The Reset That Keeps You Locked In
How to use the 20 seconds between points to stay focused and compete with purpose.
What do you do in the 20 seconds between points?
Do you use it to reset, or do you let the last point carry into the next one? That choice often decides whether you play steady or let a few points slip before you lock back in.
Tennis is unique. Every point ends with space to recover, reset, or prepare. That 15–20 second window doesn’t just pass by, it shapes how you step into the next point.
Players who use this window keep themselves steady. Instead of letting the last point decide the next one, they reset and choose how to compete.
Your reset, step by step
When the point ends, you have a window. Use it to reset and commit to how you want to show up for the next point.
Release
Let go of what you’re holding — frustration, excitement, nerves. Release physically (shake out your arms, adjust your strings), verbally (quiet “next point”), or with one strong exhale. Acknowledge it, then move on.Body language
Shoulders back. Head level. Walk with intention. Show you’re ready for the next ball.Breath
Inhale through your nose into your belly for 4 seconds. Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds. One cycle is enough to clear space. Two if you need it.As Novak Djokovic put it: “Conscious breathing is a big part, especially in the moments when you’re under tension.”
Pair a phrase
Choose words that mean something to you — they focus your mind on the point in front of you.
Examples: “Lock in.” “Aggressive.” “Let’s go.”Commit
Decide how you want to be in this point. Aggressive. Calm. Disciplined. Locked into your gameplan. Let that choice shape the way you compete.
What this looks like on court
You finish the point. As you walk back, you let out one strong exhale. Shoulders back, head steady, racquet strings in your hand. You breathe in through your nose, slow and deep into your belly, then out through your mouth. Quietly you say, “lock in.” By the time you reach the baseline, you know how you want to play this point.
Take a moment to close your eyes and picture yourself doing this. Feel the release, the breath, the phrase, and the commitment as if you’re on the court right now.
As Iga Świątek once said after a comeback: “I was able to reset and change my reaction. That made the difference.”
Build it into your game
Try adding this reset just once more per game. One extra breath. One extra phrase. One extra moment to choose your response. Imagine how helpful this can be through the course of the match!
That’s all it takes to start building the habit. You don’t need perfection. You just need progress — one point at a time.
Keep going,
Mike Franco
Mental Performance Coach | Mental Performance Tennis Academy (MPTA)
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