Ninety percent of tennis performance is mental and that's what makes the sport so difficult. Sport psychology professionals Brian Lomax and Josh Burger share their insights on mental performance in tennis, discuss current events in the world of tennis, and interview guests with a unique perspective on mental toughness. Whether you want to learn more about the mental game in tennis or you just have an interest in the sport, this is the podcast for you. Send your questions to tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com or via Twitter using #tennisiq.
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In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the virtue of patience and its importance both within a point and match (micro) as well as throughout a player’s career and tennis journey. Various mental skills are discussed that players can work to help them to develop patience within the micro and the macro. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com . If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental ...
Lisa Stone is the founder and creator of ParentingAces, a podcast and digital platform dedicated to junior and college tennis parents and coaches. Lisa is a lifelong tennis player and UCLA graduate, she grew up in Louisiana and raised three children, one of whom developed into a highly competitive junior and college tennis player. It was that firsthand experience navigating the junior tennis world that inspired her to launch ParentingAces.com , initially as a blog, to share what she was learning...
Brian and Josh pay tribute to the late Dr. Jim Loehr, a groundbreaking figure in sport psychology. They delve into his pioneering contributions to tennis, particularly the influential 16-Second Cure routine for point management, and his later emphasis on character building over pure winning. The hosts share personal reflections on Loehr's profound impact on athletes, coaches, and professionals across various domains, highlighting his enduring legacy.
Brian and Josh analyze an article about golfer Cameron Young, highlighting his journey with sports psychology to prioritize staying present and focusing on his process over outcomes. They draw parallels to tennis, exploring how athletes can benefit from similar mental strategies, including mastering self-talk and regulating emotions effectively. The discussion emphasizes that developing strong mental skills, rather than just physical technique, is key to sustained success and turning the mind into a competitive advantage.
Brian and Josh discuss the pitfalls of prescriptive coaching, highlighting how top players often thrive with unorthodox styles, exemplified by Nadal and Medvedev. They propose an "elder" coaching approach that respects a player's natural game and encourages self-discovery and strength-building, contrasting it with an "expert" mentality that prioritizes fixing perceived weaknesses. The hosts emphasize players taking charge of their development to foster a more authentic and enjoyable competitive journey.
The first round of a tournament or the first match of a league/conference championship weekend can lead to more anxious feelings for tennis players. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss research on first match anxiety to help you understand it better, and take practical steps to handle it better. Psychophysiological stress in tennis players during the first single match of a tournament: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030645300800228X To learn more about Josh and Brian'...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can benefit by taking a constraints led approach. They talk about constraints that tennis players can establish in practices and matches, and differentiate between preclude and promote constraints. Although it may seem that constraints take away the freedom to choose, they actually give tennis players far more structure to make high-percentage and helpful decisions. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology bu...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the origins of greatness in performance, and whether early specialization increases one's chances of becoming truly elite. They review research that showed 90% of top performers were not the top juniors and, conversely that 90% of the top junior players did not become top pros. The implications of this research is discussed, and Brian and Josh offer practical suggestions for how tennis players can benefit by participating in multiple sports and activities ...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the impact of mental fatigue on tennis performance. Research on this topic includes a systematic review from 2024 which looked at mental fatigue in various racquet sports, as well as a 2025 Turkish study which showed that mental fatigue impaired precision/accuracy. The co-hosts also examined the impact of junior players using social media before matches, as well as the impact of a full workday before an adult league or tournament match. To learn more about...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications within tennis. The co-hosts discuss certain benefits of using tennis chatbots for training and preparing for matches, while also caution against the over-reliance on this technology. They emphasize that AI should be used as a tool rather than a replacement of critical thinking and decision making skills that are vital for tennis players. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology ...
In this episode Brian and Josh discuss the concept of “knowing the nouns and practicing the verbs”. The co-hosts discussed how tennis players ought to prioritize taking action when it comes to their progress as a player and should strive to focus on the process needed to improve rather than focusing on the end result. Additionally, they talk about how having open goals and focusing on learning and passion tend to lead to greater progress and fulfillment within a tennis player’s journey. Instagra...
The 2026 Australian Open has wrapped up with Elena Rybakina winning the women’s singles title over Aryna Sabalenka 6–4, 4-6, 6-4, and Carlos Alcaraz winning the men’s singles title over Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the women’s and men’s singles championships, and review sport psychology themes that led to the successes of the champions and finalists. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsy...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can choose to become great or stay within their comfort zone and limit their growth. The co-hosts discussed how focusing on long-term progress by playing the best version of their game and focusing on becoming the best player that they can be long-term is preferable to being too focused on winning a particular match and sacrificing their playing style to win today. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology bus...
With the recent passing of Bill Tym, we wanted to re-release our interview with him from 2020 as a tribute to his legacy. Coach Tym was a major influence in the development of some truly excellent competitors in tennis. We hope that you will be inspired by his words and stories. Check out the links in the show notes for some of Coach Tym's wisdom. Coach Bill Tym was an All-American at the University of Florida where he won 2 Southeastern conference singles titles, and is also in the UF Athletics...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the importance of habit consistency. Based on a chapter from Areté by Brian Johnson, they talked about why just showing up to perform your habit behavior is actually more important than feeling like you need to be great at your habits. The pair also examined why the concept of “beginning again” is a key to long-term consistency. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.c...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss emotional intelligence and its impact on tennis performance. They define the term and cover its application to tennis. Additionally, they discuss how building greater emotional intelligence leads tennis players to improve their performance and have more fulfilling tennis careers. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com . If you have feedback about the show or questi...
Brian and Josh delve into mental performance themes behind Amanda Anisimova's impressive comeback, as detailed in a Guardian article. They discuss her philosophy of striving to be the best athlete, not just focusing on results, and how she learned and bounced back from a challenging major final loss. The hosts also emphasize the importance of prioritizing mental health, finding an authentic path, and the courage to make personal choices in a high-pressure sport like tennis.
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss attribution theory and its impact on tennis performance. The co-hosts talk about how the interpretation of results makes a significant difference in how tennis players move on and grow from matches that they play. They reviewed the various factors that are included within attribution theory - whether a person attributes their results as internal/external, stable/unstable, and controllable/uncontrollable. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and...
Chris Harwood, PhD is a Professor of Sport Psychology at Nottingham Trent University and an Honorary Professor of Loughborough University in the UK. He is currently the Director of the Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement (SHAPE) research centre at NTU where his research interests lie in the integration of psychological principles into youth sport settings and the roles of the coach, parents, and the wider organisational support system. Prior to his training and registration as a Sport Psyc...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the multi-faceted relationship between passion and performance (The Dualistic Model of Passion). The co-hosts review the applications of this research for tennis performance, and cover how athletes can improve performance and foster subjective well-being via harmonious passion. Research article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2007.00447.x To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to Ti...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the concept of precommitments as a means for setting intentions for coping with challenges and adversity. Tennis is tough; can you precommit to enjoying yourself, learning, and embracing the challenge? Precommiting to such behaviors gives you a greater chance of following through. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com . If you have feedback about the show or quest...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the importance of embracing boredom and the mundane in an athlete’s journey towards improvement. They discuss a recent LinkedIn post by Alex Auerbach in which he noted that athletes who embrace boredom during training and competition tend to excel and have longer careers. The co-hosts share their responses to his post and include their own observations about the role of the "boring" aspects of training. LinkedIn Post by Alex Auerbach - https://www.linkedin...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how to attain greatness through adaptability and balance. The co-hosts discuss various chapters from Brian Johnson’s book Areté, which emphasize the importance of these two skills. Lastly, they review how tennis players can become more adaptable over time and find better balance in their tennis journeys. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com . If you have feedback...
Brian and Josh delve into an article from the Journal of the Philosophy of Sport on talent loss, outlining its essentialist (physical/cognitive), social/environmental (external circumstances), and existential (identity-based) dimensions. They share examples from professional tennis and provide actionable advice for players to prepare for and cope with skill changes, encouraging a shift towards purpose-driven engagement and finding new ways to connect with the sport.
In this episode, Brian and Josh cover how tennis players can build the skill of reframing situations and shifting perspective. The co-hosts discuss why reframing is an important skill for players, review situations where it’s important to be able to reframe, and offer suggestions for how tennis players can shift their perspective in the moment as well as for the long-term. Sponsored by Geau Sport - GeauSport.com - Exclusive Discount Code for 10% Off - TennisIQ10 To learn more about Josh and Bria...
In this episode, Brian and Josh cover the 2025 U.S. Open Championships. They discuss various themes and sport psychology concepts that emerged from the tournament, particularly by champions and finalists Aryna Sabalenka, Amanda Anisimova, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner. To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com . If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email ...
Brian and Josh explore the complex causes of double faults in tennis, going beyond mere technique to consider mental and psychological factors. They analyze Coco Gauff's recent coaching decision, provide practical advice on developing a reliable second serve, including pressure training drills, and emphasize the importance of a holistic approach that combines technical skill with mental resilience and trust in one's game.
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the connection between commitment and enthusiasm. Using several quotes as inspiration, they review how tennis players can demonstrate commitment to their journey, show commitment to their goals, and how they can pursue their chosen journey and goals with enthusiasm and zest. Sponsored by Geau Sport - GeauSport.com - Exclusive Discount Code for 10% Off - TennisIQ10 To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to Tiebr...
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the concept of momentum in tennis. First, they define the term, then they discuss the research about momentum in tennis and question whether momentum objectively exists. They review ways for tennis players to build streaks of points, and also ways to approach things differently when momentum seems to be working against them. Sponsored by Geau Sport - GeauSport.com - Exclusive Discount Code for 10% Off - TennisIQ10 To learn more about Josh and Brian's backg...
Brian and Josh analyze Taylor Fritz's perspective on success, where happiness hinges on Grand Slam wins, and compare it to the more sustainable wisdom of elite athletes like Rafael Nadal and Kobe Bryant. They discuss how an obsession with uncontrollable outcomes can lead to an unfulfilling journey, advocating for a focus on personal excellence, effort, and continuous learning. The episode outlines stages of wisdom development, from advanced performance to elite mastery, highlighting the importance of humility, generosity, and a long-term view for true fulfillment beyond just winning.
