415-515-9630.