The Jensen Zone: Shaking Off Pressure Like the Fed
I believe Roger Federer will go down as so much more than a great tennis player. He was a transitional player in many aspects. Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi handed him the torch to improve upon the state of the game. Up to that point, the pro Tour was dominated by Americans. Federer and his generation changed all that.
Today’s pro game is truly European and growing even stronger. The world rankings on both the ATP and WTA Tours say everything about the strength and growth of European tennis.
I believe that Federer playing with such class and grace has been easy for American tennis fans to embrace more international stars. There will never be another player with such timing and technique that could win on all surfaces and with different styles.
Roger has the rare ability to play fast without looking like he is going fast. He rarely seems rushed or pressed. He always seems relaxed, and even down two sets to one and a match point in the Wimbledon final, he was able to fight back and send the match into the fifth set because he never panics under pressure.
I can tell immediately when most players are winning or losing. Not Roger! He knows that revealing negative emotion reveals weakness in a sport where big points are won by mentally tough players.
So the next time you take the court for a match or a practice, take a page from the great Fed! Play with poise and be aware of negative body language that helps strengthen your opponent’s resolve. This is not easy to do … it's extremely difficult to be honest! But, as Federer has shown us, you can win a ton of pressure points if you allow missed shots to just glide off your back as smooth as a Roger Federer slice backhand.
Good luck and keep going for the lines!
