Two players can win 50% of points and have completely different match results. The difference is which points they win. Pressure points are weighted moments — winning them counts double in practice.

The pressure points to track

Break points (both saved and converted)
Set points (both faced and earned)
Tiebreak points (especially mini-breaks)
Deuce games decided in your favor

Why amateurs lose pressure points

Tightening up — first serves drop 10-15% on break points for most amateurs
Going safer — second-serve speed drops, return position retreats
Rushing — point length on pressure points is shorter than baseline rallies for nervous players

What good clutch performance looks like

First-serve % on break points within 5 points of your overall first-serve %
Tiebreak record at or above 50%
Comeback rate (winning matches after losing the first set) above 25%

The drill that fixes it

Simulated pressure in practice: serve 10 deuce-court second serves, then 10 ad-court second serves, with a forfeit (push-ups, sprints) for each one missed. Stakes change biology. Practice with stakes and your pressure stats will rise.

Log your pressure stats for 20 matches and the gap between your "average self" and your "pressure self" will be obvious.