It's all in your head

Once again, Roger Federrer won a grand slam title, 2007 US Open championship, over the young Serbian Novak Djokovic. This is his 12th career title and 4th US Open champion, so that's not surprise. What's noteworthy is that he won less on skill, more on mental power.

Federrer wasn't at his best game today, started slow, many unforced errors. In the 1st 2 sets, Djokovic had 7 set points, but Federrer won back both sets by tie-break. there were times you would think Djokovic would win the set, but then he just get nervous under tremendous pressure and didn't grasp the chance, double fault at serve, return didn't get over net, etc., he just floundered, and Federrer finally found a way to turn back the tide. Especial frustration came at a set point he shot the ball out by a split-hair of room. After losing the 1st set Djokovic got so upset he smashed his water bottle during break. 2nd set he grew more impatient after missing a breakpoint by a slight placement. From which point on just fell apart in rest of the game.

Throughout the game, Federrer didn't have clear technical advantage, but he maintained his composure in the entire time, even during the most difficult moments, that's how he was able to turn around and win the game, that's why he is a champion. It's all mental. I guess during the entire game, he had always believed he can win, for no clear reason(he lost to Djokovic at Montreal open earlier this year), but he had to believe it, for it to actually happen. On the other hand, Djokovic felt good at the beginning winning a few points, so tried to rush ending several points, ended up in loses, and at tough times he became self-doubt and his play conservative. That's why he lost at the end, he never believed he can win.

In sports mental power has huge impact on a player's performance, perhaps bigger than skills and physical capability, I think it's the similar case in life for everybody. In fact for many people there is no much physical limit what a person can or can not do, but rather the belief that something can be achieved. If you truly believe it, you will find a way to accomplish it. The belief can help you overcome the obstacles. On the other hand if you don't even believe in yourself, there is no way you can achieve anything. Reflecting on myself, I choose to always believe I can change my life, anything I don't like about myself today I can make it better tomorrow, as such that I am striving for that goal, so I will reach it.