From losing 19-15 leads to actually closing out matches
I was up 19-15 in a club tournament. Four points from winning. I could taste victory.
Then I hit three serves into the net, shanked a clear out of bounds, and watched my opponent win 21-19. I didn't lose because of technique—I choked because of pressure.
That was five years ago. Here's what I learned about handling pressure after choking away probably 30+ matches where I had the lead.
My first two years playing, I'd be fine until game point. Then my arm would feel like concrete, my legs would freeze, and I'd hit the easiest shots into the net.
A sports psychologist (yes, I got desperate enough to talk to one) told me what was happening: when I thought about NOT losing, my body tensed up, my breathing got shallow, and my brain switched from "play mode" to "survival mode." Can't play good badminton in survival mode.
Here's what actually worked to fix it.
Before every serve at crucial points (18+), I turn my back to the net and take 3 deliberate deep breaths. 4 seconds in through nose, 4 seconds out through mouth.
Sounds stupid? I thought so too. But it works because deep breathing literally tells your nervous system to calm down. You can't control your nerves directly, but you CAN control your breathing.
I started doing this after watching a pro match. The player was at match point against him, turned around, took deep breaths, then came back and won three straight points. If pros do it, maybe I should too.
💡 What Actually Helped: I practiced the breathing routine during practice games when I WASN'T nervous. Built the habit when stakes were low. By the time real pressure hit, the routine was automatic.
When I was up 19-18 serving for the match, my brain would scream "DON'T MESS THIS UP" and "JUST WIN THIS POINT." Terrible mental state.
Now? I focus on process: "Watch the shuttle. Move my feet. Hit to the corners." Specific actions, not emotional outcomes.
The difference is massive. "Don't mess up" makes you tense. "Watch shuttle, move feet" gives your brain something productive to do.
→ "I need to win this point"
→ "What if I lose from 19-15 again?"
→ "Everyone is watching, don't choke"
All outcome-focused. All creating anxiety.
→ "Serve short and tight"
→ "Make them lift, attack the net"
→ "One rally at a time"
All process-focused. Gives me something to DO instead of something to FEAR.
Between every point at 18+, I do the same routine. Takes about 15 seconds. Keeps me calm when everything feels chaotic.
My exact routine: Turn away from net. Wipe face with towel (even if not sweaty—it's the physical action that matters). Three deep breaths. Bounce shuttle twice. Think about next point tactic ("serve short, attack"). Turn back, ready position.
The routine creates consistency. When my brain is freaking out, the routine is something familiar and controllable. Calms me down every time.
⚠️ Mistake I Made: I'd rush between points when nervous, trying to "get it over with." That's exactly when you need to SLOW DOWN. Use the full 20 seconds. Reset properly. Rushing = more mistakes.
This sounds like psychology nonsense but it legitimately works: I stopped saying "I'm so nervous" and started saying "I'm excited for this challenge."
Same physical feeling (racing heart, adrenaline), different interpretation. Research shows that labeling anxiety as "excitement" actually improves performance. Tried it, and my game point performance got noticeably better within a month.
Your body is amped up either way. Might as well tell yourself it's excitement instead of fear.
This was my specialty—blowing leads. Here's what finally worked: I reminded myself to play AGGRESSIVELY, not defensively.
When I was protecting a lead, I'd play safe and tentative. That let opponents back in. Now? I tell myself "play to win, not to avoid losing." Attack with purpose. Passive play invites comebacks.
I used to think "This is it, if I lose this point the game is over." Total panic mode. Now I think "Nothing to lose, swing free."
That mental shift—from "must not lose" to "might as well go for it"—freed me up. Ironically, I win more game points against me now because I'm not playing tight and scared.
Weirdly harder than game point against you. I'd overthink everything. "Should I serve long or short? What if I double fault?"
Solution: I treat it like 10-10. Use my most reliable serve (short to the T), stick to my normal game plan, don't try anything fancy. If I miss, I get another chance. No need to be a hero.
💡 Real Talk: Watch elite players at game point. They walk slower, show zero emotion, breathe deliberately. Why? External calm creates internal calm. Act confident even when you're nervous—your brain will follow your body language.
You can't suddenly become mentally tough during a tournament. You build it in practice.
I started playing "pressure point games" at practice—every time someone hit 9 points, we'd restart from 9-9. Forced us to play game point scenarios over and over. After a month of this twice per week, game point felt way less scary in real matches.
We also added consequences to practice games. Loser runs sprints. Sounds dumb but it added just enough pressure to simulate real match nerves.
After 10+ years of playing and probably 5 years of serious mental game work, here's what I know: you'll always feel pressure. That never goes away.
The goal isn't to stop feeling nervous. The goal is to function well DESPITE feeling nervous. Even pros get tight at game point—they just don't let it control their shot selection.
Before I worked on this, I'd lose probably 60% of matches where I had a lead at 18+. Just couldn't close. Now? I'd say I close out 75% of those matches. That swing in win rate came entirely from mental game improvements, not technique changes.
Start with one thing. For me it was the breathing routine. Just that one change—turning around, three deep breaths before crucial points—probably improved my close-game win rate by 20%.
Add the process focus. Build a routine. Practice under pressure. Give it 3 months of honest work. You'll still choke sometimes—everyone does. But you'll choke way less often, and that's the goal.
← Back to All Articles