t<br >The Inner Game:<br >An Introduction to<br > Basic Principles<br > A tennis player first confronts the Inner Game when he<br > discovers that there is an opponent inside his own head more<br > formidable than the one across the net. He then realizes that<br > the greatest ditfieulty in returning a deep backhand lies not<br > in the speed and placement of the ball itself， but in his mind s<br > reaction to that ball: his own thinking makes the shot more<br > difficult than it really is， Further， he becomes aware that<br > these same mental obstacles which keep him from playing his<br > best tennis also prevent him from living his best life.<br > If， for example， while the tennis ball is approaching (non-<br > tennis players may take the ball as a metaphor for any event<br > entering their experience)， your mind is screaming， "You re<br > probably going to miss this one just like the last one . . .<br > You d better get your racket back earlier and make sure to<br > meet the ball out front... Remember to keep your wrist firm，<br > and don t forget to follow through... IfI miss， 1 11 be down<br > 5-3 on his serve... I doubt ifI can last a third set... What<br > will they think back at the club when they found I lost my<br > .challenge match to Jim?"--if thoughts like these are occupy-<br > mg the mind， the ball will appear to approach much faster<br > than it actually is and will not be seen clearly， and your<br >