I've been around tennis for over 42 years: since I was a 13 year old kid running around the courts of the Guayaquil Tenis Club in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I started playing at the junior level learning how to win the hard way: by losing! It is now, after having the experience of going from a player to a coach that I fully understand what is necessary to become successful in today's tennis world.

Traveling as the personal coach of many top professional and junior players gave me the chance to see and understand how some make it and others never break through. It requires a combination of several key factors, some of which you are born with and others which can be developed.

As I see it, today's success is strongly related to the mental part of the game. The means to winning as the highest level is being able to win the key points match. These points are usually handled by players that are mentally tough. I would say that the mental aspect can represent as high as 90% of today's game. Mental toughness can be translated into being as self confident and positive player.

Personality is another factor. You can find a common personality among the top 20 male and female players. Being humble is without a doubt a key characteristic in these players. Accept reality as it is, and adjust to an existing situation. Making mistakes is totally normal and the secret is to focus on correcting the mistakes and have a problem solving attitude.

My #1 priority for you as a player is to perform at your best every time you go on th court, whether you are playing a match or practicing. Winning or losing are the end result in most cases of a specific performance.

If you always give 100 % you have a great chance of a winning record.

I have heard many players say: " I played well but I lost". This for me is a very comfortable attitude, this is not the trade mark of a  tough competitor. If a player loses there is always a reason, and it must be a priority to find this reason and dedicate time and effor to correct it. It may be a physical, mental, tactical or technical problem. In any of these cases there is always, always a solution.

Finally, I want to say that in order to be successful in anything you do, you must enjoy it. The day you feel that you are not having fun in practice and competition is the day to hang the racquet and move on. This applies to any level of player and in any profession in the world. There is nothing any coach can do when a player loses the love for the sport.

Colon E. Nuñez