Former Swedish tennis player Jonas Björkman spoke about himself in an interview with colleagues from Behind the Racquet, in which he discussed the differences between tennis today and in the past, a completely different sport compared to the 90s and early 2000s.
The former world number 4 also tried to explain the difficulties of the next generation in the face of the three world tennis phenomena Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Here are some of what he said: “When I was a kid, I was really a very shy person.
I didn’t talk to other people and at school I was always in the back row. Let’s say I have a humble personality. When I decided to withdraw from the world of professional tennis, I also became more sociable because I had no other choice.
I’ve gained the confidence to speak English and that has helped me a lot to get to where I am now. ”
Differences from the past and the big three
The tennis player continues: “Compared to the past, the tour is very different.
Elite tennis players have different people by their side and you probably spend more time with your team than with your opponents, really different than in the past. Before it was difficult to get into the top 100, now all you have to do is play one tournament and get in quickly.
In large tournaments, the right connections are made and it is important to develop good relationships with other players. Exercise routine? It’s very different to play, but I really enjoyed it.
I’ve been fortunate to work with athletes like Andy Murray and Marin Cilic. When I develop a successful relationship with a tennis player, I get energy because I feel like I am part of my successes.
“To conclude:” We are in an incredible era with Djokovic, Federer and Nadal. These three have achieved incredible things in this sport, but on the field I think the players respect them too much.
The vast majority of them play a good first set and then lose the next because they think about who they are up against. This next generation needs to have the right conviction to face them in important challenges rather than just waiting for them to retire. ”
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