“Choking” is a charged word that still (at least with some) carries the connotation of weakness, almost like a character defect. To be known as a “choker” may suggest someone who could be counted on to fold, like a lawn chair, under pressure. I try to stay away from applying this term because it can easily be perceived as an insult.

On the other hand, as Cliff Drysdale has said, everyone can choke or has choked at one time or another. The trick is how you respond and come back from it. In tennis it has also been known as “the steel elbow”. It is a mental-emotional condition that leads to physical tightness. Rod Laver used to respond by hitting the ball harder, and with more topspin down the middle. I believe there is a character in the Chinese language for CRISIS which signifies both danger and opportunity. Hopefully we would motivated to respond on the positive rather than the negative side.

What do we do? Some moves which may be helpful are to breath deeply and keep bouncing on the balls of your feet. Also, if possible, to be focused somewhat less on “winning” which is not completely in our control and more on performing with our best effort.

At both the Masters golf tournament and also at the French Open I heard commentators say that in tense moments the big muscles (like the shoulders and hips) tend to slow down and the small muscles (like the wrist) tend to speed up , which lead to problems.