AUTHOR=Conde-Ripoll Rafael , Escudero-Tena Adrián , Bustamante-Sánchez Álvaro 

TITLE=Pre and post-competitive anxiety and self-confidence and their relationship with technical-tactical performance in high-level men's padel players

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2024.1393980

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2024.1393980

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>This study aimed to analyze the variations in pre- and post-competitive anxiety and self-confidence considering match outcomes, the performance according to the result and the correlation among performance and psychological variables.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>The sample consisted on 12 matches in which 11 high-level padel players from Finland (top 24) voluntarily participated. CSAI-2R and STAI-S were used to assess psychological variables and technical-tactical performance was evaluated by a certified padel coach.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Losing players presented higher cognitive (<italic>p</italic> = .004), somatic (<italic>p</italic> = .020) and state (<italic>p</italic> = .001) anxiety and lower selfconfidence (<italic>p</italic> = .014), and winning players showed higher state anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = .022), after than before the matches. Post-match, winning players exhibited higher self-confidence (<italic>p</italic> = .015) than losing players. Winning players made more winners (<italic>p</italic> = .010) than losing players. There are direct correlations between unforced errors and post-state anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = .015), unforced errors and state anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = .009) and winners and cognitive anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = .033), in winning players; between generators of forced error and post-cognitive anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = .034), forced errors and cognitive anxiety in losing players (<italic>p</italic> = .001). There are indirect correlations between forced errors and pre-cognitive anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = .009), winners and somatic anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = .046), unforced errors and state anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = .042) in losing players.</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>The outcomes imply the need for intervention programs to equip players, especially those facing defeat, with tools for anxiety management and self-confidence enhancement. Likewise, coaches are advised to incorporate exercises that promote the occurrence of winners.</p></sec>