No. 11, pp. 94–94

Received: 18.09.2026 | Published: 23.10.2026

CC BY 4.0

Keywords: assessment of tolerance for uncertainty, anxiety, emotional regulation, and confidence.

Introduction. The psychological component of tennis activity is significant at all stages of an athlete's preparation. The performance of tennis players is influenced by factors such as anxiety, emotional regulation, and confidence [1]. However, work with highly qualified athletes is more often built around specific areas, and the characteristics that contribute to results throughout the season have been insufficiently studied.
Objective of the study: to identify the psychological predictors of sports success in highly qualified tennis players.
Methods and organization of the study. The scientific study involved 43 men professionally engaged in tennis, aged 22–30 years. All held the title of Master of Sports and had regular competitive practice.
For the assessment of psychological predictors, the "Personal Potential" questionnaire for athletes by A.I. Kharitonova and E.M. Klimova, the multi-scale questionnaire "Self-Regulation of Athlete's Preparation" by V.I. Morosanova and I.N. Bondarenko, as well as the MSTAT-I tolerance for uncertainty scale adapted by D.A. Leontiev, E.N. Osin, and E.G. Lukovitskaya were used. Sports success was assessed by a composite indicator of season success, which was calculated based on the level of tournaments and the place achieved.
To identify the predictors, multiple regression analysis was used. Before conducting it, the assumptions of normality of residual distribution, homoscedasticity, and absence of multicollinearity were checked. The calculations were performed in Jamovi 2.7.17.
Results of the study and their discussion. Regression analysis revealed three significant predictors of sports success. The model explains 57% of the variance of the composite indicator of season success (R²=0.57; F(3,39)=17.08; p<0.001). Meaningfulness makes a positive contribution (β= 0.50; p<0.001), while independence (β= -0.51; p<0.001) and preference for uncertainty (β= -0.32; p=0.016) acted as negative predictors.
When controlling for the influence of other predictors, an increase in meaningfulness by one standard deviation is accompanied by an increase in the composite indicator of season success by 0.50 standard deviations, whereas an increase in independence decreases it by 0.51, and an increase in preference for uncertainty decreases it by 0.32 standard deviations.
The obtained data show that the success of a highly qualified tennis player is determined not by autonomy and readiness to act in uncertain conditions, but by the understanding of one's own goals and the meaning of competitive activity.
Conclusions. Psychological characteristics make a significant contribution to the sports success of highly qualified tennis players. Meaningfulness is accompanied by an increase in results, while independence and preference for uncertainty are associated with a decrease. The revealed connections can be taken into account in the psychological preparation of highly qualified tennis players and when assessing their individual characteristics throughout the season.

1. Sanchez Mencia E., Campos-Rius J., González Santamaría X., Borrajo Mena E. Tactical skills in tennis: A systematic review. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. 2024. Vol. 19. No. 2. P. 894-907