From loss to growth, tennis teaches resilience

Sports history is written by winners. No matter how hard they fight, losers often fade from memory. Yet in tennis, the runner-up remains on court after the trophy ceremony. Then, in front of the champion and the crowd, the runner-up takes the microphone first. That is rare in other sports.

It comes just moments after losing the trophy they desperately wanted, yet players still talk about how well the champion played and what they themselves lacked. Many deliver speeches filled with congratulations and self-reflection, often through tears. Novak Djokovic, 38, of Serbia, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, said, “It has to be done when the blood is still boiling. You must recognize and respect your opponent, but it is not always easy to hold back emotions and say the right things.”

Aryna Sabalenka, 27, of Belarus, the world’s top-ranked woman, broke with tradition after finishing runner-up at the Australian Open and the French Open. She opened her remarks not with congratulations but with self-criticism. “I played a horrible match. Honestly, it is very hard. I cannot face my coaches,” she said. Fans criticized her for failing to acknowledge the winner, and Sabalenka later apologized, saying, “I could not control my emotions. This will not happen again.”

Maria Sharapova, 38, of Russia, now retired, who completed the career Grand Slam, recently said, “The runner-up speech is the hardest moment. But character shows in the toughest times. In that sense, a runner-up speech helps prepare for future victories.”

Sharapova reached the Grand Slam podium 10 times, with five victory speeches. Her first came at Wimbledon in 2004, where Serena Williams, 44, of the United States, now retired, spoke first as the defeated finalist. Her last major speech was at the 2015 Australian Open, after losing to Williams. “It is always exciting to face Serena, the best,” Sharapova said. “Today I fell short, but I am proud of the work I have put in. I have had my greatest wins and toughest defeats at Rod Laver Arena. That is the fate of a tennis player.”

Sharapova was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame last month. The person who took the stage before her was none other than her longtime rival, Williams. Sharapova trails 2-22 against Williams. The player who inflicted some of her deepest wounds introduced her Hall of Fame induction, at Sharapova’s invitation. “Serena shaped my identity,” she said. “She always brought out the best in me, and for that I will be forever grateful.”

No one welcomes defeat. Yet facing it head-on and moving past it is the quickest path to renewal. After the turmoil of her “self-reproach speech,” Sabalenka captured the title at the season’s final major, the U.S. Open. In her champion’s speech, she turned to runner-up Amanda Anisimova, 24, of the United States, and said, “I know better than anyone how painful it is to lose a Grand Slam final. But it is worth it. I promise.”