Fighting Through Nerves

Pressure reveals the truth. After her U.S. Open semifinal win, Amanda Anisimova admitted she stepped onto the court not playing her game. The nerves were there. The stress was real.

“I wasn’t playing my tennis because I was nervous and I was letting the stress get to me a little bit. But then I tried to dig deep and find my game… the most important thing was that I kept fighting.”

What helped her shift? Simple, deliberate self-talk.

Throughout the match—and even throughout the day—she repeated the same words to herself:

“I can do it. I believe in myself.”

She visualized success, used affirmations to steady her mind, and trusted that persistence would bring her game back.

That’s the essence of the mental game. Pressure doesn’t disappear—it gets managed. By choosing her response, Anisimova turned stress into fuel.

The Take Away:

When the moment feels too big, your words can keep you in the fight. Belief isn’t always about certainty—it’s about giving yourself a chance, even when you don’t feel at your best.