Hi Reader,

Even at 14 years old, she could volley with control and assurance—even against a male pro player hitting aggressively at her.

Then, three months later, she started dumping routine approach shots into the net. Shots she'd made hundreds of times before.

What had changed? Her technique was identical...

I had seen this happen before and I identified the root cause of the her errors quickly.

This wasn't a technical problem. It was stress avoidance disguised as poor execution.

I see this pattern everywhere:

• A player up 40-0 suddenly goes for a low-percentage winner on a ball they'd normally rally with—because ending it fast feels better than managing the stress of closing out the game
• "Choking" on game points not because they can't set up the opportunity, but because ending the point quickly feels safer than fighting through one more ball
• Missing routine shots when they're winning, because maintaining a lead creates more stress than being behind

Most players are unaware they're doing it. You can imagine the mental strain they experience during matches.

Here’s the solution for players like this.

I introduced the 14-year-old to something I call The No-Winner Game.​

Here's how it works:

Rule 1: Start the rally with a hand feed

Rule 2: No outright winners allowed—any shot that would clearly end the point loses you the rally

Rule 3: Target your opponent's LEGS, not the lines The goal? Force errors through intelligent placement and tactical pressure, not power.

Sounds simple. It's not.

Suddenly, you can't escape the stress by ending the point early. You have to stay in the discomfort. You have to defend. You have to think tactically while physically exhausted. Classic 3AM methodology.

Within one week, that same player:

• Stopped missing approach shots
• Started defending with intelligent lobs instead of desperate passing shots
• Complete confidence ‘fighting’ during long rallies

She didn't fix her technique. She fixed her relationship with competitive stress.

The No-Winner Game does three things traditional drilling can't:

1. Stops the panic response - Your players learn they don't need to end points immediately to escape stress. They can STAY in pressure and win from there.
2. Improves fitness under pressure - Rallies extend dramatically, training you to think clearly while experiencing extreme fatigue
3. Develops tactical maturity - You stop relying on power and start using controlled pressure and court targets

This is core 3AM methodology: train the mind and the strategy first, not the strokes.

Ready to increase the amount of mental training in your training?

For the next 72 hours only, I'm offering Mental Training the 3AM Way for $150 (normally $197).

Why this week? Because stress-avoidance patterns compound fast. Every match your players play with this mindset reinforces it. Access the course here →

Stay motivated,
​Paul D.

P.S. Add the ’No Winner Game’ to your practice sessions each day for 1 week. Then let me know the changes you see in your players via email​