It took me more than a month to sit down and write this post.
Why?
Well… because it was a painful stretch.
Four matches. Three losses.
One win that felt more like a lucky escape than a real triumph.
Not exactly the kind of stats that get you pumped to share your progress, right?
But hey, this blog was never meant to be a highlight reel.
Since this blog is about the journey, these are the two most important things I’ve learned from it.
Tournaments Are Not Training
It sounds obvious.
But sometimes, when you're busy or tired or just caught up in the rhythm of life, you start thinking that just playing matches is enough to improve.
Spoiler alert: it's not.
I wasn’t respecting the intention I set at the beginning of this year: to train with purpose.
To move with meaning. To chase progress, not just points.
Match play, especially when you’re not at your best, without consistent, focused training behind it… it just exposes the gaps.
Brutally.
Wanting the Win, but Not Wanting the Work
This one was harder to face.
I realized something during one of those late-night matches, legs heavy, brain foggy, spirit already half-checked out before the first point.
I wasn’t available to earn the win.
Not really.
I wasn’t willing to dig in.
To fight.
To invest energy when it felt uncomfortable.
To stay present, even when the match wasn’t going my way.
It’s like I was hoping that a couple of lucky breaks would be enough.
That maybe I could float at 3.2 level and sneak my way forward with a bit of good fortune.
But that’s not how it works. Not in tennis. Not in life.
It’s a bad combination:
Low intensity, low preparation, and high expectations.
That’s a recipe for frustration.
So… What Now?
I reset.
The match is often won before it even begins.
Not because of strategy.
Not even because of fitness or technique.
But because of mindset.
Because of how present you are with yourself.
Because of how willing you are to really show up.
We mirror ourselves in reality.
Yeah, I know… Sounds a bit mystical, right?
But tennis is a mystical thing. Or not...?
So, let's give a try again.
Earning every win, one drop of sweat at a time.
See you on the courts.
– Il Tennista
