MM
Free Courses
Free Courses

Intro to Mental Skills

Free 7-Day Email Course

Podcast
About
Join 1,000+ Others
arrow-circle-right
MM
Logo
Oliver Buchannon
Malhar Mali

Motor Behavior

+2

Physiological arousal: why your strokes disappear when you're nervous

May 25, 2026

•

4 min read

Physiological arousal: why your strokes disappear when you're nervous

Why what happens in your body is incredibly important for tennis players.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Sport Psychology

This is why you always play "careful" and "scared" tennis

May 18, 2026

•

4 min read

This is why you always play "careful" and "scared" tennis

How performance anxiety impacts your decision making.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Self-Compassion

Self-judgement vs self-kindness

Mar 2, 2026

•

4 min read

Self-judgement vs self-kindness

It's okay to be afraid.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

For Parents

+2

Are you responsible for your child's struggles on the tennis court?

Feb 9, 2026

•

5 min read

Are you responsible for your child's struggles on the tennis court?

More often than not, the parents and coaches are the problem.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Motivation

Why so many junior tennis players quit

Jan 26, 2026

•

6 min read

Why so many junior tennis players quit

Even after being "given" everything. Understand Self-Determination Theory and intrinsic motivation.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Psychological Skills Training

+2

Inconsistent mental performances?

Jan 12, 2026

•

6 min read

Inconsistent mental performances?

Don't get overwhelmed. Know which mental skills to apply.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Sport Psychology

Choose mastery over ego

Dec 29, 2025

•

5 min read

Choose mastery over ego

How you view competition has a major effect on your performance.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Sport Psychology

+1

Mantras don't work

Dec 22, 2025

•

4 min read

Mantras don't work

Stop mumbling useless phrases to yourself

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Mindfulness in Sport

+1

Attention is your most valuable resource

Dec 15, 2025

•

4 min read

Attention is your most valuable resource

Forget about confidence, nerves, or anything else.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Mindfulness in Sport

+2

How Novak Djokovic Trains Mental Skills — SS #70

Dec 8, 2025

•

5 min read

How Novak Djokovic Trains Mental Skills — SS #70

How does the best player ever train his mental skills?

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Sport Psychology

+1

The Lenses Through Which You See Your Tennis — SS #69

Dec 1, 2025

•

3 min read

The Lenses Through Which You See Your Tennis — SS #69

The highest ROI area in tennis.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Positive Psychology

+1

Why Self-Compassion Isn't Weakness — SS #68

Nov 24, 2025

•

3 min read

Why Self-Compassion Isn't Weakness — SS #68

Possibly the most misunderstood part of high performance.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Sport Psychology Myths

"Does something have to be wrong with me?" — SS #67

Nov 17, 2025

•

2 min read

"Does something have to be wrong with me?" — SS #67

Stigma and misunderstanding

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Sport Psychology

What the hell is Mental Performance? — SS #66

Sep 29, 2025

•

4 min read

What the hell is Mental Performance? — SS #66

Bad communication, poor marketing, and a new-ish, emerging field.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Psychological Skills Training

+1

Everyone Struggles — SS #65

Sep 1, 2025

•

5 min read

Everyone Struggles — SS #65

This was important to understand.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Cognitive Behavioral

+3

Progressive Muscle Relaxation — SS #64

Aug 11, 2025

•

6 min read

Progressive Muscle Relaxation — SS #64

Here's your free audio file. Listen to it before your matches.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Cognitive Behavioral

+1

Challenge or Threat? — SS #63

Aug 4, 2025

•

7 min read

Challenge or Threat? — SS #63

How you view competition has strong implications for how your body and mind react.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Positive Psychology

+1

You're Not Alone — SS #62

Jul 28, 2025

•

7 min read

You're Not Alone — SS #62

If professional tennis players suffer from this, so can you.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Cognitive Behavioral

+3

The Science of Fight or Flight: Why You Freeze or Choke in Matches — SS #61

Jul 21, 2025

•

11 min read

The Science of Fight or Flight: Why You Freeze or Choke in Matches — SS #61

Understand what goes on in your brain—and learn strategies to overcome it.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Cognitive Behavioral

+3

A Foundational Skill: Self-Talk — SS #60

Jul 14, 2025

•

7 min read

A Foundational Skill: Self-Talk — SS #60

You'll be surprised at how effective this simple skill is.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Mindfulness in Sport

+1

Why you need to understand working memory

Jul 6, 2025

•

5 min read

Why you need to understand working memory

It's a critical concept for athletes.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Motor Behavior

+1

What Happens When You Choke? — SS #58

Jun 16, 2025

•

9 min read

What Happens When You Choke? — SS #58

One explanation. And how to remedy it.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Sport Psychology Myths

"It's All Mental." — SS #57

Jun 9, 2025

•

9 min read

"It's All Mental." — SS #57

If that's true... why do we spend so little time practicing it?

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali
Psychological Flexibility — SS #56

Jun 2, 2025

•

8 min read

Psychological Flexibility — SS #56

This mental skill is ignored too often.

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali

Cognitive Behavioral

+2

Decatastrophizing — SS #55

May 26, 2025

•

10 min read

Decatastrophizing — SS #55

What are the true consequences of losing?

Malhar Mali
Malhar Mali
Load more

Improve your mental skills for tennis through evidence-based applied sport psychology.

MM

Disclaimer: Applied sport psychology is the non-clinical practice of sport psychology, psychology, counseling, and motor behavior to help with performance enhancement. No information on this website should be construed as clinical mental health information.

© 2026 Malhar Mali.
beehiivPowered by beehiiv