The Will to Win - Why So Many Lack It

So much recently has been made on 'Gamesmanship'

For me especially someone holding their back is not something I would class as 'Gamesmanship'

2 quotes stand out and are true in tennis

"You have to have the mentality of executing your game when you don't feel like there's a lot of hope. I think the best feeling is when somebody pushes you to the limit and you dig down a little bit extra. By the same token, you also need a little luck. Sometimes they come together."
Andre Agassi

"Champions keep playing until they get it right."
Billie Jean King

As someone that plays tennis I find sometimes there are matches I have played where everything comes together. Your mind and racquet are one. I have played against players who have stopped midway. Some suffered cramp and even held hamstrings, calves, ankles, backs, shoulders. I can't say mentally it has ever un-settled me or helped me look for that excuse to lose. I have had matches where I have been cruising and then all of sudden I have lost the match. The match passes me by and even on reflection you cannot quite put the finger on how you lost. Sometimes your mind just goes walkabout and never comes back.

I look at players like Gasquet, Davydenko, Dolgopolov, Nalbandian, Simon, Verdasco and it seems like they find it easier to lose than to win. It becomes a habit hard to shake off or give up. A missed volley, double fault, opponent holding his back, the sun coming out. Some players like Federer, Nadal, Djokovic know how to win and accept nothing less and find it difficult to lose. The others find it easy to lose and more difficult to win.

You can't control what your opponent does on the court, but you can change the way you think. If you just try.

Having watched Rafa completely bludgeon Monaco yesterday I could not help thinking how many players in Monaco´s position would have simply thrown in the towel. He had a humiliating loss but he never never once stopped trying to win. He played some brilliant tennis all to no avail and yet the will was still there until the last point. No feigned injury no tantrums he just gritted his teeth and saw it through. He was a "star" in my eyes I congratulate him

wouldn't have Simon in that list LK, but agree on the others. Gasquet said in an interview that what really annoyed him was Murray finding the line with a volley at BP down. If true, that's pretty pathetic TBH.

Maybe Gasquet has embraced the talented underachiever tag.

I would put Simon down MFC. Seen him fold so many times.

If Gasquet really said that, it is pathetic!

Will to win is such a complex thing to try and untangle. It's something that you can't read in people to begin with...only when the pressure comes on do you see someone's mettle...in any activity or sport. I've done a lot of sports and mountain hiking in my time...and climbing mountains is an interesting parallel. You find you get halfway up the mountain, it's cold, wet and miserable...you suddenly find one of the group wants to throw the towel in...they say they are exhausted, can't go on...so you give them the pep talk, help them see the vision, or keep it in mind, etc, and they continue on...making the summit and proud of their achievement.

My point...some people have great will innately inside, they don't need others to push them on. Others need that mental support and encouragement to get to the 'peak'. They need others with the will to win to show them the way. In tennis it's a very lonely sport when they're on court...in a way it's a unique sport in that the combatants are surrounded by 1000s of people, TV cameras, etc...and yet they have to rely on their on instincts and will to win. This is where the true greats stand out...those who would easily make it up a mountain...would keep pushing the whole way whilst the rain spat in their face. Would lead the others behind them. Guys like Gasquet can't climb the big mountains on their own...halfway up they start to self-doubt, don't know how to keep pushing, can't force themselves to dig even deeper, to see what resolves they have deep inside. Guys like Federer and Nadal don't need anyone to help them.

I've seen this so often in many different ways...in a way it's what separates leaders from followers..it's an innate desire and will to just keep pushing on and stick to their vision. Some people think it can be coached or instilled...some think it comes out of great fitness. I disagree. It can be enhanced no doubt, but the basic talent is born with because you see it exhibited in children from a very early age.

Gasquet isn't really an underachiever...he just hasn't got IT at the very highest level...when it comes to climb Mt. Everest. Same with some of the others. Tennis is a brutal sport mentally and physically, it's such a test of human resolve...its a battle of skills and wills...and that's why I love it.

I heard Gasquet said the next time he would eat his liver with fava beans. Now I find that pretty tasteless, although adding some crispy bacon and a Chianti should improve matters.

legendkillarV2 wrote:I would put Simon down MFC. Seen him fold so many times.

If Gasquet really said that, it is pathetic!

really, I can't remember Simon folding all that often, certainly not to the extent of Gasquet, Davydenko or Verdasco for instance. Also I'm not sure "talent"-wise he belongs in that category.

Gasquet truly did say that: from L'Equipe website
«Non, je n'ai pas été déstabilisé, objecte le 20e mondial en conférence de presse. Je le savais. Je savais que ça arriverait. Ce qui m'a déstabilisé, c'est sa réussite, notamment sur la balle de break sur la ligne à 4-4. »
"No, it [referring to Murray's back-clutching] didn't put me off, said the world n°20 in his press conference. I knew about it. I knew it would happen. What put me off was his "luck" (not quite sure how to translate "réussite" here), most notably on the breakpoint at 4-4 where he found the line."

Ce qui m'a déstabilisé, c'est sa réussite, notamment sur la balle de break sur la ligne à 4-4.

Translation: "What unsettled me, was his success (his good shots), notably on break point on the line at 4-4."

Interesting topic

Federer once said something about dropshots (I wish I had the quote). Something about how he thought they weren't quite legitimate and they were only used when a player was unable to win using more conventional tennis. I think he's come round a bit as far as the drop shots go but I can understand were he's coming from. In tennis there are lots of ways of getting the scoreboard to move in your favour but not all the ways will deserve or win an equal amount of respect. If someone has to resort to tactics that are unconventional in order to stop their opponant from competing IMO it's an admittance that they feel unable to compete on more equal terms. They are sort of saying that their backhand and forehand isn't good enough to get a win.

I play a little tennis myself and I have to admit if I faced an opponant who wanted to change the game by resorting to disruptive tactics I would let them have their "win", maybe even hit the net a few times deliberately (and obviously?) in fact do anthing to get off the court quickly. If they were unable or too scared to see how our forehands matched up playing a "match" the whole activity would have been made pointless. I would smile at the net, shake hands and make sure I never wasted time playing them again. Of course I am no professional but why should we expect this sort of behaviour from professionals when no one who plays for fun would put up with it. Professionals of course wouldn't be able to refuse to play such an opponant. The only way to put a stop to this spoilsport behaviour is if we the audience protest.

Of course none of this has anything to do with the more genuine "will to win" and the quotes by Agassi and the great Billy Jean King. True champions demonstrate this. To see it in action today just watch Nadal or Federer playing a tough match.

HE, I'm kind of the opposite: if someone starts using "underhand" tactics against me, I tend to fight fire with fire. I try not to cross the line, but sometimes my competitive nature may get the better of me. One example sticks in my mind: a match in my club's tournament a few years ago. Early on, my opponent hit the ball to the opposite side where I was, close to the line. I honestly couldn't see, so asked him: "was it in?" he said it was, all fine (bare in mind no umpires obviously) and so he won the point. Later on (towards the end of the first set, which I was losing quite badly), I called one of his shots long (this is how it works: you umpire your side of the court). Now I was right next to the ball (I had a play on it, put it in, then stuck my hand up saying "fault"). However he (standing at the opposite baseline) didn't take my word for it. We re-played the point. But it didn't stop there, every close call on my side of the net he queried, not accepting my word for it. Those who have been in a similar situation will understand no doubt that such situations become very difficult. Unfortunately on this occasion I let myself down, and ended up contesting a call very similar to the first one I mentioned: ball hit to the opposite side of the court where I was standing, I insisted it was out. After much arguing from his part ("you couldn't see") we did replay the point. I'm not proud of what I did, but sometimes your emotions get the better of you, and this was one of them...

Mad for Chelsea

Ha ha! The professionals have it easy with linespeople, umpires and ballboys. The thing is your match was spoilt. I bet you could have easily beaten that underhand opponant with your sizzling backhand if only given a chance to play a "proper" match... I think he knew that too! (that's why he resorted to this behavour)

The mountain analogy is true. Up to a point.

I climbed one mountain where I had to argue with my professional guide who wanted me to go down because I was wasted, another one I succeeded where the guide told me it was too dangerous on hard ice near the cliffs. Another one where I summitted at 3pm and had to spend hours in the dark rock climbing and walking through the forest by torch light. If anything, I need to learn how to lose.

But I still don't believe I would have the mental strength in a slam final to put in a champion second serve hard to the backhand on match point down. It is not only about the will. You can want it as much as you like, maybe even too much. It is about controlling the nerves and negative psychology. It's more complex, more difficult than simply believing in yourself.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:I would put Simon down MFC. Seen him fold so many times.

If Gasquet really said that, it is pathetic!

really, I can't remember Simon folding all that often, certainly not to the extent of Gasquet, Davydenko or Verdasco for instance. Also I'm not sure "talent"-wise he belongs in that category.

Gasquet truly did say that: from L'Equipe website
«Non, je n'ai pas été déstabilisé, objecte le 20e mondial en conférence de presse. Je le savais. Je savais que ça arriverait. Ce qui m'a déstabilisé, c'est sa réussite, notamment sur la balle de break sur la ligne à 4-4. »
"No, it [referring to Murray's back-clutching] didn't put me off, said the world n°20 in his press conference. I knew about it. I knew it would happen. What put me off was his "luck" (not quite sure how to translate "réussite" here), most notably on the breakpoint at 4-4 where he found the line."

I think it was last year in Madrid I watched Simon and he literally capitulated against Murray. I think Simon gives in more to frustration easily.

Gasquet is truly pathetic. After that 2nd set he couldn't get his feet moving. He was gliding in the first set, then pow just went to pot.

lydian,

Just to echo your comments. I played individual sports and also team sports. I think what stands out with winners is that they can perform at the highest level and winning is a second nature to performance.

I can remember in a league season in football when the team I played for rattled off 12 straight wins and I can remember we played teams in terms of ability and skill that were better than us, but we had such one minded unity that eclipsed everything else.

Athletes in any sport team or individual have a personal responsibility to have a personal mental strength. Some only know how to win one way and others know how to win at all costs. Jim Courier made a strange comment yesterday saying that Andy Murray was one of the best closer out of matches on tour which I felt compelled to disagree with because against the 3 above him he struggles to do just that. When you know your better than someone, naturally everything flows, when other players are better, some freeze and want victory to come to them.

hawkeye wrote:Mad for Chelsea

Ha ha! The professionals have it easy with linespeople, umpires and ballboys. The thing is your match was spoilt. I bet you could have easily beaten that underhand opponant with your sizzling backhand if only given a chance to play a "proper" match... I think he knew that too! (that's why he resorted to this behavour)

I appreciate the vote of confidence HE, but erm, no. He was also a better player than me, by quite some margin. Which made his tactics/behaviour all the more disappointing. I mean, I'm pretty competitive (I hate losing at anything), but I wouldn't resort to cheating, which is essentially what you're doing when you refuse to accept the opponent's word in a match played without umpires. Once I would have understood if he genuinely believed his shot was in, but he did it about four times in all (on pretty much every close shot).

legendkillarV2 wrote:lydian,

Just to echo your comments. I played individual sports and also team sports. I think what stands out with winners is that they can perform at the highest level and winning is a second nature to performance.

I can remember in a league season in football when the team I played for rattled off 12 straight wins and I can remember we played teams in terms of ability and skill that were better than us, but we had such one minded unity that eclipsed everything else...

LK

You raise an interesting point there about confidence and self-belief, and how they make performances better. Djokovic got himself into a real virtuous circle with this last year - played well and won a few matches, and his self-belief improved, so he played better and won more, eventually reaching the point where the combination of his ability and confidence was making him close to unbeatable. Prior to that, he was clearly one of the best players, but perhaps lacked a bit in the ability to close out matches against the elite opponents (similar to Murray now). I don't think Novak has the same ingrained 'will to win' as Nadal (or Connors in a previous generation), but the streak almost gave him a reason to keep fighting in matches where he could have lost and has taught him how to be a better winner (he'd not have got through yesterday without the improvements in his mentality that have come from winning so many matches).

Just to add to dummy-half's excellent post ( )

It is said "success breeds success".

Yep...and wasnt it Connors who said tennis was 95% mental...?
Confidence is everything in this sport...especially at those huge points.
Just look at JWT yesterday...did he TRULY believe on those MPs, or was he waiting for Djokovic to fail. Djokovic has such self-belief himself that JWT couldnt rely on that, he had to seize the moment...but alas that FH opportunity down the line will haunt him for a while...when he stood up to be counted he fluffed it. Such is the narrow margins at the top though.

lydian wrote:Yep...and wasnt it Connors who said tennis was 95% mental...?
Confidence is everything in this sport...especially at those huge points.
Just look at JWT yesterday...did he TRULY believe on those MPs, or was he waiting for Djokovic to fail. Djokovic has such self-belief himself that JWT couldnt rely on that, he had to seize the moment...but alas that FH opportunity down the line will haunt him for a while...when he stood up to be counted he fluffed it. Such is the narrow margins at the top though.

I was surprised by Courier who said 'Those BP's weren't given, but won by Djokovic'

I can only half agree.

Tsonga set his stall to defence and that was never going to win it for him. He rested on his laurels for a split second and the match was gone.

Commentators have to find hyperbole, and while I really like Courier and thought his AO post match interviews were a genuine triumph, he will be forced to say more now and reach for the extra. Look at McEnroe, he started brilliantly as a guest but now talks almost as much rubbish in a match as Greg Rusedski does in 5 minutes, which is really poor!

JWT should have done a Lendl on the first, that would have been that. Credit to Djokovic though, he is very aware that the winner still has to win the last point. I felt JWT went into football mode, almost trying to let the clock finish the match.

Oh, and Connors was 100% mental. In every sense of the word.

I think anyone who has played singles at any level will say that it can get pretty lonely out there.
One thing you have to do in a match is to stop feeling sorry for yourself. Yes, things can go wrong. Yes, you may be hurting or feeling off-colour. But you have to snap out of it and concentrate on winning the match.
I agree that Gasquet was pathetic to talk about ONE POINT affecting him so much. This is a guy who has twice lost to Murray in a GS match after being two sets up and has now lost another match he should have won.
As for yesterday's marvellous Nole-JWT match. Would Djoko have missed four MPs? I think not.

Not sure how you can quantify it as a match Gasquet should have won just because he won the first set. The first set Gasquet won playing solidly but no more than that with Murray not at the races to be honest. He then changed his racquet for a more suitably strung one and slowly worked his way into the match and when he went up through the gears Gasquet fell apart and could not go with him through the gears.