It may not be 100% Suffering content but for its value and its content, totally applicable to our sport, we did not want to overlook this spectacular writing, collected by the Companions of Punto de Break.
Padel World Press .- Do not miss this beautiful and sentimental letter, written by a myth of the world of sports, with which you will get excited. To enter it, there are many words.
«Dear Pete of 16 years,
You are about to turn professional and you are very excited. In the bottom of your heart you know that in the end you are going to succeed. But trust me, it will arrive much sooner than you think. You will have your ups and downs very early but in just a couple of years you are going to fight your way to the top 5 in the world and win the US Open beating guys like Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe and Andre Agassi along the way. At 19, you will be the youngest player in history to win the US Open. That is where everything will change.
You will be a promising American without being exposed one day; and then, you will wake up the morning after winning the tournament and you will be on a talk show on a talk show. All eyes will be on you and you will have to get used to that kind of attention - it will not fit well with your reserved personality.
There is more to being a professional than just playing tennis. The more successful you are, the more people will want something from you. It will not always be something you want to do and it will not always be fun. The pressure will be as exhausted as the pressure you feel on a tennis court. But as a champion, you will have that responsibility. You play tennis because you love the sport not because you like to be the center of attention, so be prepared.
Consider getting help with the press. It will be a long way. Luckily, you will already be retired when those things called Facebook and Twitter come out. Give thanks for that. One day you will understand what I am saying. Oh, and don't read the newspapers. Don't read what people say about you. Nothing good can come of it. And if you hear or read something negative about yourself, don't be nervous. Let your racket do the talking.
Now, let's talk about your game a little. During your career, you will develop a new type of string that will help you gain some spin and speed. You'll see a guy like Gustavo Kuerten use it on the ground and be successful and even coaches and other players will tell you to use that new string - along with a larger racket frame that will give you an extra margin for mistakes you need to win on the ground - you will resist
You are a little neurotic about your equipment - like many players - but if you want to win that French Open and complete the Career Grand Slam, you will need to try something different. Be open to new technology.
Above anything, do not forget to take care of your most important weapon: your body. Watch what you eat. There will be times when you wake up in the middle of the night before a game with a craving for things like hamburgers and pizza. That's because your body lacks something. If you ignore those cravings, you'll get to the track the next day and everything will be fine. This will never be as obvious as in the US Open of the 1996 year. You will face Alex Corretja in the quarterfinals and in the fourth set you will run out of energy because you did not eat well the night before the game. You will need a stimulus and you will get a can of Coca Cola. That is not the right thing. That will make you vomit on the track during the tiebreak of the fifth set. You will win the game, but believe me, it will not be fun (although the rest of the world will love the drama).
One day, everyone will be crazy about nutrition. Take the lead to that which is to come.
Also, watch the pills you take. If you take sleeping pills to overcome jet lag, before you know it, you will be taking them every night. When your arm hurts and they give you medication for that, throw the jar away. Those pills will give you a persistent and painful ulcer. Take care of what you put inside your body.
You'll have to play against your heroes like Ivan Lendl or Jimmy Connors - the guys you grew up with watching them. You will even have to play with John McEnroe in doubles, which will become a strange perfect combination. You, the right-handed calm and McEnroe, the emotional and energetic left-handed. When he goes crazy, you will be what makes him calm down. When you are in a calm moment, he will be the one that gives you energy. You will balance perfectly. You will win the Davis Cup together and it will be a great part of the greatest fun you will have in your career with, probably, the best doubles player of all time.
But when you leave the clues forever there is an opponent whose name will be named next to yours forever. Andre Agassi Maintaining mutual respect for each other is what will make the rivalry one of the best that tennis will ever see. I know that now you can not see it, but you will have a fierce and special rivalry with Agassi. He will be the best player you will face in your career and he will bring you the best of you. You will become the best in the world together, and it will always be a difficult game when you play. There will always be a lot of excitement around. You will be lucky enough to play against him in five Grand Slams finals and you will win four of them.
But if you want to win five, listen to me.
In the final of the 1995 Australian Open, you will be tied to a set. You will go 6-4 up in the tiebreak and you will serve to win the set which would give you two sleeves to one up. Do not serve open. Do it to the T. If you do it open he will put a right and it will be done with the set and the game. It will be the only final in which I win. This change does not guarantee that you win but it will put you in a better situation.
You will win your first and last Grand Slam against Andre, and at some point along the way, you will begin to understand how important that rivalry is for American tennis and how special it is to you as a person. This rivalry will be greater than you can dream of. Your games are as different as your personalities are. Maintaining mutual respect for each other is what will make the rivalry one of the best that tennis will ever see.
But it is not only that rivalry that you should not stop appreciating. There will be a lot of people with a huge impact on your game and your life - none as important as your future coach, Tim Gullikson. During that same '95 Australian Open, where you will lose to Andre in the final (unless you use my advice), Tim will get sick and have to miss the tournament. Seeing him in the hospital and seeing his brother crying will be more than you can handle alone. Talk about it. I know you are introverted and reserved. But this is too big for you to do alone. If you don't talk about it, it will grow very big inside of you and it will explode into a great feeling during the quarterfinals against Jim Courier and you will burst into tears in the middle of the court.
It's the people in your life - people like Tim - who will make you as a person. Thank you. Tim will give in to the brain cancer that made him sick and that will even hit you harder. Do not face it alone. Thank him while you're with him and talk about it when he's gone. You will thank me later.
Thank your friend John Black. When I give you the number of that pretty girl named Bridgette that comes out on the movie screen, thank her and call her. I know, it's crazy. But do it. Call her. And later, when she becomes your wife, thank her. Every day. Thank you.
Thank your sisters, Stella and Marion, and your brother Gus. Listen to them. They have good advice. And be aware that they will always support you against anything. Whatever.
Thank your parents. They will give you the instruction you need. They always support you. They allow you to be your own self. And now that you are ready to become a professional, appreciate that they are giving you the most normal of youths possible. They have never put you or put much pressure on you. These are things that you can not see your 16 years, the sacrifices that parents make.
Pay attention to your parents and take notes. You will be helpful one day when you have a couple of guys.
You are 16 years old and your life is about to begin but do not exhaust yourself always looking ahead. It's difficult because after each tournament - even when you win - your thoughts will turn to the next one. Take your time to appreciate your great victories and share them with your family and friends. Take advantage of your youth and enjoy it. The real prize is the road. Play hard, do it how you know and be true to yourself. Do that and you cannot fail.
Sincerely,
Pete. »
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