Momentum:
An Introduction to the 5 Stages

By Alistair Higham

But at 1-5 Julia saved three match points. At 2-5 she saved another. From that point, she won the next 5 games in a row and took the match 7-5 in the third.

On the surface her result might seem unusual or even miraculous, but any experienced observer of competitive tennis can recount many similar stories. Particularly in junior tennis, the swings and turnarounds are often astounding.

But the question is why and how do they occur? The answer lies in understanding momentum, and how it flows.

Momentum is the hidden force that controls the flow of tennis matches. It is invisible because it comes from the flow of energy between competitors. But you can sense momentum if you are competing or watching a match. You can feel things go for or against you, or for the players you are watching.

The outcome of most matches is a reflection of how the players dealt with momentum, rather than a reflection of the physical skills of the players. How did they react at the critical moments when momentum was in balance and ready to swing?

The reality is perfect tennis matches are extremely rare. Interviews reveal that even the best players in the world say they have played only a handful of matches when it felt as if everything was going their way for the entire match.

Images by J. Gregory Swendsen
In these articles you will learn to recognize momentum and respond to turning points to improve your results.

In the vast majority of matches, both players will encounter difficult situations, where things go against them. The real test of a player is how he deals with these situations.

Because it is invisible, most people don’t understand momentum and how it affects a match. The key question is: when does it change and why? What are the turning points in the momentum flow? How is it that some players always seem to manage to get momentum on their side when it matters most?

The Five Stages of Momentum

In the heat of battle, it may well seem that there is no real link between the flow of the match and the previous matches you have played. But when we look at tennis matches more closely, we see that the same things are happening again and again to most players.

In all kinds of different circumstances, comebacks are being made, leads are being lost, and close fought battles are taking place on tennis courts around the world involving young beginners, club hackers and professional players.

But five elements link all these circumstances together. These are the 5 Stages of Momentum. These five stages of momentum apply in all matches. But it is important to understand that the stages of momentum do not necessarily relate to the score on the scoreboard. This is why we so often see the unexpected reverses in matches described above.

The flow of momentum can move through these stages sometimes in a straight line, but also in a twisting line, which turns back on itself. Momentum can move from one stage to another very quickly if something significant happens, or slowly if nothing significant happens.

Images by J. Gregory Swendsen
Even the greatest players in the game must deal with the fluctuations in momentum over the course of most matches.

But it is important to understand that it is the nature of momentum to move. Momentum inevitably changes during most matches, especially if players are of a similar level. Given a bit of encouragement by either player, momentum will shift. If you understand this, you can learn to shift momentum in your favor.

The good news is that momentum is always in one of the five stages. If you learn how to react to each situation, you will be able to have a big say in which way it moves or even if it moves at all. Having this knowledge is like having a compass and a map that you can apply to any match and any situation, no matter how different they are.

The more difficult news is that when you have this map of momentum flow, you will need to have the right attitude and fighting spirit in order to control the direction you move.

These articles are about the flow of momentum and controlling it in each of the 5 Stages. They will explain why momentum fluctuates, how you can control it and how to make it work in your favor.

They cover the real problems that tennis players face such as:

• How to hold on to a lead.
• How to fight back from difficult or seemingly hopeless positions.
• How to grasp opportunities that come your way.

In these articles, you will learn how and why momentum switches; how to respond to turning points. You will learn how to establish momentum, keep it with you, or regain it. You will understand why fighting spirit is the key and more importantly, when are the most effective times to use it. Managing momentum will help you bring together and control many of the variable factors that affect you during matches. By learning to understand and manage momentum you will develop the ability to raise your overall level of play and improve your match results on a consistent basis.