“You cannot be serious”. Those immortal words of John McEnroe have gone down in history as one of the most memorable temper outbursts in Wimbledon history. But McEnroe isn’t alone with his temper tantrums.  As years go by, public displays of temper have become more common place on tennis courts around the world, ranging from major tournaments to the local public courts. If this sounds like you, it’s never too late to learn how to stop losing your temper when playing tennis.


While the occasional outburst during a match is acceptable, a constant tirade of abuse at everyone and everything is not. After all, tennis was once considered a ‘gentleman’s game’. Losing your temper too often on court can end up spoiling the match for you and your opponent.

Try to relax

Is your competitive streak so strong that you want to win at all costs? If so, you’re probably putting yourself under too much stress. Tennis is a game requiring immense concentration, stamina and willpower, but imposing high standards upon yourself means you’ll end up like a pressure cooker, waiting to explode at the slightest provocation. Try not to take it so seriously and enjoy your tennis.

Change your attitude

If you become aggressive when you lose a point, try and change your attitude. For instance, remember the good points you won and congratulate yourself. And when you lose a point, put it down to their good play rather than you messing up. If you feel you’re on a losing streak, you’re more likely to tense up even further. You become focused on making the same mistakes again and inevitably, you do. So positive thinking before each point is a must.

Hide your emotions

Put yourself in your opponent's shoes and imagine how silly you look when you’re raving and ranting. Letting your opponent see how upset you are is only going to help strengthen their game  Not only does berating your tennis racquet look plain ridiculous, you’re allowing  your opposition to gain a mental advantage over you. Next time you want to shout after serving into the net, take a deep breath, and move onto the next point. Look at the ground, spin your racquet, anything but let the opposition see you’re getting riled up.

Change your opposition

Do you lose your temper playing against certain people or with everyone? Brothers and sisters competing can often stir up intense rivalry. Likewise with work colleagues and friends. If certain people evoke the volcano in you, stop playing against them, especially if you value your friendships.

Sometimes you just have to acknowledge they are the better player. In this case, use the match as an opportunity to learn from them. Don’t accept you’ll lose, but go into the match with the attitude that you’ll give everything you’ve got and play your best. Losing to someone better than you isn’t a disgrace but losing your temper is.