A study at a Florida tennis academy examined what separated players ranked in the top 5 from those in the top 25, and the answer wasn’t training, coaching, or background. The real difference showed up in the 10–15 seconds after each point ended. Top players consistently used that window to reset with constructive, steady thoughts instead of frustration. That mental response, rooted in the Inner Game, slowed their heart rate and breathing, conserved energy across the match, and kept their bodies