CFC Blog #147: What a 21 Year Old Tennis Player Can Teach Us About Leadership

Lauren’s blog makes me think back to my sports days. I was reminded of one of the longest tennis matches I’d ever had with an opponent. It was a completely clear, sunny 95 degree summer day. And after a never-ending tie breaker, the match concluded. It was evident we were both at about the same skill level, so there was no resentment  or bitterness as we walked side by side in sweat back to the club house. Instead, we drank our gatorades in the shade together and actually discussed as well as complimented each other’s game and strategy, which we got to know very well after this 3 hour match! That experience gave me a whole different outlook on the sport and reminded me how, even when playing against one another, we’re sort of on the same team at the end of the day. And that every tough situation presents us an opportunity to respond in a way that makes the most of it and to even lift somebody up and share some joy. 

Thank you Lauren for putting an inspiring story and lesson into your own words.  

- Amanda 

What a 21 Year Old Tennis Player Can Teach Us About Leadership

Last week I watched a long-awaited matchup between two of the world’s most promising young female players in the US Open: Coco Gauff (a 15-year-old fans adore) and Naomi Osaka (the 21-year-old defending 2018 champion).

Last year, Osaka played Serena Williams in a very controversial final match. Serena - who is currently only two majors away from holding the record for most ever held - was given a warning by the umpire that was a pretty iffy. She struggled to mentally tough it out and ended up losing her confidence and her game spiraled very emotionally. Osaka ended up winning the tournament, but not without tears holding as the crowd booed, believing Serena should have won and the umpire was not fair. An awful way to win your first major tournament at the age of 20.

Back to last week - the match between Osaka and Gauff was not nearly as close as was expected and Osaka won pretty easily. Coco, who is normally extremely composed, got very teary as they shook hands at the end of the match. Normally in a major match, the loser walks back to the locker room and the winner is then interviewed on the court alone. But instead this time - never seen before in the recent history of professional tennis - Osaka asked Coco to do the interview with her and let her speak. Both had nothing but good things to say about their opponent. 

I don’t watch a lot of sports besides tennis, but I hope that this will go into the history books as one of the most provocative and beautiful acts of sportsmanship that coaches show to young athletes for a long time. What Osaka did alone is enough to be memorable, but it held even more meaning for those who watched the finals last year.

The saying is used a lot, but it goes to show that we can’t control what happens to us - we can only control what we do with it as a result and rise above the detrimental things in this world that hold others back. I think those are the qualities of a strong leader.

The future of tennis is in very good hands with these two players.