Wimbledon Wows Me!

I was glued to the Wimbledon finals this last weekend. The women played on Saturday morning and the men on Sunday.

Ladies first: Maria Bartoli beat Sabine Lisicki in straight sets, meaning two in a row. Maria’s story fascinates me. It is her first win in a major tournament after playing 47 tournaments in the past six years. Chris Evert commented that Bartoli was “not the greatest natural athlete” but what we learned in this match is that great champions have great visions for themselves. Bartoli was historically shy and self-conscious—she was not “one of the girls.” In the last six months, she blossomed and became more at ease in social situations, according to all reports. Lisicki had just beat Serena Williams, who was predicted to win Wimbledon. Aren’t sports wonderful? There is no script. Even the most predictable of outcomes are never predictable.

Bartoli is 28 years old, and Chris Evert commented “it’s never too late for a great beginning.” This sentence reflects one of my affirmations I say every morning. In our careers, no matter how bleak it looks right now, the next moment can change everything. You need to prepare for it, and be ready!

Then there was the Men’s Final at Wimbledon. Never has a cheering audience been so passionate as for competitor Andy Murray, who looked to be the first player from Great Britain to win Wimbledon since 1936. What I find inspiring is that last year, Murray lost to Roger Federer. I know I find it harder to come back from a devastating loss any time soon. Talk about “shaking it off.” Andy Murray dug in after last year’s Wimbledon because of his continued passion for tennis. His coach is Ivan Lendl, a player from the past who made it to three finals and NEVER won. When the interviewer asked Murray, after his victory, how he came back after such a big loss—how did he close the gap? Here’s what Murray said—it speaks to all of us: 1. “I learned from all my defeats,” 2. “I worked hard,” and 3. “I had a team to help me patch over the mental scars from tough losses.” Murray has heart, guts, and persistence. Isn’t that always the winning combination?