Young graduates of Dartmouth University in the United States will no doubt remember this moment for a long time. Firstly because they sealed the success of their studies, then because they encountered the gaze and thoughts of Roger Federer. The sacred monster of world tennis was there, in front of them. And they didn’t miss a beat of his speech, which was inspiring to say the least.
“In tennis as in life, discipline is also a talent”
The Swiss looked back on his career, one of the most successful in the history of the little yellow ball. Starting from a first thought: “Of the 1,526 singles matches I have played in my career, I have won almost 80% of them. But I have a question for you: how many points do you think I earned in these matches? Only 54% »he began, insisting that perfection was, in tennis, “impossible”.
Failing is also part of the game. This is the meaning of the speech that the eight-time Wimbledon winner wanted to convey to the young audience in front of him. “The truth is, no matter what game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose, insists the one who won twenty Grand Slam titles between 2003 and 2018. A point, a match, a season, a job… It’s a roller coaster with lots of ups and downs. The best in the world are not the best because they win all the points. They are because they know they are going to lose again and again and they have learned to deal with it. »
Retired from the courts since September 2022 and this last match at the Laver Cup, Roger Federer does not forget that he got there through work. And a certain self-confidence, inseparable according to him from his success. “I didn’t get to where I am thanks to my talent alone, he explains. I got here by trying to outplay my opponents. I believe in myself, but believing in yourself must be learned. Yes, talent matters. But talent has a broad definition. Most of the time, it’s not about having a gift. It’s about having willpower. In tennis as in life, discipline is also a talent. »
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An inspiring speech to say the least, which says how the Swiss can and must serve as models for new generations. Tennis players, or not.
