Episode description

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the mental attributes of Carlos Alcaraz that have led to his rise in the rankings. The co-hosts consider the confidence, humility, and work ethic that he has shown thus far in his career, and how rare it is to see such traits from someone his age (19 years old). Furthermore, they review how all tennis players can learn from Alcaraz’s motivational and instructional self-talk (featured in the first quote below) and the positive impact that activating the coaching voice by using the player’s own name has on performance. Below are quotes that were mentioned during the episode.  

“I lost the second set, and then after, I went to the bathroom. It helped me,” Alcaraz recalled. “I washed my face. ‘Okay, Charlie, if you're not going to pull out, think about playing. Don't think on your ankle. Don't think on nothing else. Fight till the very last ball, because you know that you are capable of doing it.’”  

"I have five more to go to be the best in the world."  

“I am not afraid to say I want to win a Grand Slam, I know it is going to be really hard, but I am not afraid to say it.”    

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, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ on Twitter or Instagram. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.