
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss four concentration exercises from the book Mindset: A Mental Guide for Sport by Jackie Reardon and Hans Dekkers. The co-hosts described the four exercises: feeling (internal + narrow focus), zooming (external + narrow focus), scanning (external + broad focus), and the serve exercise (switching between focus types), and their benefits for improving attention and concentration on the court.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 us at [email protected]. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.
Aug 21
48 min

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the concept of fragility, and how tennis players can learn to become antifragile. Various Stoic principles connected to fragility are examined including controlling the controllables, anticipating and expecting difficulties, and not letting events and results become your identity. The co-hosts also review how tennis players can utilize various mental skills, strategies and new perspectives to become more resilient and eventually antifragile over time.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 us at [email protected]. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.
Aug 12
41 min

Whether it's UTR, WTN, NTRP, or some other rating system, it's likely that you believe you're a better player than the rating suggests. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss this common belief and why players think that way. They also review how obsessing over ratings and rankings actually makes you a worse competitor.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 us at [email protected]. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.
Jul 29
40 min

Dr. Sue Jackson is a performance psychologist and leading expert in the psychology of flow – the state of deep focus and full absorption where people perform at their best and experience their work and life most fully.She works with high performers across sport, business, medicine, and the arts, helping them access flow under pressure and turn stress into focus, clarity, and effective action.Sue co-authored the influential book Flow in Sports with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the founder of flow theory, following her award-winning doctoral research into flow states in elite athletes. Since then, she has combined scientific research with practical psychological tools drawn from performance psychology, mindfulness, ACT, and extensive experience working in demanding real-world environments.Her most recent book, Experiencing Flow: Life Beyond Boredom and Anxiety, translates this work into practical insights on how flow can be developed not only in elite sport, but across everyday performance contexts – helping people move beyond anxiety, distraction, and overthinking into greater focus, creativity, connection, and presence.Today, Sue brings this research and applied experience to conversations about performance, wellbeing, and how we can design conditions for optimal experience in the moments that matter most. You can learn more about Sue and her work at www.drsuejackson.com.Sue’s social links:http://www.linkedin.com/in/drsuejacksonhttps://www.instagram.com/suejackson_flow/https://www.facebook.com/drsuejacksonflow/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 us at [email protected]. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.
Jul 19
1 hr 11 min

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can generate more clutch moments in their matches. The co-hosts review research from multiple sports about the conditions that lead to a greater likelihood of clutch moments, and offer practical suggestions that players can use during pressure moments. Additionally, they describe various mental tools that players can use to help prepare for these moments including visualization/imagery and pre-performance routines.Research article (Rising to the occasion: A qualitative investigation of clutch moments in sport.) - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10413200.2025.2535995#abstractTo 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 us at [email protected]. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.
Jul 3
52 min

"Every time I lose, it's like the end of the world." This is what Mirra Andreeva said after losing the final in Madrid in May of this year. Josh and Brian discuss this quote from a psychological point of view. Although much of the discussion centers on Andreeva, she represents what a lot of players go through when they lose. Her subsequent victory at Roland Garros showed significant growth in her game, her emotional regulation, and her maturity.
Jun 22
36 min

Roland Garros 2026 has wrapped up with Mirra Andreeva winning the women’s singles title over Maja Chwalińska 6-3, 6-2, and Alexander Zverev winning the men’s singles title over Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1. 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 TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at [email protected]. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.
Jun 13
47 min

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 game in tennis you can email us at [email protected]. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.
Jun 2
47 min

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 with other parents who were asking the same questions. In the summer of 2012, Lisa launched the ParentingAces Podcast, and it has been running strong ever since, which is now in its 15th season. Over the years, the show has become one of the leading global voices on the relationship between parents, players, and coaches in the world of competitive tennis. Through ParentingAces, Lisa has given tennis parents a true voice, and she continues to help families navigate the junior tennis journey with insight, warmth, and passion for the game. More information can be found at ParentingAces.com.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 us at [email protected]. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.
May 21
1 hr 4 min

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the legacy of Dr. Jim Loehr. The episode is divided into four sections: 1) Dr. Loehr as a pioneer and “the first one out there” in the field of sport/performance psychology within tennis, 2) the legacy and importance of the 16‑Second Cure, 3) his shift in focusing on winning to helping athletes build character, and 4) personal reflections and final thoughts.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 us at [email protected]. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.
May 12
43 min
Load more
