The Mysterious Loss of Roger Federer at US Open.

Today Tomas Berdych defeated Roger Federer in 4 sets at  US Open. Although most people think that Berdych played well but fedfans will agree with me, Federer looked out of sorts today. 

These are main three reasons in my book why Federer lost the  match today:

Walkover by Mardy Fish: Just like last year when Djokovic got a walkover in French Open and ended up losing, Federer also ended up with the same fate. He was completely out of sorts and looked unsettled right from the start. He failed to maintain the lead in the first set and since then Berdych was all over him except the latter half of the third set. It was clear that 4 days break actually had taken away his timing and he was not the vintage Roger we were used to seeing. He did give us glimpses but was not consistent today.

Unforced Errors: He did 40 unforced errors as compared to 21 of Berdych. Not only this, today he came to net very less as compared to his previous matches. Just a mere 30 times as compared to 40+ times he came in his previous matches.

Andy Roddick Effect: I know this might be contentious but I think and strongly believe that Roddick's retirement might have an effect on him coming out rattled and not focused towards the match. If a close rival who started his career at a similar time like you, someone with whom you have shared memories and epic battles, someone who has been player of your generation finally retires, it does make you a bit somber and reflect back on those past days. I think Roddick's emotional exit did have an impact on his mind and it was clear the erratic way he was playing today.

Nevertheless I still believe that the champion he is, he will be back strongly. He has always said he is a very positive person and I am sure he will go back and reflect back upon this loss to inspire him back to win his 18th Grand Slam.

"There maybe tough moments maybe for, you know, an hour or a couple of days potentially, but life goes on and you get a second chance." - Roger Federer

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Never Lose Hope

sugengwaybe.blogspot.com guest writer spot:

                                                  Never Lose Hope:

Recently, I approached Apeksha about writing a guest post for this site, because I believe that I have a story to tell that fits right in with the main theme of the site. I know that many of you are used to visiting for a daily quote to keep you motivated at work or while training, and too read about athleticism, sport, motivation, and the success that can be achieved when those three factors are brought together in rare perfect harmony.

My name's John and I started to write recently, after I broke my neck wrestling. During one of the final tournaments of my career and after competing for almost 4 years without a single major injury, I shattered my spine in a single split second.

It was the quote in the article: "Thank You Roger Federer - A Letter to the Champion." resonated especially deeply with me.

Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.

Orison Swett Marden said this, and I believe that this is very deeply and profoundly correct. Right now, I'm more proud of what I can achieve than I ever have been in my entire life, despite the fact that I'm the weakest that I have been since I was 8 years old. I'm proud because I am successfully by Orison Marden's definition, because I have progressed so much since my accident. 6 weeks ago, I was unable to move my toes, raise my arms, or feel my legs because of the trauma to my nervous system.

Now, I can ride a bicycle, lift weights, and even go to school as a full time student. I write about my progress on my blog, but I decided that simply talking about what I was doing wasn't enough. Now, I've made it my goal to be as supportive and informative to people with similar traumas to mine, and those who have suffered much more greatly than I have.

Just like Apeksha learned lessons from Roger Federer, I have learned from my injury. These lessons are:

When you are depressed, friends will help you,
When you are weak, you will find the drive to push on,
When you have lost hope, hope will find you,
Never doubt the strength of the human spirit.

It’s been an honor writing for the site. I'm a big fan and this has been really exciting for me.Please read and share this story with everyone who has lost hope and tell them about my journey and hopefully if they can learn one thing from my experience - Never lose hope.

You can Check John  and his recovery process at GoandDoit  and in a few months to read all about his adventures:  running, biking, and at the same time hopefully motivating others to do the same!

For any comments, please mail me at apekshaha@gmail.com

Also: From Michael Jordan to Roger Federer:The inevitable truth of failure and struggle to become the best.
Five Sports Personalities who Failed at First.

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The Correlation between Greatness and Criticism - Through the lens of the BIG 3.

“Go ahead and tell me that  I am not good enough and tell me that I can’t do it because I will show you over and over again that I can!”

Sounds interesting, right? But can it be a true statement?

Let’s look at some facts now to check it’s validity:

• Roger Federer, who was told that it will be almost impossible for him to win a GS and claim world no.1 ranking again in the presence of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, especially when he crossed 30.

• Rafael Nadal, who has been now sidelined two times with career threatening injuries, has both the times exceeded everyone’s expectations by a long way and made remarkable comebacks leaving everyone in awe.
• Winner of 3 grand slams in the year 2010.
• In the year 2013, he has incredibly reached seven finals of the seven tournaments that he has played. Unbelievable yet true.

• Novak Djokovic, who famously told everyone that he can defeat Rafael Nadal on clay and can end his dominance in 2007, was widely criticized as being out of his league for saying such a rash and bold statement. Many said that his youthfulness was making him act like a cynical tennis player and outrightly dismissed his claims then. But look at him now – he is the only player believed to have the potential of ending Nadal’s reign in French Open.

Is it just me or is there a similar chain of events in lives of these great players in tennis?  Time and time again, these players have proved the critics wrong over and over again.

There is something about successful people in life (no matter which field they are from) which makes them stand out from the rest of the normal human beings. They are never overburdened by what others think about them. They set their own goals and relentlessly pursue them till they reach their destination.

Be it Abraham Lincoln, Walt Disney or Michael Jordan or our very own tennis players, the more you tell them they are done with, the more they feed on your criticism to make sure that everyone else except them bites the dust by achieving their goals and proving to the world that it is not about what others think, it is about what they believe in.

So the next time if someone comes up and tell you that you ain’t good enough, don’t argue with them as great people never argue or convince others with words. So, then, what do you do? You just need to continue on your path, feeding on their criticism to achieve your goals and showing it over and over again who the great one is. Always remember you can do whatever you want in your life as long as you have the determination to pursue your goals relentlessly till you reach them.

I will end with this quote: “It is not the mountains created by other that we have to climb, it is ourselves that we have to conquer”.

Also: From Michael Jordan to Roger Federer:The inevitable truth of failure and struggle to become the best.

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The Brilliance of the 35 year old Tommy Haas- The Comeback Marvel

Ultimately the choice is always ours. We can either be a weed grower in our minds or instead choose to be a dream grower.

At the age of 35+, all Tommy Haas could have done was to disappear in the darkness of ignominy and collect sympathies from everyone as the player who was not able to perform because of his destiny and luck.

Seeing him play today the way he did, showed the importance of the power of positive mental attitude. After not being able to convert 12 frustrating match points, he still came out as a winner in the marathon 5 setter match against John Isner.

I am not going to dwell much in stats but on the mental aspect of a player. Can you imagine yourself in Haas’ shoes and think what you would have done?

To comeback from the injuries which forced him to be out of the world of tennis and took away the young result producing years from his life is in itself a feat which 90% of people in this world cannot even fathom. I am not sure if I have the courage to say to myself that what is gone is gone, don’t dwell on the past and focus on the future. So what if 10-13 years of my life, I did nothing because of unforeseen and natural causes.

Today’s match was a glimpse of the iron steel nerves Tommy Haas is made of. Inspite of not winning 10 match points in 4^th, he was down 1-4 in the fifth set and still won 10-8.  It would have been so easy for Haas to give up hope and let Isner win the fifth set. But that’s where the real hero’s, the ones with positivity and determination flowing in their veins differentiate themselves from others.

People who choose to have a positive mental attitude define their journey on their own terms. To them it does not matter if they are 35 or what critics think, what matters is what can they do about themselves and not feel pity but end up being proud of themselves of who they are and have been.

Remember The choice is ours – Choose to be a weed grower in your mind full of negativity and despair or choose to be a dream grower full of positivity and hope to succeed the way you want to be.

Also: The Correlation between Greatness and Criticism - Through the lens of the BIG 3.

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Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Tommy Haas, Tommy Roberdo & The Myth of Age 30

Ø  Average age of the 16 male players in the 4th round at Roland Garros is 28.3 (Courtesy Enrico Maria).

Ø  Roger Federer at age 31 reached his 36 straight Grand Slam quarter finals (9 straight years). HE recorded his 900th victory with the win against Gilles Simon.

Ø  Serena Williams at age 31 is the fittest and amongst the greatest women player in the history of tennis.

Ø  Tommy Roberdo at age 31 became the first player since 1927 to win 3 consecutive matches in a Grand Slam after being 2 sets down in each one of them.

Ø  Tommy Haas at age 35 enthralled all of us to win the tough 5 setter against John Isner and enter the 4^th round of French Open.

Isn’t age 30 supposed to be the age when players are supposed to crumble to the pressures of fatigued legs, worn out mind and no stamina to compete against players 10 years younger than them?

Isn’t 30 supposed to the time when it’s time to hang your boots and call it a day?

Isn’t 30 supposed to be the time when the golden age is supposed to have faded away?4

Yes, it is supposed to be that but the question is from where have we heard about these facts?

People around us right? Time and again we have been bounded by the limitations set by people around us. It is not their fault that they make us believe all the facts as 95% people fall in the trap of mediocrity and believe that the universal law is to succumb to the age factor. But some people are not destined but determined to succeed and believe in the power of their own minds. Indeed it is because of the list of the above tennis players,  I believe that that human mind is capable of achieving the nearly impossible feats, if it wants to.

Human mind is worth a billion dollar and in general people use just a minuscule portion of it in their lives to achieve their goals. But if used properly, it can take you to heights never thought of before.Otherwise how would you explain Tommy Roberdo’s feat or the fact that Tommy Haas still just beat the US No. 1 player or the fact that Serena Williams is invincible or that Roger Federer has not lost a single match before the quarterfinals in 9 straight years. The only limits that you have are the limits you believe. 

If there is a problem or a roadblock, listen to your own voice and tell it that Every problem has a solution,only if we perhaps change our "ATTITUDE". Define your attitude, Define your life. 

3 cheers to Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Tommy Roberdo and Tommy Haas for defying all the odds to be where they are right now with their positive attitude.

Also: The Correlation between Greatness and Criticism - Through the lens of the BIG 3.

The Brilliance of the 35 year old Tommy Haas- The Comeback Marvel

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How Rafael Nadal made his not so ardent fan bow down in respect?

"If you are trying to achieve anything, there are bound to be obstacles and everyone will have them. But what will matter in the end will be not how they stopped you but how they motivated you to make your victory even sweeter."

9 finals since his comeback, 59-1 record at Roland Garros and  eight French Open titles at the age of 27 - Rafael Nadal proved to the world why he is indeed the greatest player the red clay courts in Paris will ever witness.

Five grueling sets and down a break in fifth set during the semi finals, many great players have succumbed to the pressures of sustaining their legacy but not Rafa Nadal. He has been the undisputed king of this turf since the last 8 years and he was not yet ready to pass his crown to the World No.1, Novak Djokovic this time.

The list of achievements is amazing but what surprises me is the player who was out for almost a year has comeback even stronger and better than before. Honestly I am not a Nadal fan ( probably I will cite the reasons some other day) but today he made his not so ardent fan bow down in respect for the qualities that he possesses.

Tennis might not ever witness anyone in future who may surpass his determination and fighting spirit on clay. With every shot you can see the hunger and intensity growing in the eyes of this champion. The way he pounces on the balls is like witnessing a cheetah in motion moving smoothly to hunt its prey and the more the match goes on, the better he seems to become in terms of agility and shot making.

Players including the great ones have lost in the past when they have squandered chances to win the matches. But with Rafa, you know that it doesn't matter as on clay, he knows for sure that playing point by point is the best strategy and if there is anyone who can pull himself away from the clutches of the jaws of the tiger, it's him and only him.

For me, the highlight was  witnessing Rafa make even the longest rallies in the game look so easy and effortless. During the semi finals, Even 21 points shot rallies where Novak Djokovic ended up panting, he seems to be like he has just hit an ace.

The point here is not that how gifted Nadal is but the fact that how much effort he has put in to reach to a place like this. Obviously everyone has their own vulnerabilities and so does Rafa but the process through which he has transformed his vulnerabilities into his biggest strengths is the point to note here. Day in and out working hard, ensuring that he is never behind in his efforts to succeed has been the biggest highlight for me when I look at him. A 9 month layoff is bound to create doubts in your mind but the way he has progressed destroying one opponent after the other is the hallmark of a warrior who has been chiseled into a diamond through the process of taking one step at a time and focusing on his inner strengths.

How many of us have the confidence that if we comeback after a year on our jobs, we will perform the same way as we did earlier? How many of us have the belief that there is no obstacle that great which can stop us from accomplishing what we have set out for? How many of us think that there is no easy road to success?

I believe that is what separates the winners from us as they know it's not the obstacles they fear, it's the lack of discipline in their work ethic. If you can just stay out there for one more point, you have the ability to make the difference between ending up being a loser or a winner. And in Rafa, I bow down today to the spirit of playing one more point, giving a little bit extra every time he is down and out, ensuring that he reaches where he wants to.

Hail the greatest clay court player ever…..

Also: Rafael Nadal - The Maestro of Patience and Work Ethic

The Correlation between Greatness and Criticism - Through the lens of the BIG 3.

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Rafael Nadal - The Maestro of Patience and Work Ethic

“Patience is not passive waiting. Patience is active acceptance of the process required to attain your goals and dreams.”

If somebody has to go through 7 months of layoff – normally there will always be people who will doubt your comeback and also doubts might creep in your mind about your own abilities. But not Rafael Nadal – the player who undoubtedly possess nerves of steel and has abundance of determination to offset any layoff effects.

Rafael Nadal went on to win his eighth French Open title at the age of 27 today.  Since his comeback, he has won 7 out of 9 titles that he has played and defeated Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and David Federer 20th time each in the last month.

Obviously when one looks at his comeback performance, it will be hard for people to realize that this same player was out for 7 months. It is the same Rafael Nadal who dominated tennis in 2010 with three grand slam titles and not surprisingly, at that time also he was coming off after an injury layoff.

During his off months, if someone has followed Nadal on Facebook, they will know how much hard work has been put by the Spaniard for his comeback. Almost every day, a new picture was posted by Nadal and his team showing the rehab work that he was going through. Finally all those 7 months of hard work and effort paid off when he won his first hard court title at Indian Wells in March since Tokyo' 2010.

One obviously wonders, what is about the great champions that separates them from the rest? Nadal is a great example because he showed to us today exactly what is that separates him from the rest. It’s the will and attitude to keep on fighting till the end. Every moment he steps on the court, he steps out with a new found hunger and gives his 100 percent in every point, no matter even if he is playing the match against a qualifier or the best. Layoffs, breaks, injuries  in the case of  champions like Nadal make them even more hungry and determined to focus on their games and return with a vengeance to make up for the time lost. 

Rafael Nadal is an example for all of us to see how  great work ethics and attitude can make you a great champion and probably the toughest competitor in your arena. Normal tendencies of human being is to retreat back in a depressive zone in the face of adversity and give up the hope of trying again. Champions like him on the other hand revel in these opportunities and make sure that they make full use of the setbacks to bounce back stronger and better than before.

One might not be an huge fan of Nadal but his performance today showed to me how great a champion he is and how inspiring he can be. That’s what life is all about, forget about whom you like or not ,  look at the person and study his amazing qualities, the qualities that are very rare to find and truly speaking it won’t hurt to learn from a great champion.

Hats off to Rafael Nadal who showed to the world that it doesn't matter if you have been on or off the field for 7 months, what matters is whether you have the heart, attitude and work ethic to comeback stronger, healthier and better than your past.

I will end with this quote:

“He who has patience and work ethic can always end up with what he will”.

Also: How Rafael Nadal made his not so ardent fan bow down in respect?

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Roger Federer loss in Wimbledon: Is this an end of an Era?

As Roger Federer hit the shot long, there was a stunned silence on the court and fans all around the world could not believe what they had just witnessed. Roger Federer was out of Wimbledon in the second round today in four sets.

Witnessing the match was painful for every fan and even for non-tennis fans who were speechless. Can this be an end of an era was the question asked by many analysts and reporters immediately after the loss?

Let's look back in the history of tennis and if anyone remembers, Pete Sampras exited Wimbledon in second round in 2002. Many people speculated the end of his career too but what did he do? He came back with a vengeance and won US Open.

We always have to remember that for champions like Roger Federer, Pete Sampras - predictions are normally proven wrong as they don't belong to the category of normal human beings. The power of mind is so strong in their case that it can propel them to achieve the impossible. Indeed, it is the same power of mind that made them the champions and separated them from the rest in the first place.

Beyond the very extreme of failure and disappointment, champions find extraordinary amount of will and determination they never dreamed to own, sources of strength never explored before as they never faced the obstructions. Strength never comes from physical capacity but an indomitable will. For people who are the bravest, they fall down seven time and get up eight times. That is why they succeed. In case of Roger Federer, I truly believe that he has the will and strength to achieve what he wants. Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors , Andre Agassi did it, so can he.

A journalist asked Federer after the match: What do you do after such a tough loss?

Roger Federer: You follow the 24 hour rule, go back, train harder and comeback stronger.  ( For people, who don't know 24 hour rule, it means you celebrate your victories for 24 hours and go back to training. Same way, you mourn your disappointments for 24 hours and go back to training even harder.)

What an amazing answer by Federer and shows how much of a positive attitude he has towards anything in life. He believes that he can play for many more years and indeed this is not an end of an era. Age is just a number which we have in our own minds.  If age is indeed a huge parameter, then how can a 61 year old run an ultramarthon (Cliff Young)?

I also don't doubt Roger Federer either as like Ernest Hemingway said that the world breaks everyone , and afterward, some are stronger at the broken places. So Roger Federer might have been snapped out of his 36 QF streak, but I believe that he has the ability to bounce back from this loss even stronger than before. After all  there is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in and in case of Federer, this might be the crack which will allow him to reflect, train harder and inspire him again to achieve even higher in tennis.

PS: In the end, I also want to add what my friend had to say as a reply, "I still feel lucky to get to watch Roger Federer play. As a tennis fan, he is a delight to watch. In the end, watch him for his flair, elegance, shot making, unbelievable reflexes and not records:):)."

In my humble opinion, he can still win a couple more but to me, the pure joy that he brings to the table when he is playing is simply unsurpassed.

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Rafael Nadal Superstitions and Knee Issues - Hoax or Fact?

Over the past few days, I have been reading a lot about Rafael Nadal's comeback and his superstitions. Be it Novak Djokovic's upcoming book which mentions Nadal as  "a ball of nervous tics and superstitious rituals." or speculations about  his performance during the hard court season, there are many opinions floating around.

Some people have called his knee issues as hoax, some find his superstitions funny, some think that he tries to deviate and undermine his chances of winning a Grand Slam and so on. Earlier on, I might have been guilty of believing in either of the opinions.

But not now as I believe that there can be another side to this story which people might have failed to see. What if his knee issues are real, what if a person who is known for his superstitions on and off the court really feels that he might not win a Grand Slam? Imagine a person who wakes up in the night after listening to thunderstorm and does not go to sleep till the storm passes, a person who is always meticulous about his rituals on the court - Doesn't it tell us something about Nadal?

Rafael Nadal is no doubt one of the greatest player in the world but if you closely observe his habits, you can see that beneath the surface, he is person who is haunted by doubts, nervous energy and fear. Otherwise why would the positioning of bottles matter so much for him during a match? The answer is simple: Because to Nadal's mind, these habits creates a sense of certainty and peace. It helps his mind quell away the negative energy of nervousness by creating a familiar environment.

It is a strong possibility that he is plagued by  thoughts of fear, doubts and uncertainty.  Yes, he is an icon of determination and mental toughness but if we look at history, many prominent people in various industries have been plagued by same fears. People who have been known for public speaking skills or acting still feel nervous before every presentation or play. Even players like Michael Jordan, Bjorn Borg, were famous for their superstitions. So it's completely humane for Nadal to feel the same when he has serious knee issues in his life.

Frank Bettger once said that "When you are scared, admit it". What if Rafael Nadal in sincere honesty admits to his knee problems, his fear that he might not win the next match every time he is asked a question?  It has been proven time and time again that men who fail to admit their fear are the ones who crack in the battle.  But if you admit that you are nervous, uncertain about your knees or chances of winning and don't try to fight it down, in most cases you are on the right road to overcoming your fear.

I believe by admitting to his fears and doubts, he just follows what is known to all that "There is no disgrace in admitting that we are scared but there is disgrace in failing to try" ( Frank Bettger).  What I just realized is that by doing so, Rafael Nadal actually  overcomes all his fears as he gives his 100 percent in every point that he plays.

It is not that he tries to take advantage of the rules or underestimates his chances. If we think deeply, he is a human being like us. How many of you are sure in your life that you will go on win every battle in life? Even if you have scored 100% in your exam for the first time, can you always say with certainty that you will score 100% next time also? I doubt that so what is wrong in admitting to the fact that you are not sure.

 

If there is one lesson I have learnt from Nadal is that if you are fearful and scared, admit it. It will help you ease your mind and see the wonders this rule will bring to you in your life. 12 Grand Slams, not a small feat by any standards.

Be Brave, Accept the fear and fight with courage. The next time you go before any exam or a challenge in your life, if suddenly you find yourself surrounded with nervousness, try the rule and you will see the remarkable change it will bring in your attitude.

Also:  Rafael Nadal - The Maestro of Patience and Work Ethic

Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Tommy Haas, Tommy Roberdo & The Myth of Age 30

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