When tennis players are in a game-deciding situation, the difference between winning and losing often comes down to who has the stronger will. By emphasizing his mental game, Henry Shen is able to capitalize on these tight situations to win more games.

Shen has been playing competitive tennis since he was 11. After years of being in tight battles, he still finds it’s hard to stay calm during pressure situations.

Singles tennis players feel the burden of being on the court all alone with no teammates to help.

“If you play bad in tennis,” Shen said, “you don’t have any teammates to back you up. This makes the mental game extremely important.”

Tennis matches can go on for four hours, and players need to be determined and focused throughout the entire match.

“The mental game is not getting angry after mistakes and being able to move on after losing a point or key set,” Shen said.