Sport Psychology Case Studies | Tennis Anxiety with Zoran Stojković

Michael Ceely's High Performance Podcast

Michael Ceely and Mental Performance Consultant Zoran Stojković of Kizo Performance analyze a case study of a tennis player who is struggling with anxiety. Listen to their insights on how athletes can master the mental game.

Vignette Case Study:
Name: “Andre Anxiety”
Sport: Tennis

Issue: Andre, a 22-year-old professional tennis player, is ranked 100th in world. He feels stuck at this ranking and when he has an opportunity to advance he gets nervous before and during his matches, and plays below his ability. His coach and others agree he could be ranked in the top fifty. Andre has started avoiding matches where he could advance in the rankings. Andre says. “I am relaxed and confident in practice, but when the stakes are high, I get stuck in my head.”

Background: Andre fell in love with tennis at age 10, after his dad took him to watch a professional match. His dad was also a top-ranked player in his day. Andre showed immediate natural talent and at age 12 he decided he wanted to be a pro tennis player. His parents supported his choice and Andre turned pro at age 16. He rose quickly through the ranks and broke the top-100 when he was 19. Andre’s coach continually praises and pushes him and told Andre, “You are so much more talented than I was; I know you can be the best in the world.”
ABOUT ZORAN STOJKOVIC: https://www.kizo.ca

ABOUT MICHAEL CEELY: https://www.michaelceely.com

Disclaimer: Content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.