For players on the pro tours, being the best tennis player they can be is simple, but not easy. It is simple because all that is required is that they do everything possible to be their best. It is not easy because to do everything requires Total Commitment. Whether you are a touring pro or a junior with big dreams, Total Commitment means hard work and patience both on and off the court.

When touring professionals walk onto the court, there is no room for being tentative. If they let up or back off during a match, defeat is a certainty. For players of all levels of ability, one of the most important things you must do when you get onto the court is to be totally committed to playing your very best.

Unfortunately, as you develop, you will often come upon an opponent or conditions that you think are over your head. You may be uncertain about playing well. This uncertainty creates doubts and anxiety. If you try to play when you are uncertain, you are going to play tentatively and give up at the first sign of trouble. This is discouraging.

So before you begin a match, make sure that you are focused on playing to the best of your ability. During a match, constantly remind yourself that the only way you are going to play well and have a chance to win is by playing aggressively and going for your shots. Make sure you are totally committed to doing it all the way. By being committed, you will play better, make fewer mistakes, improve faster, and have a whole lot more fun. If you have Total Commitment, at the end of the match, you won’t have to ask yourself the saddest question there is, “I wonder what could have been?”

Remember, “If you don’t got no guts, you don’t get no glory.”