Lessons from the 2020 Australian Open Tennis Women’s Championship
In the early hours of February 1, 2020 (on the East Coast of United States), Sofia Kenin did what most in the tennis world considered impossible – winning her first major championship title and the first major tournament of the decade.
This win was historic on many levels and special because she defied the odds against her victory and proved tennis experts wrong. What exactly were the odds?
- According to experts: “No player has won their first major finals.” Prior to Saturday, she had never made it past the fourth round of a Grand Slam
- Entering the tournament, she had a 35 to 1 chance of winning the championship
- She lost the 1st set of 3 and historically, in women’s major finals, the winner of the opening set has won 49 of the last 53 major finals; that is a 7.5% probability of winning after being down the 1st set (or 92.5% probability of losing)
- She was playing against a two-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 1
Watching the match, especially after the first set, it was obvious that Sofia was playing with the determination of a champion. She bounced back after a 6-4 loss in the first set and took command of the next two sets winning 6-2, 6-2. As one of the commentators said: “That’s what champions do. When they know they have to do it, somehow they find a way.” And find a way she did.
Relating this victory to sales, there are some traits and factors that contributed to her success that I find common with successful sales professionals. These include:
Vision and Belief: She had the dream of becoming a champion and actively pursued that dream. She had an interest in the sport at an early age and started practicing and seeking opportunities to get better. At the age of 7, when asked at a tennis academy why she wants to become a tennis pro, she replied: “Because I want to be a champion and I want to be number one in the world.” Upon graduating from the academy, she was asked “What’s the next step?” Her response: “To be number one in the world.” After her victory on Saturday, she said in an interview: “I believed I can be the champion.” “I did it with all the belief that I’ve had.”
Mental Toughness: The hunger to win and a competitive spirit are essential for success in a competitive sport and a career that has ups and downs. Mental toughness is the foundation for this and unfortunately, it is one of those things that cannot be coached or taught. However, it can be developed over time. Sofia said it best: “I worked on mental toughness. I’m a fighter and I’m never going to give up. Mental toughness was a huge key and a part of my success…No matter what the score is, I’m still going to be there fighting and doing my best…”
Structure: In addition to having a solid practice routine, she surrounded herself with a great team including her father and coach, Alex Kenin. Alex, a sagacious coach, introduced Sofia Kenin to the sport at a very early age and understood her style of play, mindset and vision. She credits her successes over time to him. In her words: “He knows what he’s talking about, he really knows it and he comes up with the right plans, the right strategies.” And it was following those strategies that allowed her to come up victorious in the 2020 Australian Open tournament. As a wise person once said: “You can’t achieve greatness by yourself – you need others around you.”
What are the rewards for all the hard work, chasing her dream, following the strategies laid out by her coach and working on her mindset? How about the following for starters:
- She is now the youngest Austrian Open champion since 2008 and the youngest American player to win at a major since 2002.
- $2.9 million prize money earned in that tournament alone – close to what she had earned in her entire career leading up to the tournament
- She will move up the rankings from No. 14 to No. 7 in the world and the new American No. 1
- Bragging rights for defying the odds!
What about you – how are you setting yourself up to defy the odds of achieving the goals you want to achieve this year/decade? Perhaps it is time to put yourself in the best position to make your dreams come true. Let’s talk: info@thecommissioninternational.com.
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