Wheelchair Tennis Champion Dana Mathewson’s Finest Suggestions

As the primary American girl to win a Grand Slam Main title in wheelchair tennis and one of many high wheelchair tennis gamers within the U.S., 33-year-old Dana Mathewson is aware of what it means to be on the high of her sport. 

At all times an athletic child, Mathewson performed a wide range of sports activities in her youth when she was able-bodied. “I at all times preferred soccer. I preferred softball. I attempted tennis a few times at summer season camp however was not likely into it,” she tells me over a current video name.

Nevertheless, after growing a uncommon autoimmune dysfunction referred to as transverse myelitis (TM), she grew to become partial paraplegic, “or principally somebody that should use a wheelchair to run or to get round,” she says. 

After encouragement from her mother (which she says was, maybe, insistent at instances), she picked up adaptive sports activities—and this time tennis caught. The remaining unfolded all because of Mathewson’s sheer expertise and drive. 

Dana Mathewson: My situation shut a whole lot of doorways that I assumed had been my solely doorways resulting in athletic pursuits. However fortunately mother had talked to a whole lot of completely different folks after I was within the hospital and discovered what wheelchair sports activities and adaptive sports activities had been. 

At that stage of life, I had by no means seen anybody with a incapacity that wasn’t 90 years outdated. I simply wasn’t uncovered to rather a lot at the moment, and I feel that is truly the case for lots of People. Our nation is so massive that you simply don’t come into contact with a whole lot of completely different demographics. 

At first I used to be one of many children who had no real interest in wheelchair sports activities. I assumed it sounded actually boring. I could not conceptualize what it will be. 

However my mother was like, “Nope! I would like you to be lively. I’m signing you up for each camp doable.” And tennis was a kind of. 

Mathewson: I am an enormous breakfast particular person. I can’t begin the day with out breakfast. I do know there’s a lot of those who get up and all they want is espresso and an apple. I am not that woman. 

I really like waking up and having scrambled egg whites or an egg white omelet with toast. If I am actually within the temper, I will sauté mushrooms and spinach and put that in there. That means I’ve protein and carbs to get me going. Having that sizzling meal simply helps me really feel prepared.

Other than that, I feel that I am very massive on veggies. I’ve by no means been an enormous meat eater, ever since I used to be somewhat woman. So in the event you had been to supply me a steak, I would not actually need to eat it. However I haven’t got the vegetarian mindset of not eager to eat meat due to moral causes, I simply have not actually loved it. 

Mathewson: I’ve a complete crew of coaches down right here in Orlando that I work with. My power and conditioning crew has particular applications I’ve to do daily. 

So, for instance, Mondays and Wednesdays are lifting days. So for me, that is a whole lot of higher physique, however we do even have me doing stuff simply to maintain no matter muscle groups I’ve in my legs lively. That may contain me utilizing the SkiErg machine, the rower, free weights, bench press, and stuff like that. 

Then Tuesdays and Thursdays are extra conditioning-based, so we’ll have court docket conditioning drills. 

Friday is a circuit the place I mix pulling a sled, rowing, lifting, and battle ropes. It is brutal. 

There’s good variability between conditioning and power. I feel that in the event you go fully one or the opposite, you possibly can burn your physique out—otherwise you’re not offering your muscle groups the train that they want.

Once I was in faculty, I used to be simply very obsessive about the concept of being skinny and being toned. I feel a whole lot of ladies fall into the lure of, “Properly, I am simply going to be on the elliptical for half-hour or I’ll be on the bike for an hour.” Yeah, that burns energy, however it doesn”t truly burn energy the identical means it does like burning muscle. 

Mathewson: After coaching, there’s a whole lot of stretching that we do. That was one thing that I’ve to confess I did not do for the majority of my profession, and I used to be simply fortunate I did not have accidents. However now that I am getting older, I actually see the significance of stretching and cool-downs after a exercise. 

I additionally suppose it is vital to get well mentally. I put aside time to play with my canine, name my pals, and even simply sit on my sofa and watch TV. I really like the Actual Housewives. It is good to have issues in your life that convey you pleasure!

A number of years in the past, my mindset was like, “I have to work laborious. I simply have to put my head down and be productive all the time.” However I feel it is truly productive to be lazy typically. That is what refuels you. Being a sofa potato, being a sloth, being on my own for a bit is what recharges my batteries. 

Mathewson: That is been one thing I’ve actually needed to work on prior to now few years. Tennis is such a mentally based mostly sport, and I did not understand simply how a lot till I obtained to the extra elite stage of taking part in. As a result of at that time, everybody has a great forehand. Everybody has a great backhand. Everybody has a great serve. Perhaps one particular person is somewhat bit higher than the opposite. However what actually makes folks win extra typically is their mindset. 

And I feel as an early tennis skilled, I heard that however did not actually embrace it or did not actually perceive it, however I very a lot do now.

Quite a lot of what I have been doing is constructive self-talk after I’m taking part in or earlier than the match. I have a tendency to present an excessive amount of credit score to my opponents earlier than a match even begins. Should you try this, then you definately’ve already misplaced the match, proper? Since you’re already considering like, Properly, she hits tremendous massive or she’s actually quick. She’s going to get all the things. 

I’ve needed to study to visualise constructive outcomes. The evening earlier than a match, I’ll give myself jobs or issues I need to do as a result of I am very goal-oriented. What I imply by that’s I will give myself assignments for myself for a match. I will write them down on a notecard, then attempt to visualize what it will feel and look like to attain the targets. I do it many times and once more. 

Mathewson: I feel you are proper that sure folks have extra of that cussed mindset, which helps you be extra resilient. What I imply by that’s, like, you get knocked down 5 instances, then you definately’ll stand up six since you’re cussed sufficient to maintain making an attempt. However I feel that that can be a discovered trait too.

With tennis being my private instance, there’s just one particular person each week in a event that wins, proper? In order that implies that everyone else has to lose. You play X variety of tournaments a 12 months. So there’s a whole lot of dropping that you must get snug with in tennis! 

It is week-in and week-out video games, and most instances you do lose. You may win a number of, however in the end you are ending up with an L probably. Except you are Serena Williams. By nature of tennis being my job, it teaches you resilience since you discover ways to reframe losses. 

Mathewson: Tennis is de facto technical, so, sure, it may be irritating. It could possibly flip a whole lot of children away from it. Or possibly children can be pissed off as a result of they do not have a crew they’ll play with, and that may be laborious. 

However tennis is without doubt one of the coolest sports activities in that it means that you can decide up a racket and play with anybody on any given day. You possibly can simply go to the park, meet somebody, and play with them. You do not want a complete crew to play, like basketball or soccer. 

However other than that, I might say to simply keep it up and belief the method. As a result of it is not at all times simple. 

There’s sacrifices that must be given to a sport that individuals do not at all times take into consideration after they’re children. Like possibly you will have a event on a weekend while you need to go to a sleepover. Or possibly you will be getting pissed off that one observe did not go properly, or different persons are taking part in higher than me.