Here is a link to an article in the Wall Street Journal titled How Much Tennis Is Played During Matches?  In a 3-hour match at the ATP level players spend 31 minutes & 30 seconds or 17.5% of the time physically engaged in a point.

It is no wonder why a player’s thoughts can be their own worst enemy.  Regardless of the level of competition, routines between points and during changeovers are absolutely critical.  When you watch the U.S. Open appreciate how players do the same thing each time between points and realize they are going through a mental routine each and every time.  The best players think the same handful of thoughts hundreds of times over and over again during a match.  That is in direct contrast to players who think hundreds of different thoughts just a few times each throughout a match.  If you are interested in learning more about routines check out my friend Frank Giampaolo’s Tennis Parent Bible.