Last month, eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer gave a commencement address to graduating students at Dartmouth University. During this speech, he used “tennis lessons” as metaphors for coping beyond university and moving on to a life that is less familiar. Although in his 25-minute speech, he never referred to them explicitly, Federer had a deep appreciation of the psychological principles that supported his lengthy and successful career as a tennis player.
“Roger will be the favourite for the first two hours, then I’ll be the favourite after that.” These were the words an unnamed opponent taunted Federer with early in his career at the Italian Open.
Although initially confused, he soon realised that any professional tennis player should be able to play well for the first two hours. In this period, you are fit and sharp, but after that you get tired, your legs get wobbly. And crucially, he suggests, your mind starts wandering. It was vital that a young Federer realised that the course of a tennis match was demanding not just physically, but also psychologically.
This was a lesson in mental toughness. It’s a skill people can hone using something psychologists call the 4C model, though Federer hasn’t directly named the model when talking about his tactics. The 4C model involves focusing on control, commitment, challenge and confidence.
