Wimbledon 2021 is back, after a year's hiatus due to the pandemic. While this year's tournament will be missing two star players, Naomi Osaka and Rafael Nadal, there will be plenty of incredible talent to watch and enjoy.
But behind all the skill we see during matches, there have been years of hard work, preparation and overcoming setbacks. ±«Óătv Bitesize spoke to tennis legends to find out what their sporting careers have taught them about life.
Andrew Castle
The answer to life doesn't always lie in a book or in a classroom. Important though education is. But being physical and being attached, mind and body. Not only it's a thing that should bring joy, but it would it would it would help us all. You get to find out about your own strengths and weaknesses. You get to find out about your own frailties and how to deal with them. You gain in strength from having dealt with things. You gain in confidence because you trust in yourself and you achieve something.
Tracy Austin
I'd say first and foremost discipline. I'd say goal setting. It's about having a tough day and still picking up your bootstraps and say: Ok. I'm going to go out tomorrow and still go after it and and with 100% effort. Um. It's about coping skills also, because as we know not every day is going to go your way. And it's about doing your best that you can on each day, accepting that and continuing to move forward and funny enough, I think it's helped me with commentary, but also helped me with motherhood, because there's always those highs and those lows and you've got to roll with them.
Annabel Croft
I think that I have applied my skills. I think as a tennis player was very sort of tunnel vision, very focused, very dedicated, um. And I was somebody that wanted to get the best out of myself and so I've transferred all of that into broadcasting, because every time I work in broadcasting, whatever area it is. If it's making speeches or it's hosting a show or you're commentating on different players. I go the extra distance to make sure that I'm fully prepared for everything I do. And that would be exactly the same as if I wanted to play a tennis match.
Tim Henman
Well, obviously, when you're going into the broadcast side of tennis, then, it helps if you've been involved in the game and hopefully you know what you're talking about. So you know a skill, a skill is… I guess is important to sound like you know what you're talking about.
Boris Becker
Well, you have to be good LIVE and meaning if the red light goes on, you have to deliver. That's very much what sport is about. When the final starts at two o'clock, you better be ready at two o'clock. And very much, um, my, my second career, you know, on telly, when a camera rolls, when the microphone is on, when I talk about a match, I have to be sure what I'm talking about and have to be, you know, mentally prepared for it. I think that, that is similar to playing tennis.
It's about having a tough day and saying I'm going to go out tomorrow with 100% effort. There are always those highs and lows and you gotta roll with them - Tracy Austin
Top Tips
Thoroughly prepare for the task at hand
Build resilience, there will be ups and downs in all we do
Be disciplined in the way you approach things
Set goals - it will help you know what you're aiming for and when you've achieved it
Acknowledge when you successfully achieve your goals. It will help build your confidence
Try and project confidence when you approach a task, even if you don't feel it!
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