Roger Federer continues to teach: his great speech at a university

The Swiss, who retired from tennis in 2022, spoke before the graduates of Dartmouth College in the United States and left many unforgettable lessons.

It’s been almost two years Roger Federer He decided to end his successful career as a professional tennis player, the one in which he earned the nickname Maestro. However, despite his racquet being attached, The Swiss continue to teach. This time, he did so by giving a good speech to graduates of Dartmouth College in the United States. “The best are not because they win all points, but because they learn to lose”he judged.

Federer’s presence at the said university is no coincidence. One of the class of 2024 graduates is Isabella, daughter of Tony Godsick, his business partner and agent.. In addition, the 42-year-old former tennis player He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters for his philanthropic work before giving a large and wide-ranging 25-minute speech.

Federer’s first lesson: “The phrase ‘effortless’ is a myth. I had to work hard”

In the fragment uploaded by Dartmouth on its social networks, Some of the life lessons that Roger has taken from the world of tennis are noteworthya sport in which he will always be one of the best players in history. “I left school at 16 to play tennis, so I never went to university. But I graduated recently and now they say, ‘Roger Federer retired’. That’s a horrible word. They won’t say they retired from university. , REALLY?”he asked rhetorically and then gave way to his best teachings.

“The first is that the phrase ‘effortless’ is a myth. People say as a compliment that my game is effortless. But I used to get annoyed when they said I barely sweat. I had to work really hard to make it look easy. “I spent years complaining, cursing and throwing my racket before I learned to keep calm.”started.

Then he added: “Everyone can play well in the first two hours. You are in shape, you are fast, you have clear ideas… and then your legs get weakyour mind starts to wander and your discipline starts to slip away. So I started training harder. More. I didn’t get where I did just because of my talent. I got there trying to outrun my opponents. I believed in myself. But that belief has to be earned.”

“When your game is working, winning is pretty easy. But there are days when you feel like you’re broken, your back hurts, your knees hurt or maybe you’re scared, but you still find a way to win. And those are the achievements we can be proud of.”summary.

“Talent matters, but most of the time it’s not about having a gift. It’s about having guts. Discipline and patience are talents. Confidence in yourself is a talent. Embracing the process, loving the process is a talent. Some people are born with these talents. “Everyone has to work on them.”hill

Federer’s second lesson: “Just one point” and the explanation about Wimbledon 2008

“The second lesson is: ‘Just one point'”, he introduced himself. And explained: “You can work harder than you thought possible and still lose. Tennis is brutal. I tried not to lose, but I lost. And sometimes, big time”. And he exemplified in the final that Rafael Nadal beat him 9-7 in the fifth set at Wimbledon 2008, preventing him from winning six consecutive trophies at the Cathedral of tennis. “I’ve played in incredible places, but there’s nothing like being a champion on that center court. Late in that game it was so dark I could barely see the lines on the grass, “But I feel like I lost the first point of the match.”he assured.

“I looked at the net, saw a guy who crushed me in straight sets at Roland Garros and thought, ‘Maybe he’s hungrier than me.’ It took me until the third set to remember that he was the five-time defending champion. But it was too late and Rafa won. I lost at Wimbledon. I lost number one in the ranking. And people talked about the changing of the guard.”he judged.

“In tennis, perfection is impossible. In the 1,526 singles matches I played in my career, I won about 80 percent. Now, what percentage of points do you think I won in those games? Only 54% – it was answered -. When you lose one out of every two points, you learn not to focus on every shot. “Just one point.”he said.

And he translated this lesson into life: “No matter what game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose. It is a roller coaster with many ups and downs. And it’s natural, when you’re down, to doubt yourself. I feel sad for you. But negative energy is wasted energy. And the mark of a champion is to be an expert in overcoming difficult times. “The best is not because they win all the points but because they know they will lose again and again and they have learned to deal with it.”

Federer’s third lesson: “Life is bigger than the tennis court”

Finally, Roger spoke about the third lesson: “Life is bigger than the tennis court”. And this is how he explained it: “I worked hard, learned a lot and ran many miles in a small space, but the world is bigger. Even when I was in the top five, it was important to me to have a fulfilling life, full of travel, culture, friendship and above all, family. I haven’t abandoned my roots, but I haven’t lost my desire to see this big world either. Maybe that’s why I didn’t get burned.”.

He then explained that, motivated by his mother in South Africa, he started a Foundation to empower children through education. “Early childhood education is something we take for granted in Switzerland, but in sub-Saharan Africa 75% of children do not have access to pre-school education. We have helped almost 3 million children receive quality education and contributed to the training of more than 55,000 teachers”related to him.

And he gave the final piece of advice before the ovation: “Whichever game you choose, give it your best. Stick to your shots. Play freely. Try everything. And, above all, be kind to each other and have fun”.