How tennis players manage nerves and intrusive thoughts with milestones on the line

At the French Open in Paris, Italian player Flavio Cobolli, 24, described experiencing extreme nerves during his fourth-round win over American Zachary Svajda, which he won in a fourth-set tiebreak after leading 6-2, 6-3, 6-7(3), 5-2 and losing four consecutive games. The article explores how tennis players at Roland Garros physically and mentally cope with pressure during high-stakes matches, with symptoms including shaking hands, tensing muscles, slowed serves, and erratic groundstrokes. With an unusually open draw at the tournament, managing the physiology of stress has become a key factor for players contending for the title.