Case Study in Tennis
Case Summary: Using CBT to Strengthen the Mental Game of a
Competitive Tennis Player
Athlete: Erica (pseudonym)
Age: 19
Sport: Tennis (National-Level Junior Player)
Presenting Issue: Performance anxiety, fear of failure, loss of focus during matches
Background
Erica was a talented junior tennis player competing at the national level, with aspirations to earn a Division I college scholarship. She had excellent technical skills, a strong serve, and consistent match results — until a string of high-pressure losses affected her mental game.
Erica started experiencing intense anxiety before matches, especially in high-stakes tournaments. During play, she became overwhelmed by negative thoughts and often lost focus after double faults or missed opportunities. She described her inner voice as “harsh and critical,” and admitted she was more afraid of losing than excited about playing.
Her coach referred her to a sport psychologist, who introduced a structured CBT program to address the anxiety, negative thinking, and confidence issues holding her back.
Assessment and Goals
A combination of interviews, thought journals, and performance feedback revealed several key issues:
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Catastrophic thinking, e.g., “If I lose this match, I’m a failure.”
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Black-and-white thinking, especially about performance (either perfect or terrible)
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Avoidance behaviour, such as playing overly defensive tennis to avoid making errors
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Difficulty regaining focus after mistakes or losing a game
Together, we established the following goals:
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Reduce anxiety and catastrophic thinking before and during matches
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Improve emotional control and in-match recovery after setbacks
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Build a confident, flexible mindset under pressure
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Strengthen focus and engagement through mental routines
CBT-Based Interventions
Over 12 weekly sessions, the psychologist implemented a CBT framework tailored to Erica’s competitive schedule:
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Cognitive Restructuring: Erica learned to identify and challenge unhelpful thoughts using evidence-based techniques. For example, she replaced “Everyone will think I’m not good enough” with “I’ve trained hard, and one match doesn’t define me.”
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Thought-Stopping and Reframing During Play: She practiced using cue words like “reset” and “next point” to interrupt spirals of negativity during matches.
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Behavioural Experiments: Erica set goals to use specific strategies (e.g., staying aggressive after a double fault) in practice and smaller tournaments. These experiments helped her test and disprove fears about losing or making errors.
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Pre-Performance Routines: A consistent pre-match routine involving breathing, imagery, and positive cue phrases (e.g., “Play free”) helped Erica manage anxiety and enter matches with a clear, confident mindset.
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Mindfulness and Present-Moment Focus: Erica used short, daily mindfulness practices to train present awareness — helping her stay focused on the current point rather than worrying about outcomes.
Outcome
By the third tournament of the season, Erica reported a significant reduction in performance anxiety. She could bounce back after lost points, take more calculated risks, and enjoy competing again. She reached the semi-finals of a national-level event — her best result in over a year — and her coach commented she looked “mentally stronger, win or lose.”
Conclusion
CBT helped Erica shift from fear-based, outcome-focused thinking to a mindset grounded in process, resilience, and self-belief. By changing how she thought and responded to pressure, she unlocked a higher level of performance and joy in the sport.
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“Now I don’t panic when things go wrong. I stay in the match — and in my game.”