Mood and anxiety scores predict winning and losing performances in tennis

Abstract

Psychological measures have previously been shown to be predictive of sport performance across a range of sports. The present study assessed the capacity of pre-competition mood and anxiety scores to predict tennis results. A sample of 92 social-competitive tennis players (49 men and 43 women, mean 39.7 years, range 19-62) completed the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) and the revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2R) prior to weekly competitions, producing a dataset of 567 matches. Discriminant function analysis showed that the outcome of matches could be correctly classified with 60% accuracy (p < .01). Consistent with theoretical predictions, low scores for confusion, depression, tension, anger, and cognitive anxiety, and high scores for self-confidence were significant predictors of winning performances. Using the two measures independently, the BRUMS provided 56.8% correct classifications (p < .01) and the CSAI-2R provided 58.7% (p < .01). Notably, a much higher proportion of winners (78.5%) than losers (38.3%) were correctly classified from mood scores, suggesting greater potential for predicting winning performances from positive moods than losing performances from negative moods. Results were generally consistent with Morgan’s mental health model and Martens’ multidimensional anxiety theory, and can be used to inform interventions applied by sport psychologists with tennis players.