Sports Inspiration: Reflections From The Australian Open

By Jayita Belcourt

What an amazing tournament we were blessed to watch this year at the Australian Open!

So many sensational matches, so many feisty players and so many great stories along the way. Whilst only one man and women could be crowed the 2012 champion, the event was still a colourful array of highs and lows, of lessons and learning’s, of trials and tribulations, and triumphs and defeat.

Some of the most gifted players were not always the most successful. Some were left pondering their attitude, their mindset or ability. Take Raonic or Dolgopolov. Clearly two rising stars, both with incredible talent and physicality. Raonic was recently described by Djokovic as “one of the up-and-coming players, very young but strong.” Dolgopolov was also recently described by Federer as “making his move up the rankings” and “playing very solid”. And yet, both Raonic and Dologopolov, fell short of their potential. Stopped in their track by young Australian sensation Tomic, both were left pondering what they need to do to lift their game to the next level. Both likely to have spent many long hours on their flights home in contemplation of their lack-lustre performance and wondering “if only” and “why”…

And conversely… some former Grand Slam winners were left stumbling in their tracks, wondering if they too will ever reach the pinnacle heights of their career again. Take Sam Stosur, just crowed US Open Champion last year. Clearly struggling with her new found fame and the heightened pressure of playing in her home country, Stosur was unable to go past the first round in this year’s Aus Open… And then there was the great Roger Federer who played a near perfect array of matches in his lead-up to the semi-finals.. only to watch his confidence and dreams fade away in the hands of his arch rival Nadal. And of course, Serena Williams, who we have seen sizzling hot in so many former grand-slam events, looked only a shadow of “normal” self and left her followers wondering what happened to her once “polished” game after 9 double faults and 37 unforced errors in her 4th round match.

And alike … some of the most strongest and respected players walk off the court frazzled and in tears. Take Li Na from China, a former Grand Slam winner up against Kim Cljisters in her fourth round match. Clearly battling nerves and self-doubts, the WTA ranked #9, had four match points in the tie-breaker of the second set, only to see her performance fall short and went on to lose the match in 3 sets. With another blow to her career since her once heralded performance at the French Open in 2011, how does she find the strength to charge forward with a renewed sense of “belief” when she failed so miserably to convert such a commanding lead? And then we had the feisty Spaniard, Rafael Nadal, who triumphantly came back in the 4th set of the Aus Open men’s final and took an early lead 4-2 in the 5th set .. only to watch it unravel and watch a defiant and relentless tyrant “never say die” Djokovic charge away with perhaps some “mystical help” in the final set to secure his 5th Grand Slam victory.

How do the players cope with loss ? What lessons did they learn along the way? What gives them strength to continue fighting when a situation looks dim? What elements outside of the tennis court, contribute to a winning game … ?

We pulled together a collection of quotes from interviews with some of the top players at this year’s Australian Open. I hope they shed more insight on what it is like to be a “top” and the lessons and joys they face along the way along. I hope they inspire you to be your best and provide some useful tips on how you too, can improve your game. Enjoy 

On success.. when it will happen ?

“You never quite know when your success is going to come.” – Maria Sharapova (WTA rank #3, former Australian Open Champion)

On mistakes during a match… ?

“Everyone always sometimes hits a shot that’s a little bit insane and you just got to allow yourself to get over it.” – Serena Williams (WTA rank #12, 13 time Grand Slam Winner)

“To think if I could have done better I think it’s a little bit of a waste of time, because you can’t really bring it back. What you can do is learn from your experiences, mistakes, good, bad, and take it to the next one [match].” – Victoria Azarenak (WTA rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion)

Ups and down in one’s performance.. how to deal with it.. ?

“You must expect that you experience some lows, as well, you know, not only highs” – Novak Djokovic (ATP rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion).

“I guess the US Open final, the way I played and everything, is the absolute pinnacle of where you want to get to. Now I know that is possible… Sometimes it’s unrealistic to think you are going to play that well every single time.” – Sam Stosur (WTA rank #5, US Open 2011 Champion).

Thoughts leading into a match .. when facing a tough opponent ?

“I cannot underestimate any opponent. You know, I have to stay dedicated and stay focused. As long as it’s like that, I think I’m on the right path.” – Novak Djokovic (ATP rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion).

“You got to concentrate on yourself.. It’s only going to be tough from here.” – Maria Sharapova (WTA rank #3) in her lead-up to the semi-finals.

“I’m going to enjoy going out there and having a crack” – Lleyton Hewitt (former ATP rank #1 in lead-up to his match against Djokovic).

“When you’re playing top players, you really have to be 100% ready and every little thing counts.” – Jelena Jankovic (WTA rank #13)

Routines.. Preparing for a match..?

“I listen to music and dance a little bit to get physically prepared, activated, get my mind in a fun mode.” – Victoria Azarenka (WTA rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion)

On the coach / player relationship.. The important aspects and benefits of a good coach ?

“When you just get that little bit of extra help from someone that’s been there and done it many, many times, it helps… You’re kind of like a sponge.. You’re kind of absorbing a lot of different information… You’re obviously asking a lot of questions and you’re getting a lot of good answers.. you take obviously all the best part of it, and it helps.” – Andy Murray (ATP Rank #4 ) about his coach, Ivan Lendl.

“I think that’s one of the most important things that player and coach has to have, is a compromise. I think the coach should take a player’s side and look from the side of the player; the player has to look from the side of the player; the player has to look the other way, because the coach wants to make you better… Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like.. But you have to do it. So I think the compromise and the communication is the most important thing.. If he’s [the coach] brutal, he’s brutal for a reason. If he’s tough, he’s tough for a reason. I don’t try to find excuses and try to back out. I just try to accept. If I’ve done something wrong, I have to accept and move on. I have to be better. He has to challenge me as well.” – Victoria Azarenka (WTA rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion)

The importance of the people in the box, the team and the support networks.. ?

“I have a personal relationship with all the people in my box, and that’s what makes it so special and intimate. Although I’m not right next to them, you do feel their encouragement and the vibe is there. I think that’s very important.” – Kim Clijsters (WTA rank #30, former Australian Open Champion).

“It’s not just one-man effort. The team of people that is around me is helping me to perform my best on the court and to keep the very simple style of the life, you know, concentration that I had for every preparation for every season so far in last five years.”- Novak Djokovic (ATP rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion).

“I have to give a huge credit to my team. We all have been working really hard in the off-season.. We all have a really good chemistry between all of us, so it’s working out well.” – Victoria Azarenka (WTA rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion)

“I am lucky that I have all of this team around me. Without them, probably I gonna be at home.”
– Rafael Nadal (ATP rank #2)

Playing a point when the opposition has a commanding lead or match point… ?

“There’s still one point to be played and to be won by her.. If she [the opposition] was going to come up come up with an ace or with a winner, you know, too good, but I didn’t want to make the mistake.” – Kim Clijsters (WTA rank #30, former Australian Open Champion).

“I think I’m in the best shape physically right now, so it kind of helps other aspects of the game…. It helps just the mindset as well. I feel like I can play there as long as I need to play. I’m there on every point.” – Victoria Azarenka (WTA rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion)

On pumping your fist… how does it help… ?

“When you’re in the moment, I’ve very competitive, so that’s when I fist pump, it’s more like, All right, I won this but we still have many more to go…” – Maria Sharapova (WTA rank #3, former Australian Open Champion)

Playing a match.. playing your game.. ?

“I think you want to be able to play the match on your terms… There’s many different ways of playing. It just has to be within your game style.” – Andy Murray (ATP rank #4)

“If you are playing well, things can be a little bit less difficult. If you are playing bad, every match will be very, very difficult no?” – Rafael Nadal (ATP rank #2, Former Grand Slam Winner)

On life, on tennis… ?

“Im 24. I feel that I’m playing the best tennis of my life. I’m at the peak. So I should use every moment and enjoy my tennis.” – Novak Djokovic (ATP rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion).

“That’s sport. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose when it’s all going to happen for you.” – Sam Stosur (WTA rank #5, US Open 2011 Champion).

On losing.. ?

“I always think about things that I can do better next time around. That’s usually how I kind of respond. I’m thinking already about practicing as soon as tomorrow” – Serena Williams (after loosing to Makarova in the 4th round)

“As much as I hate to look at anything positive out of today, it’s a learning experience. There’s so much to take from it… I’m only going to get better… I’m going to improve with matches and practice…. I’ll improve with knowing how to deal with the situation, knowing what I can expect.” – Milos Raonic (ATP rank #29) after his loss with Lleyton Hewitt in the 3rd round.

“All you can do is come back next year and keep trying… If anything, it will probably spur me on to try even harder and do even more.” – Sam Stosur (WTA rank #5, US Open 2011 Champion).

Practice vs Match play.. ?

“Match court is not the best place for an experiment. Do that on the practice court” – Andy Murray (ATP rank #4)

“You can do it in practice, but it’s always different to play a match.. It’s just about getting the confidence to play with it in a real match as well.” – Caroline Wozniacki (WTA rank #4)

Playing in front of a crowd.. ?

“The crowd pumps you and you feel so good out there playing. It makes you focus and want to win the next point.” – Bernard Tomic (ATP Rank #36)

Playing a match … under pressure … in the face of adversity.. ?

“You need to get used to the emotions and the pressure and the stress a little bit.” – Kim Clijsters (WTA rank #30, former Australian Open Champion).

“You have to go through a little bit of tough moments sometimes too.. Sometimes you just have to push yourself a little bit to get you going again.” – Victoria Azarenka (WTA rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion)

“At some point you have to push through those barriers and do it.” – Sam Stosur (WTA rank #5, US Open 2011 Champion).

“Nothing is easy… Every match you have your problems” – Rafael Nadal (ATP rank #2)

How experience helps.. ?

“It’s just the experience that you get playing on the tour that you can use in the certain moments when you feel you are under pressure and just being able to overcome that pressure with that mental strength, you know, your skills and physical ability as well.” – Novak Djokovic (ATP rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion).

On learning, self-transcendence and self-improvement… ?

“I still believe that I can improve. I would like to improve every day…. You know, you can always improve. You can always become better. You can always work out harder in the gym and work out differently. Yeah, you just learn yourself better and better and more about yourself, and then you keep improving” – Kim Clijsters (WTA rank #30, former Australian Open Champion).

“Every day I feel like I wake up and I go out, I feel like I can improve, and that makes me feel young.” – Maria Sharapova ((WTA rank #3, former Australian Open Champion).

“I just keep learning. Every day I learn. You learn stuff all the time. I think that’s one of the main reasons I‘ve improved is I’ve been out there longer now and experienced new things and understand the world a little bit and how it works.. I’ve got to keep pushing myself and working harder.” – Bernard Tomic (ATP Rank #36)

“I really thinking only about improving my game, improving myself, staying really focused.” – Novak Djokovic (ATP rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion).

“For me, the most important thing is to keep improving. If I do that, I know I can play on a very high level.” – Caroline Wozniacki (WTA rank #4)

Elements of the game … that influence performance ?

“I would like to improve every day and I have the feeling that I have been improving on a lot of different areas as well as emotionally, tactic-wise, physically and confidence.” – Kim Clijsters (WTA rank #30, former Australian Open Champion).

“When my fitness and my mind was all sort of coming together, this was when I was able to play my best.” – Roger Federer (ATP rank #3, 16 time Grand Slam Winner)

“You have to work very hard, you have to be dedicated, you have to take care of the smallest details off the court as well,
how you organise your life, you have to be emotionally balance. All these kind of things play a very significant role, you know, in your performance on the court.” – Novak Djokovic (ATP rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion).

“I think I’m in the best shape physically right now, so it kind of helps other aspects of the game…. It helps just the mindset as well. I feel like I can play there as long as I need to play. I’m there on every point.” – Victoria Azarenka (WTA rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion)

On winning… when both players are so evenly matched.. what makes it possible … ?

“I think it was just the matter of maybe luck in some moments and matter of, you know, wanting this more than maybe other player in the certain point.”

– Novak Djokovic (ATP rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion) after his historic victory against Nadal in the Aus Open.

On holistic health and medicines to help with an injury… ?

“I hate medicines. I hate having to take, you know …medicine that’s manmade and stuff like that. So I like holistic. It’s better on your system. It takes longer. But overall the effects of synthetic things are longer term and not really so good for you.” – Serena Williams (WTA rank #12, 13 Time Grand Slam Winner)

On Yoga … ?

“I actually really like Yoga… I like it to stretch and to be flexible.” – Serena Williams (WTA rank #12, 13 Time Grand Slam Winner)

Meditation & Techniques to clear your mind… ?

“I’ve heard [meditation] is really good for you. I haven’t been able to do that yet.. I have always wanted to take 10 or 15 minutes out of a day and clear your mind. Hopefully I will do that one day.”
– Serena Williams (WTA rank #12, 13 Time Grand Slam Winner)

Dealing with emotions.. ?

“I guess the more you keep your emotions in check, the better.” – Andy Murray (ATP rank #4)

“I’ve been working on my emotional stability, trying to not have some really high ups and downs, just try to stay as calm as possible.” – Novak Djokovic (ATP rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion).

“I think you feel what you feel, whether it’s good or bad. It’s hard to suppress those emotions when it means so much to you.” – Sam Stosur (WTA rank #5, 2011 US Open Champion)

“I try to stay composed and control it [bad emotions].” – Victoria Azarenka (WTA rank #1, 2012 Australian Open Champion).
On nerves…?

“When anyone’s nervous, I think the first thing that goes is your footwork. You don’t move your feet as well. Once that breaks down, it’s easy for other things to start breaking down.” – Sam Stosur (WTA rank #5, 2011 US Open Champion)
Looking at the bright side..?

“I went through some tough moments as well where I was frustrated and I didn’t like it as much… I always stay positive. I’m a very positive person.” – Roger Federer (ATP rank #3, 16 time Grand Slam Winner)

“It’s obviously been a really tough month, a tough week leading into this. You stay as positive as you can and do everything that you need to.” – Sam Stosur (WTA rank #5, 2011 US Open Champion)

“That’s nice be there fighting, you know, trying to go to the limit, bring your body to the limit of his chances. Something I really enjoy, and I always said is good suffer, enjoy  enjoy suffering, no? .. I tried to be there, to find solutions all the time. I played a lot with my heart. I played a lot with my mind, and is something that is nice to be around and not just play tennis” – Rafael Nadal (ATP rank #2, Former Grand Slam Winner)

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