When Momentum is Against You

How do you react when everything is narrowly failing?

We’ve looked at the concept of momentum and what it means when momentum is with you, totally with you and when it’s neutral. We’ve also looked at the worst case scenario, when momentum is totally against you. Now let’s look at the last case, when momentum in a match is against you, although not totally. (For a look at the other articles in this series, Click Here.)

In this case, things may not appear hopeless, but the situation can be frustrating nonetheless. Your opponent may seem to be playing with increased energy and confidence and key points seem to go against you. Things that normally work, or maybe were working earlier on in the match, now just keep narrowly failing. If anything lucky happens, it happens to your opponent, rather than you. Small things are now major distractions. It can feel like you are swimming against the tide. However, you are not alone, all players experience these feelings.

At such moments it is easy to feel that things are slipping away and to become frustrated. Your body language may begin to tell the story of your feelings and may give even…