"When emotions take over, everything changes": An exploration of emotional regulation and competitive performance in pickleball: Perspectives of players and coaches

Emotional regulation has been identified as one of the key factors in sport performance; however, qualitative research examining this construct in real competitive contexts remains limited, particularly in emerging sports such as pickleball. The aim of this study was to analyze pickleball players’ and coaches’ perceptions of the role of emotional regulation in competitive performance, decision-making, and the occurrence of errors, with particular attention to emotionally critical moments during matches and to emotional dynamics in doubles play. A qualitative study with a phenomenological hermeneutic approach was conducted. Sixty pickleball players and eight coaches participated, completing asynchronous online interviews in two phases. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, resulting in three main categories: (1) emotional dynamics of the match; (2) emotion, decision-making, and error; and (3) emotional regulation and interpersonal dynamics. The results indicate that both players and coaches perceive emotions as fluctuating continuously throughout the match and intensifying at critical moments, directly influencing playing behavior, technical-tactical decisions, and the likelihood of committing errors. In addition, according to participants, in doubles play, the emotional dynamics between teammates and coach intervention emerge as key elements for emotional regulation and the maintenance of collective performance under pressure. These findings underscore the need to systematically integrate emotional regulation into competitive preparation in pickleball, considering both the individual and interpersonal processes involved in performance.