From 0-40 to Victory: Life Lessons from the Tennis Court
Persistence on the court, growth in life
After a long hiatus of more than 2-3 years, I recently started playing tennis regularly with a friend who lives nearby. Our early morning sessions quickly became the highlight of my week—though my performance certainly wasn't.
I was absolutely horrid during our first few games. I lost our first game 2-6, but even that flattering score masked how truly outmatched I was.
Every aspect of my game had deteriorated: I made countless unforced errors, my first serves rarely found their mark, and my weak second serves might as well have been invitations for my friend to attack.
The easy path would have been to hang up my racquet, to dismiss tennis as "not my thing anymore." But something inside wouldn't let me quit. I persevered, showing up week after week, determined to reclaim the joy and competence I once knew on the court.
While the next few matches yielded similar scores, subtle improvements began to emerge. Points lasted longer. Games reached deuce more frequently. The gap in our play was narrowing, even if the scoreboard didn't yet reflect it.
I knew I had what it takes—both physically and mentally—to bridge that gap. I focused on specific elements: improving the consistency of my first serve, occasionally surprising my opponent with an ace, preparing better for returns after my second serve, targeting my friend's weaker backhand, and mixing up short, deep and cross court shots. When opportunities arose, I became more aggressive.
Gradually, the scores tightened: 3-6, then 4-6, and last week, a heartbreaking tiebreaker loss at 6-6 (3-7).
This week, finally, after eight consistent sessions of practice and persistence, I claimed my first victory: 7-5.
Tennis, like life, rewards dogged persistence—the willingness to keep going despite the unfavourable odds. Any improvement, however small, represents progress. Focus on getting better slowly but surely, celebrating each milestone along the way.
What makes this journey particularly rewarding is having a worthy opponent. Both of us continue to elevate our play, challenging each other to reach the next level. There's something beautiful about this mutual growth, this partnership in competitive improvement.
These are just reflections from an amateur tennis player, but perhaps the lessons stretch far beyond the baseline.
13 March 2025 | Eugene Ng | Vision Capital Fund | eugene.ng@visioncapitalfund.co
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