Is Tennis Life?

My tennis coach often says, “Remember to breathe.”
Why do I hold my breath in moments of pressure?
“Breathe. Just breathe.”
So simple, yet so profound.

In a 2024 commencement speech at Dartmouth, tennis legend Roger Federer shared two insights that have stayed with me—on the court and in life.

Federer reminded us that in tennis, you only need to win just over half the points to win the match. He said:

“In tennis, perfection is impossible. When you lose every second point, on average, you learn not to dwell on every shot. You teach yourself to think: OK, I double-faulted. It’s only a point. OK, I came to the net and got passed again. It’s only a point… When you’re playing a point, it is the most important thing in the world. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you. This mindset is crucial, because it frees you to fully commit to the next point… and the next one after that… with intensity, clarity, and focus.”

Let that sink in. The point you just lost doesn’t define the match. And it certainly doesn’t define you.

Then there’s Ted Lasso, the fictional coach with real-life wisdom. After a player makes a mistake, he asks:

“You know what the happiest animal on Earth is? It’s a goldfish. You know why? They have a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish.”

Yes, Mr. Federer and Coach Lasso, I’m listening.

Letting go of mistakes allows us to fully commit to the moment ahead. That’s why my new mantra is: Be a goldfish.

It’s humbling to realize you don’t need to win every point to win the match—or to win at life. What matters is staying present, taking your shots, and keeping your perspective.

As the great Andre Agassi once said:

“Tennis uses the language of life. Advantage, service, fault, break, love—the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence. Every match is a life in miniature.”

In matches and in life, there are ups and downs.
Carlos Alcaraz said “ I don’t win or lose- I win or learn”.

Some points you win. Some points you learn.
Keep swinging, be a goldfish and of course, “breathe.”

Here’s to living a life where you go for it, grow from it, and play like a champion.