Hot Days – Professionalism (Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal)

Written by: Staff on 14th October 2011

Hot Days - Professionalism (Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal)

Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a return to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their Semifinal round match on the thirteenth day of the 2011 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA 10 September 2011. The US Open has been extended due to weather for the fourth year in a row and the men's final will now be played on 12 September 2011. EPA/JUSTIN LANE |

There has been an incredible little heat wave the past few days in southern Orange County and everyone knows that when the court gets hot, people tend to loose their cool a lot quicker. It’s perfect weather to train in and prepare yourself mentally for a grind. The energy-sapping sun affects everyone and despite the rubber of the balls heating up and traveling faster, people and their quality of play inevitable falter earlier in matches/practice. I’ve used the past days to remain professional and diligent, focusing on putting in the work and not sacrificing energy wasting time. Been hitting the ball pretty cleanly, better in previous weeks, but I know there is going to be a big jump in my game soon due to the amount of leg workouts I’ve been doing the past 2 weeks. I’m gearing up for tournaments in November and I don’t want my legs to fail me. I still stretch, do yoga, roll out, and ice bath regularly to keep the lactic acid from building up. Nutrition is good, my weight is up a couple pounds, and I’ve been strong in my hydration daily. I’ve taken care of my duties on court and now I’m mentally preparing myself for a one in a lifetime opportunity to attend the HSBC Cup as a reporter for 10sballs.com!! I’m really excited yet I know I have to contain my excitement if I want to soak up the atmosphere and get everything out of it. Although I’m playing a different role than I’m used to, I understand that a level of professionalism is required if I want to be successful. As a player, I can name plenty of professionals who have set good examples and been good role models for generations around the world. The big 3 I can think of include Sampras, Federer, and Nadal.

Let’s think back for a second at Pete’s career. How much drama did he bring to the court? Were there explosions or losses of emotional control? (The Aussie Open incident concerning his coach Tim Gullikson is not allowed here). He dressed as a professional tennis player always, keeping the game about tennis and letting his racket do the talking for him. I loved Pete’s professionalism and I still try to emulate it on court. Roger Federer became my current role model in terms of professionalism because of his wide-ranging respect that he’s garnered through his play and his temperament. He was cool and collected, yet showed flashes of positive and highly intense emotion. Pete was a little subdued in this area. Federer made it Okay to fist pump, to yell out after winning a point, while remaining a high standard of professional behavior with his opponents, the media, and court officials. Fed has always known exactly what to say to crowds and fans to keep everyone engaged in the sport and follow his mission to break records, that’s an awesome fact. Nadal – He is a remarkable example of professionalism because everyone in the tennis world knows that tennis is this guy’s sole purpose in life. Nothing interrupts his training, preparation, match play, or desire. Just read his autobiography and look at how in depth he goes into these categories. In the book, Rafa and his uncle always talk about having a “Good Face” when he plays, maintaining a level of emotional control without an outward sign to his opponent of disgust, pain, or suffering. This professional face is definitely intimidating because everyone who plays and watches Rafa knows that it’s a daunting task to break him down and cause him to quit (I don’t think this has ever happened right?!) His mentality as a professional is something I want to have too. He is positive, optimistic, and relies on a team around him to which he usually gives all the credit. People always talk about being a leader and a team builder in the business world, I say Nadal is one of the best examples of this in a completely individualized sport! He does it all while remaining humble too, another aspect of professionalism that he shares with other successful people like Steve Jobs and Warren Buffet.

As I enter a new realm of tennis tomorrow at the HSBC Cup, I look to apply the same principles of professionalism that I’ve learned on and off the court to this endeavor as well. I’ll try to take a lot of photos and videos in order to capture the players’ perspectives and play. Pete will be there and even though he’s retired, I know there’s still that fire and desire in him (probably along with the other participants, Agassi, Courier, and McEnroe!) to play the best of his abilities and put on a professional display. Update you soon, Cheers!

Looking forward to HSBC Cup at Staples Center tomorrow!

Shubert