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3 Life Lessons We Can Learn From The Biggest Stars In Tennis

Ace your way to the top. - by Tania Gomez
  • 17 Jan 2020
3 Life Lessons We Can Learn From The Biggest Stars In Tennis
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Even if you’re not a massive tennis fan, chances are your Instagram feed has kept you up to date with some of the most powerful moments in the sport. Because beyond the cracking shots and next-level game play, there’s a lot to learn from what happens both on and off the court. “We watch athletes, we watch what they do, how they handle themselves in difficult situations, when they win and when they lose. And we can adopt that ourselves. We can look at their behaviour and say, ‘Hey, I want to be like that,’” says Mindy Simpson, performance psychologist at Condor Performance. So, with the first grand slam of the year – the Australian Open – under way, we look back at the tennis moments that went viral, and ask the experts to break down why they got us double-tapping.

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Catsuit anyone? For all the moms out there who had a tough recovery from pregnancy-here you go. If I can do it, so can you. Love you all!!

The moment: Serena Williams challenges the French Open’s strict dress code – twice

The lesson: Don’t be afraid to be authentic

Serena Williams forges her own path, regardless of what others think. Case in point: her unique on-court style. She’s worn tutus, sure, but what really got everyone talking was her custom-made Nike catsuit at the 2018 French Open. Not only was it designed with her health in mind (the outfit was engineered to prevent blood clots, something the athlete suffered with after the birth of her daughter), but it also made her “feel like a superhero”. However, French officials said the outfit went “too far”, banning it for not “respect[ing] the game”. Fast forward to 2019? Williams debuted a two-piece set emblazoned with the words ‘Mother’, ‘Goddess’, ‘Queen’ and ‘Champion’ in French.

You serve 

Williams’ outfits cause a stir, but she continues to make a statement regardless. “That’s a critical skill,” says Simpson. “It’s not easy to be brave and not care what people think, because a lot of us do. But if you can adopt that type of attitude, then it will really help you in life, in terms of success and performances. It’s important to live your life and not someone else’s.” Take a leaf out of Williams’ playbook and challenge yourself to do something you’re afraid of because of what others might think, says life coach and director of Upstairs Coaching Alex Kingsmill. “Find a way to take a single step towards [it]. It doesn’t have to be huge – maybe it’s doing a dance class or speaking in public. Push your own boundaries a little.” You’ve got this.

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Naomi Osaka 🤝 wholesome moments

The moment: Naomi Osaka supports a devastated Coco Gauff at the US Open

The lesson: Aim to lift other women up, always

Tennis can ignite a fierce rivalry, but also true moments of connection. After defeating 15-year-old Coco Gauff (above left) in straight sets at the US Open in 2019, Naomi Osaka invited the visibly emotional teenager to join her for her post-match, on-court interview. After calling Gauff and her parents “amazing”, Osaka said of the act, “I thought about what I wanted her to feel leaving the court.

I wanted her to have her head high, not walk off the court sad. I want her to be aware that she’s accomplished so much, and she’s still so young.” The moment warmed hearts and made headlines for its humility and grace.

Your serve

This sportswomanship and kindness is something we can weave into our professional lives. Kingsmill says, “One of the big things I see people speaking about in the workplace is a fear that if they support other women, there’ll be less of the pie for them. These interactions [between Osaka and Gauff] speak to the opposite. Treating another woman well doesn’t detract from what you have. Lifting someone else up elevates you. There is a huge strength and power in women supporting other women.”

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@ashbar96 is an absolute class act in defeat and her post-match interview is a great example of the power of resilience. #Wimbledon #WHWinS #WomenInSport

The moment: Ash Barty graciously accepts her Wimbledon loss

The lesson: Never let disappointment derail you

There’s heaps to love about Ash Barty – her down-to-earth attitude and love of throwing Disney quotes into post-match press conferences – but, it’s the Aussie champ’s resilience that we want to copy and paste into our own lives. Fresh from being a newly minted world number one, Barty went into Wimbledon 2019 as a red-hot favourite – only to be knocked out in the fourth round to unseeded Alison Riske. Instead of having a Nick Kyrgios-sized tantrum, she said, “It’s not the end of the world ... I do everything in my power to try and win every single tennis match. But that’s not the case. It’s disappointing right now. Give me an hour or so, we’ll be all good. The sun’s still going to come up tomorrow.

Your serve

That ability to look at loss with perspective is a key to success. “[Barty] looks at life as bigger than that single experience. [It’s about] positioning loss in context,” explains Kingsmill. Simpson adds that Barty seems to be as focused on the process as the outcome. “She’s about learning from her performances,” she explains. “Champions make mistakes as much as other people, they just learn from them and move on much quicker to the next focus point.” Fun fact: Barty credits her sense of perspective to her work with mindset coach Ben Crowe, who has also mentored surfing champ Stephanie Gilmore and the Aussie cricket team.

Tania Gomez
Tania Gomez
Tania Gomez is a freelance editor and writer and founder of fashion, beauty and lifestyle content and copywriting consultancy, The Editus.

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