The Panic Signal

Most competitive tennis players would agree that creating peak performance is a balance between having their game dialed in tightly technically and tactically and avoiding what has been called the “panic signal.”

The dreaded panic signal reaction occurs when a tennis player is blindsided by pressure, resulting in an inability to execute during competition. The game’s top performers are masters at keeping the right mindset. But they are also prepared to manage the panic signal should it appear with pressure moments.

Take for example the season that Novak Djokovic was able to put together by finishing the year ranked number one in the world in 2011 with a record of 70-6 and three grand slam titles. But how different things could have been had he not been prepared to manage the panic signal at the U.S. Open when he found himself down 3-5, 15-40 in the fifth set against Roger Federer.

Throughout the year he stayed in an amazingly consistent performance zone, physically and mentally. Despite his incredible talent, how did he remain so consistent under the stress and pressure of that year on the tour?

Let’s examine the chain reaction of events that occurs once the panic signal goes…