One or two years ago, I didn't know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I've learned how to cope and can therefore win 10 matches in a row. I want to be remembered as a good player rather than an idiot on court.
Roger FedererRead
My dad said if you become a tennis professional just make sure you get into the top hundred, because you have to make a little bit of money. You make a living so you can pay your coaching and, you know, your travels.
Interpretation
Success in sports requires financial sustainability, which necessitates being among the top performers.
In this quote, Roger Federer reflects on advice given to him by his father regarding the realities of pursuing a career as a professional tennis player. He emphasizes that reaching the top echelons, specifically the top hundred, is crucial not just for prestige but for financial viability, enabling players to cover their costs associated with training and travel in such a competitive field.
In practice
In a motivational speech about pursuing sports careers.
One or two years ago, I didn't know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I've learned how to cope and can therefore win 10 matches in a row. I want to be remembered as a good player rather than an idiot on court.
Winning or losing, it's always something special and something you'll remember, even more so when the match was as dramatic as it was today. It's even more memorable when I see my kids there with my wife and everything. That's what touched me the most, to be quite honest. The disappointment of the match itself went pretty quickly.
I was aware of how incredible the match was. Unfortunately there had to be a winner. From my point of view many left feeling sorry for me instead of being happy for Rafa. Which hurts.
I never waited 27 years, because 27 years ago I was just born. My parents never told me, 'If you don't win Roland Garros we take you to the orphanage.
Seriously. I'm not playing to prove anything to journalists. I'm playing for myself, for my fans,to make people happy.
I hope so. God, I've practiced so much that I you don't want to be worse five years later. I feel I have a great game today. I know how hard it is to pull off those great shots, and I know how easy it is to miss, so I'm more aware of these things. But I'm so happy I'm at the age I am right now because I had such a great run and I know there's still more possible.
Discipline - Success doesn't just happen. You have to be intentional about it, and that takes discipline.
On a personal note, I think it won't be until after I've retired that I'm fully aware of what I've done or what I've gone on to achieve in my career.
Without the element of enjoyment, it is not worth trying to excel at anything.
I'm no genius, but I'm a damn good football coach.
My dad was very successful running midgets in Texas. Then, his two drivers ran into some bad luck. People started saying that Daddy had lost his touch. That it was the cars and not the drivers. I wanted to race just to prove all those people wrong.
No matter how well you do in the regular season, it has to be capped off with a championship to really mark your legacy in the game.
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