Letter to 16-year-old self

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Pete Sampras is not only one of the greatest athletes in history, but also an incredibly determined person. And he really has a lot to learn. We simply could not ignore Pete's letter to his 16-year-old on The Players Tribune and prepared a translation for Lifehacker's readers. We think it will be useful to everyone who wants to succeed.

In this very sincere and inspiring story, the tennis player, looking back at the path he has traveled, tries to warn himself against mistakes and highlight what is really important in life.

Dear 16-year-old Pete

You are about to become a professional, you are very excited. Look deeper into your heart, you already know that sooner or later you will come to success. But trust me, this will happen much sooner than you can imagine. At first, there will be ups and downs, but this is only for a couple of years. Then you will fight for your place in the top five strongest athletes in the world, win the US Open, beat Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe and Andre Agassi.

Then everything will change.

You will be a budding American with no protection from outside influences. When you wake up in the morning after winning the American Open, you will begin interview after interview. All eyes will be directed at you, and you need to get used to attention - you cannot hide from it behind the net.

Being a professional athlete is more than just playing tennis.

The more you succeed, the more people want you to quit the game.

It won't always be tempting to do it, and it won't always be fun. You will not experience such exhausting pressure even on a tennis court. But as a champion, you take responsibility. You play tennis because you love the game, not because you enjoy being in the spotlight, so be prepared. Think about how to learn how to work with the media. It's a long way to go. Luckily, you were out of the game before Twitter and Facebook were ubiquitous. Be grateful for that. One day you will understand what I mean.

And yes, drop the newspaper. Don't read what people say about you. Nothing good will come of it. And if you've heard and read something negative about yourself, don't worry. Let the racket speak for you.

Now let's talk a little about your game. Over the course of your career, several new fabrics will be invented to help you gain a little more speed and flexibility. You will see how Gustavo Kuerten uses them on dirt surfaces and succeeds. And even when coaches and other players advise you to use new technology to have a little margin for error and win on clay, you refuse. You are too attached to your equipment, like most tennis players, but if you want to win the French Open and continue to fight in the Grand Slam tournament, you need to try something new. Be open to new technologies.

But most importantly, do not forget to take care of your most important weapon - your body. Be aware of what you are eating. There will be times when you wake up in the middle of the night before a match and want to eat something crazy like hamburgers and pizza. This is because your body is missing something. If you ignore these desires and do not figure out what your body really needs (and these are definitely not burgers or pizza), the next day on the court you will not make the expected impression.

This will become especially evident at the 1996 American Open. You will play in the quarterfinals with Alex Corretja, and in the fourth set you will completely use up all your energy, because you did not eat anything at all before the match. You're going to need a refill and grab a can of Coca-Cola. This is not an answer. All you have to do is hold out until the break in the fifth set. You’ll come back to win the match, but trust me, there’s nothing funny about it (even though someone else loves drama).

One day, everyone will become obsessed with nutrition. Be at the forefront of this trend.

Also be aware of the pills you are taking. If you take sleep pills to adapt to jet lag, you will take them every night. When you injure your hand and they give you pain relievers, throw this can away. These pills only give you pain and moral decay. Understand what you are doing with your body.

You will play against your heroes - Ivan Lendl and Jimmy Connors. You grew up watching them play. You will even be paired up with John McEnroe for a weird but perfect combination. You, calm, with a strong right punch, and McEnroe, emotional, with an energetic left. When he is mad, you will radiate calmness. When you become weak, he will infect you with his energy. You will complement each other perfectly. Together you will win the Davis Cup, and it will be the most joyous event of your career - playing against the greatest player of all time.

But even when you leave the court, the name of one opponent with whom you walked side by side will remain with you forever. Andre Agassi.

I know you may not know this now, but a fierce, special rivalry with Andre Agassi awaits you. He will be the best player you can play against, and he will bring out the best in you. You will fight to be the best and it will be a powerful match every time. And it will always be a huge excitement.

You are lucky enough to play against him in the Grand Slam finals five times, you win four times. But if you want to win all five, listen to me.

At the 1995 Australian Open you will be comparing the scores in each set. You will lead 6-4 before the break, which will allow you to prepare and hold on for two sets rather than one in great shape. Don't play full width. Stay in the middle. If you had gone too far, you would have received a serve from the right, and he would have won not only the set, but also the match.

This is the only Grand Slam final when he beat you. This lead does not guarantee that you will win the match, but at least it will give you an advantage.

After winning the first Grand Slam match against Andre, you will begin to understand how important this rivalry is to American tennis and how much it means to both of you. This competition will matter more than you might imagine. Your games will be as different as you are. Remain professional and maintain mutual respect, and this rivalry will result in one of the best games I have ever seen.

Of course, this does not mean that you need to appreciate only Andre and your rivalry. In the game and in life, you were surrounded by many people who gave you a strong impetus, and among them there is no one more important than your future coach, mentor and friend Tim Gallixon.

During the Australian championship in 1995, when you lose to Andre in the final (if you don't take my advice), something knocked Tim down and he had to miss the tournament. Seeing him in the hospital and seeing his brother in tears was too hard to bear alone.

Talk about it. I know that you are a closed introvert. But this is too heavy a burden to bear alone. If you don't speak, it will remain deep inside and one day, during the quarterfinals against Jim Courier, it will result in a huge explosion of emotions. You will break down and cry right on the court.

Tim eventually became a victim of brain cancer, which caused his death. And it hurt you even more. Don't go through this alone. Appreciate him while he is with you. Talk about him when he's gone. Then you will thank me.

People like Tim in your life give you shape. Appreciate them.

Appreciate your friend John Black. When he gives you the number of the beautiful girl Bridgette you saw in the movies once, thank him. I know you wouldn't want to put yourself in this position, but it will be incredible. And later, when she becomes your wife, appreciate her. Appreciate her every day.

Appreciate your sisters, Stella and Marion, and your brother Gus. Listen to them. They give good advice. And know that they will always support you in everything.

Appreciate your parents. They prepared you for everything you need. They always support you. They allowed you to become an independent person. And now, when you are preparing to become a professional, appreciate them for giving you as ordinary a childhood as possible. They never put too much pressure on you. There are things that you don't notice at the age of 16. These are the sacrifices that your parents made for you. Pay attention to your parents and take notes. They will come in handy when you have two of your own boys.

You are 16 years old and your life is just beginning, but don't waste all your time trying to look ahead. It's not easy because after each tournament - even if you win - you immediately focus on the next one.

Take time to celebrate your victories and share them with your family and friends.

Feel the benefits of your youth and enjoy it. True, the journey is the reward.

Play as hard as you can, do it according to your own principles and stay true to yourself. Do it and you won't be wrong.

Sincerely yours, Pete.