South African Tennis Legend on Mental Strength

According to Raven Klaasen, a two-time Grand Slam doubles finalist, mental toughness sets great players apart from good ones. In an exclusive interview with The South African's Dave Marshall at the French Open in Roland Garros, Klaasen shared his insights on what makes a player truly great. Tennis is a lonely sport where there are no teammates to hide behind, no substitutions, and no timeout huddles. And handling pressure is what ultimately separates good players from great ones. 'Our whole sport is about how you respond to adversity,' he says.

Klaasen is qualified to talk about mental strength because of his storied career, which includes reaching the finals of two Grand Slam doubles tournaments in 2015 and 2018. He has also been a respected coach for several years, and his perspective on mental strength now shapes how he evaluates young players. Physical ability and technique remain important, but Klaasen believes that resilience is one of the clearest indicators of long-term potential. 'If you can run, hit, and handle pressure, you can be good at tennis,' he explains. And it's not just about performing well under pressure, but also about being able to bounce back from setbacks.

#### Comparison: The Biggest Junior Trap

One lesson from Raven Klaasen's own playing career stands above all others: avoid comparing yourself to other players. 'Comparison is the thief of joy,' he says, echoing a phrase many coaches now repeat regularly in junior development environments. In today's social media-driven sports culture, young athletes constantly measure themselves against rankings, results, and online highlights. The coach believes that this mindset can derail development because we develop at different rates. One player might get the right coach at the right time, while another improves later physically. This philosophy is especially important in South Africa, where players often mature under vastly different circumstances and opportunities.

#### Pressure Is Normal – Even for the Best

Raven Klaasen thinks one of the biggest mistakes players make is assuming they're alone in feeling nervous during matches. 'You look across the net and think the other player is comfortable. They're really not,' he says. Helping athletes understand that anxiety is normal becomes a key part of coaching. Rather than trying to eliminate nerves completely, elite players learn how to function despite them. Interestingly, Klaasen believes most top players don't necessarily improve under pressure - they simply avoid their performance declining. 'The best players don't get much worse under pressure,' Klaasen explains.

He points to Carlos Alcaraz as a unique example of someone who appears to embrace high-pressure moments with unusual freedom and positivity.

#### Building the Future of South African Tennis

Raven Klaasen remains optimistic about South Africa's future despite current challenges. He believes the country possesses the athletic talent needed to compete internationally, but developing professionals requires patience, exposure, and smarter coaching systems. Most importantly, Klaasen believes coaches must continue evolving alongside the modern game. They need to communicate effectively, build trust, and guide players through the mental demands of professional sport. For South African tennis, that evolution may prove just as important as producing the next star player.

Coaches must continue to evolve alongside the modern game. That means technical instruction alone is no longer enough. The future belongs to coaches who can communicate effectively, build trust, and guide players through the mental demands of professional sport.

### Key Facts

  • Raven Klaasen is a two-time Grand Slam doubles finalist.
  • He believes mental toughness is key to success in tennis.
  • Klaasen says many junior players focus too much on comparing themselves to others.
  • He points to Carlos Alcaraz as a unique example of someone who appears to embrace high-pressure moments with unusual freedom and positivity.
  • Klaasen believes coaches must continue evolving alongside the modern game to develop professionals.
  • The future of South African tennis requires patience, exposure, and smarter coaching systems.