Last Saturday morning, I sat in a quiet hotel room, glued to the TV as Amanda Anisimova competed in the Wimbledon finals. It was a remarkable moment—not just because of the level of play, but because of the journey it took to get there.
Just two years ago, on May 5, 2023, Amanda made headlines for a very different reason. She announced she was stepping away from professional tennis to prioritize her mental health. In a heartfelt post, she wrote:
“I’ve really been struggling with my mental health and burnout… it’s become unbearable… At this point my priority is my mental well-being… I’ve worked as hard as I could to push through it. I will miss being out there, and I appreciate all the continuous support.”
It wasn’t a retirement—it was a reset.
According to Rodney Harmon, former Wimbledon third-rounder and current Georgia Tech women’s head tennis coach, Amanda’s story is more common than most realize:
“From a young age, tennis prodigies like Amanda are so successful that expectations—for greatness from family, coaches, agents, and media—can become overwhelming. Their identity gets tied to wins and rankings. Tennis is an individual and international sport—it can be a lonely existence. Amanda stepped off the merry-go-round, found balance, and came back stronger.”
That line hit me: “A lonely existence.”
Because sometimes, life and business can feel lonely too:
- You lose a client or a deal you worked months to land.
- You hit a wall in your leadership or creativity.
- You suffer a professional setback and carry it like a scarlet letter.
And when that happens, like Amanda, we often feel the sting personally—as if the loss defines us.
USPTA (United States Professional Tennis Association) past president Chuck Gill recently told me this:
“Even in defeat, we can be composed, gracious, and grateful—for our team, our coaches, and those who cheer us on. Whether it’s tennis, business, or life, we must rest, reflect, and find joy in the journey—even in the losses.”
That’s the lesson I saw in Amanda’s story:
✅ It’s okay to pause.
She didn’t push through the pain. She chose to heal. That takes strength.
✅ You’re not your job—or your performance.
Amanda was one of 128 players in the world to step onto Wimbledon’s greatest stage. That didn’t happen by accident. She earned it by playing match after match, loss after loss, win after win.
✅ Your losses don’t erase your wins.
They sharpen them. To reach the top in anything—tennis, business, leadership—you’ll pick up some scars along the way.
So what does this mean for those of us not competing on Centre Court at Wimbledon?
It means this:
🎾 Play the game.
📉 Don’t let your losses define you.
🧭 Prioritize what matters most.
💬 Talk to someone when the pressure builds.
🧘♂️ Rest when you need to rest.
🙌 Come back stronger.
Like Amanda.
