Confidence can do miracles

Since I was a little kid, I was dreaming about becoming a national champion. It seemed almost impossible, with a couple of “unbeatable” players always standing on the way to that title. On the other side, while I was playing at a high level during college days, I kept missing those championships, because they were held in September. And then, a perfect opportunity showed up. Men’s Open Serbian National Championship in Novi Pazar. It is one of the furthest cities from the capital, stationed in Southern Serbia.

Even though I already started coaching as the Head Coach at Tennis Club “Step In” (I was an owner of the same club), that 2010 was the year of my best tennis. It was followed by some big wins against experienced ATP players that summer. Even though I was working several hours per day with nationally ranked players, I managed to find time for improving my tennis game and fitness. I was stronger than ever, both physically and mentally. In July and August, after futures tournaments that I played, I brought many kids to the summer camps and after that, I took a vacation. The National Championship was at the end of September, so I didn’t practice for myself for almost three months. I remember I was looking at the list of the players that were going to participate there carefully. Despite the fact I was out of the practice for a few months, I was sure that with my experience and confidence built that summer, I can finally achieve something I never did. I imagined the article about my title in the most published sports newspaper, “Sportski Zurnal”. I knew it would be a big boost for my players too, and told myself, “You’re gonna go there and nail it!” 

That was exactly what happened. I started from qualification rounds where I had three wins followed by five wins in the main draw. It was unreal! The whole tournament I was serving like crazy, having first serve percentage higher than 70% all the time, returning aggressive, consistent and accurate, hitting winners from all the positions on the court. I am just not sure how would it go if some match went into the third set. I won eight matches in a row without dropping a set, beating some ATP ranked players and one of the top juniors in Serbia. Finally, I became National Champion, I’ve got the nicest article and also the main draw wildcard for futures tournament in 2011.

The point of this text is not to emphasize how practice and preparation before tournaments are not so important, but how significant difference you can make in sports and in real life too if you believe in what you can achieve. Again, that self-confidence must come from some previous experience, hard work, fight, and commitment. 

“If my mind can conceive it, 
My heart can believe it, 
I know I can achieve it!” – Jesse Jackson