Losing a Match: What are the Takeaways?

Competitive tennis players almost always feel emotional pain after losing a match. This is because "hating to lose" is an important psychological component of being a successful competitor. But losing also offers a chance for a player to look at what happened and set an agenda for where they'd like to go next. Using losses as a stepping stone for future improvement is key. Talking with your coach is an important part of this process.