Retired Tennis legend Roger Federer visited Dartmouth college in New Hampshire on Sunday as his speech from the institution went viral, given the sheer motivational factor involved in it. Federer drew plenty of inspiration from his illustrious sporting career and shared all the lessons with the students.
The Swiss athlete started playing Tennis at a professional level aged 14 when he clinched the Wimbledon junior championships. The fraternity witnessed a meteoric rise and became the first player to claim 20 Grand Slam titles. Federer, who retired from professional tennis in 2022, has clinched a record 8 Grand Slam titles.
With the 42-year-old present at Dartmouth college for receiving his Honorary Doctorate, Federer claimed in his speech has never understood the word 'effortless, iterating how hard he had to work to become the athlete he turned out to be.
"Effortless is a myth. I mean it. I say that as someone who has heard that word a lot. Effortless. People would say my play was effortless. Most of the time, they meant it as a compliment. But it used to frustrate me when they would say, "He barely broke a sweat! "Or "Is he even trying? The truth is, I had to work very hard... to make it look easy. I spent years whining, swearing, throwing my racket before I learned to keep my cool."
"Tennis, like life, is a team sport" - Roger Federer
Federer went on to reflect that taking up Tennis professionally has taught him so many life lessons and how a team plays a vital role in your success despite it being an individual sport. He added:
"Tennis has given me so many memories. But my off-court experiences are the ones I carry forward just as much... The places I’ve gotten to travel, the platform that lets me give back. and most of al the people I’ve met along the way. Tennis, like life, is a team sport. Yes, you stand alone on your side of the net. But your success depends on your team. Your coaches, your teammates, even your rivals... all these influences help to make you who you are."
