Have you noticed the noisy chatter around the ‘R’ word in recent days around some modern-day sporting icons? Retirement. Is it coming?
Novak Djokovic retaliated with irritation. “Of course, I’ve thought about it, but in the end I decided to play my way, when I want and not when others think I should,” grumbled the 24-time Grand Slam champion. “That’s all.”
Cristiano Ronaldo responded with emotion. “Soon,” the five-time Ballon d’Or winner revealed. “I think I’ll be prepared. It’ll be very, very difficult.”
Lionel Messi chose stoicism. “Unfortunately, football has an expiration date,” mused the World Cup winner. “At some point, it comes to an end.”
Let us get the clichés over with. Old father time catches up. Boots are ready to be hung. Sunsets are waiting to be walked into. Yadda, yadda, yadda…
Sport is an odd choice for a working life. In their mid to late 30s, when most humans, at worst, are in the throes of a mid-life crisis, and at best on the pathway to professional success, these men and women are being confronted with the ‘R’ word. Every press meet, every event, every social occasion becomes an exploration of this theme.
In our mundane, everyday world, sporting achievement is understood by the measurable — Titles, World Cups, Awards, Endorsements, Bank Balances. How often do we hear – what is left to be accomplished? Why go on when everything there was to be, and then some more, has been won?
In his combative response earlier this week, Djokovic offered a glimpse into the mindset of elite athletes that choose to endure the grind well after they have slipped from their heady pedestals. Why does a 38-year-old battle-scarred man, swatted aside in recent encounters by two generational talents that give him little hope of adding to his jaw-dropping majors tally, continue to jostle for his place in the tennis sun? Well, consider this…
“I still enjoy competing, training, and improving. As long as that’s true, I’ll keep going.”
The operative word in that response is “enjoy.” In the mind of a fan, an athlete’s pursuit is quantifiable success. Remarkable human specimens such as Djokovic though seek something beyond that obvious metric. They strive for that moment on the court when the slightest tweak in wrist motion adds spice to the backhand slice. When an innovative exercise routine enables marginal improvement in endurance. When a slightly restructured recovery plan allows the body to bounce back just a little bit faster
Hard for us regular mortals to entirely grasp, but for the likes of Djokovic, THAT is the fun of it. THAT is what they “enjoy.”
It is abundantly clear in the responses of Djokovic, Messi and Ronaldo that even as the finish line approaches, athletes choose their own formula to embrace the inevitable.
“Probably will cry, yes. I’m an open person,” Ronaldo admitted. “It will be very, very difficult, yes. But I (have) prepare(d) my future since (I was) 25, 26, 27 years old, so I think I will be capable to support that pressure.”
“I like to start looking at what could come next,” a more composed Messi ruminated. “I’ve always been 100 per cent dedicated to my profession, but I know that something else is coming — another world — and little by little, I’m getting involved.”
Clearly, there is no one-size fits all answer in the din of the conversation around the ‘R’ word. Djokovic articulated it aptly in the hope that the world would understand. “It’s about having the freedom to decide. We’ve given everything to this sport, and now we just want to keep playing because we still love it.”
Novak Djokovic retaliated with irritation. “Of course, I’ve thought about it, but in the end I decided to play my way, when I want and not when others think I should,” grumbled the 24-time Grand Slam champion. “That’s all.”
Cristiano Ronaldo responded with emotion. “Soon,” the five-time Ballon d’Or winner revealed. “I think I’ll be prepared. It’ll be very, very difficult.”
Lionel Messi chose stoicism. “Unfortunately, football has an expiration date,” mused the World Cup winner. “At some point, it comes to an end.”
Let us get the clichés over with. Old father time catches up. Boots are ready to be hung. Sunsets are waiting to be walked into. Yadda, yadda, yadda…
Sport is an odd choice for a working life. In their mid to late 30s, when most humans, at worst, are in the throes of a mid-life crisis, and at best on the pathway to professional success, these men and women are being confronted with the ‘R’ word. Every press meet, every event, every social occasion becomes an exploration of this theme.
In our mundane, everyday world, sporting achievement is understood by the measurable — Titles, World Cups, Awards, Endorsements, Bank Balances. How often do we hear – what is left to be accomplished? Why go on when everything there was to be, and then some more, has been won?
In his combative response earlier this week, Djokovic offered a glimpse into the mindset of elite athletes that choose to endure the grind well after they have slipped from their heady pedestals. Why does a 38-year-old battle-scarred man, swatted aside in recent encounters by two generational talents that give him little hope of adding to his jaw-dropping majors tally, continue to jostle for his place in the tennis sun? Well, consider this…
“I still enjoy competing, training, and improving. As long as that’s true, I’ll keep going.”
The operative word in that response is “enjoy.” In the mind of a fan, an athlete’s pursuit is quantifiable success. Remarkable human specimens such as Djokovic though seek something beyond that obvious metric. They strive for that moment on the court when the slightest tweak in wrist motion adds spice to the backhand slice. When an innovative exercise routine enables marginal improvement in endurance. When a slightly restructured recovery plan allows the body to bounce back just a little bit faster
Hard for us regular mortals to entirely grasp, but for the likes of Djokovic, THAT is the fun of it. THAT is what they “enjoy.”
It is abundantly clear in the responses of Djokovic, Messi and Ronaldo that even as the finish line approaches, athletes choose their own formula to embrace the inevitable.
“Probably will cry, yes. I’m an open person,” Ronaldo admitted. “It will be very, very difficult, yes. But I (have) prepare(d) my future since (I was) 25, 26, 27 years old, so I think I will be capable to support that pressure.”
“I like to start looking at what could come next,” a more composed Messi ruminated. “I’ve always been 100 per cent dedicated to my profession, but I know that something else is coming — another world — and little by little, I’m getting involved.”
Clearly, there is no one-size fits all answer in the din of the conversation around the ‘R’ word. Djokovic articulated it aptly in the hope that the world would understand. “It’s about having the freedom to decide. We’ve given everything to this sport, and now we just want to keep playing because we still love it.”
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