“I’m an optimist. I think that’s what helps me most in difficult moments,” quotes Roger Federer. Because he is a master at dealing with defeats.
Every tennis player who actively swings the racquet on the court wants to improve. Whether it’s Novak Djokovic or the ambitious club player in his mid-40s, who has just lost the semi-finals against his team-mate in the domestic club championships. They all want to win, improve their strokes and generally improve their tennis. Age and playing strength are irrelevant. The professionals and top players serve as inspiration and learning aid. Techniques, moves and tactical subtleties are copied and tried to integrate into your own game in the best possible way. And here you can really learn a lot, even if it’s rather confused: How did Roger Federer solve the situation with Breakball against himself? How does Rafael Nadal manage to get out of the defensive again and again to score points? How does Novak Djokovic play the backhand cross 120 times in a row on the same point?
This approach to improving your own game is good. But this is the third rung on the ladder that leads directly to sporting development and success. The first two steps are almost blindly skipped – but that’s where the secret lies. Roger Federer’s career, of all things, serves as a supportive and instructive school: Roger Federer’s school of losing. Every club player can learn the most from Roger Federer’s defeats and reactions. We remember the award ceremony after the Australian Open 2009 finals, when Roger Federer suffered an incredibly bitter defeat against Rafael Nadal and was unable to deliver his speech without tears and despair.
Due to the outstanding success of the Swiss, his defeats are rather faintly remembered. However, this is only because Roger Federer has always taken on his defeats and has continued to develop – and never stuck his head in the clay court. The difference between Roger Federer and millions of other players is not only his talent. But in the ability to deal with defeats and setbacks, to use them and finally to shape his play and character on the court. The current run of success against his everlasting rival from Spain is the fundamental proof of this unique ability, which will make him the best tennis player of all time. It took Federer a few years to find a key to the Nadal door. Resign? Even after years of failure? Never ever. It is not the forehand that makes Roger Federer the best; it is precisely this mentality. Roger Federer graduated from the school of losing with a master’s degree.
After a defeat, you’re probably only preoccupied with the match, or not at all. You accept defeat because your opponent was better, you had a bad day or the course was too slow. If you are on the pitch in the next match, but you want to win, and are even more annoyed when you lose the second match in a row. Then you’ll lose the defeat quickly, go back to your comfort zone and hit a few balls over the net in the next few days. In this case, you walked past the school of losing without having attended classes. You’ve learned nothing from your defeats. What you would have learned from your first defeat could turn the result for your next match around – in your favour.
The subjects in your personal school of losing could be as follows:
Accepting problems – finding solutions
analyse your own mistakes – optimism
Accepting, understanding and implementing criticism
leave your own ego in the tennis bag
Defeat teaches you more than three victories. It is solely because of your attitude towards defeat. Do you look down and turn away or do you greet defeat and take everything you have been given? You can’t just cut the forehand and the serve from Roger Federer. If you look behind the curtain, you can also take over his mentality for yourself. The most effective way to improve is to train, play and think for yourself.