This year's Australian Open turned into a coming-out party for tennis's newest sweetheart: Genie Bouchard. The gorgeous 5'10" blonde won the biggest match of her career--beating out former No. 1 player Ana Ivanovi in the quarterfinals--before losing in the semifinals to China's Li Na. Expect to see her contending for titles for years to come.
But behind camera-catching good looks and the ability to kick your ass on a tennis court--she was the first Canadian to win junior Wimbledon in singles--research says she's got the right make-up to take the tennis world by storm. Here's why:
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A sense of humor can beat stress: Before her semifinal match, Bouchard plugged lyrics from fellow Canadian Drake saying, "You gotta start from the bottom and now we're here, right?" Then, when asked in a postmatch interview who she would want to date in the world of sport or movies, she smiled and answered Justin Bieber, setting off a Twitterstorm the size of Roger Federer's ego. That's big.
Why it works: Just the anticipation of laughing decreases stress hormones to calm you down, a Loma Linda University study found. And when University of Maryland researchers showed short movie clips to people, those who saw humorous films saw a 22 percent increase in blood flow to their hearts.
A support system can push you harder: A group of Australians who call themselves the "Genie Army" cheered Bouchard along throughout the tournament in red and white T-shirts that spell out her name.
Why it works: A recent Stanford University study found that social support is the No. 1 factor for success in female fitness programs. The same is likely true for guys. Having people behind you makes you accountable not just to yourself, but to others--and positive support can give you the push needed to keep going.
Confidence helps you win: Bouchard was quoted as saying, "I do try to walk around like I belong there, and play like I belong, and every time I walk on the court I believe I can win. So when it does happen, it's like O.K., I knew I could do this, and now let's go to the next thing."
Why it works: Paralysis by analysis is when you overthink something you've trained for, explains Steve Edwards, Associate Dean of Graduate and Research Studies at Oklahoma State University. It can throw off your performance and your results. Trust your training: If you've pounded something into your brain a million times, it's probably there, Edwards adds.
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