Gentle, humble, and mild-mannered, Rod Laver, arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, possessed it and used it to become the only player to win the tennis Grand Slam twice.
In his recently updated and republished memoir, The Education of a Tennis Player, Laver discusses the killer instinct (an excerpt follows).
By Rod Laver:
“When I was a young boy just starting to play well—better than average—I experienced the thrill of playing in front of an audience.
It was a wonderful feeling to be admired for my shots, and I wasn’t in any hurry to leave the court.
As a result, I let too many opponents hang around.
I discovered that you have to play with the intention of making it a short journey—do the job quickly and thoroughly.
I don’t mean hastily.
Far from it.
But when you get the chance to strike, you realize that no lead is as big as it seems.
If your opponent is down 1–4, it feels pretty good: a three-game lead.
But it’s just one service break, and if you don’t maintain the pressure, you’ll find yourself in trouble.
It’s certainly not the time to experiment with new shots.
I’ve heard it said that you’re either born with the killer instinct or you’re not.
I don’t agree with that.
I feel I had to develop this killer vision, which for me means making the shot required to win the point.
Don’t make life harder for yourself when you have an easy shot, and your opponent is out of position.
Good opportunities are rare, and the killer definitely seizes them when they arise.
The killer doesn’t let go.
This can be learned.
You must be certain about easy shots—focus even harder on those.
Everyone struggles with difficult shots, but the killer achieves their goal because they are meticulous.
Don’t congratulate yourself when you’re ahead.
Focus on staying in it.
When my coach, Charlie Hollis, decided I wasn’t ruthless enough, he trained me with the goal of winning every match 6–0, 6–0.
It might seem strange to you, but Charlie’s idea was good and accurate: push forward and don’t let anyone feel comfortable.”
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