US Open champions don't win because they feel ready. They win because they've learned what to do when they don't.
Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka talk about what happens inside a Grand Slam champion's head at the US Open, and why the calm you see on court is the last thing they're feeling.
They cover why Aryna Sabalenka refuses to watch the finals she lost, what Naomi Osaka was really going through when she walked away from the French Open, the two weeks Novak Djokovic spent on crutches before reaching a Wimbledon final, the definition of success that has nothing to do with trophies, why the pressure gets louder the closer you get to your dream, and the mind trick Djokovic uses when an entire stadium is cheering for the other guy.
Whether you're chasing something you've wanted for years, rebuilding after a loss, or trying to work out who you are outside the thing you're good at, this is the mental game behind US Open tennis that nobody teaches you.
What you'll learn in this episode:
What goes through a champion's mind before a Grand Slam final
Why Aryna Sabalenka never rewatches the matches she lost
How Naomi Osaka rebuilt her identity outside of tennis
Why fighting a nervous thought makes it stronger
What Novak Djokovic does with a crowd that's rooting against him
The definition of success that has nothing to do with winning
How to keep going when you love something and still don't want to show up
What losing a parent taught Aryna Sabalenka about pressure
Chapters:
0:00 — ARYNA SABALENKA · Winning the US Open twice in a row
0:50 — The two Grand Slam finals Aryna Sabalenka lost this season
1:35 — What losing a Grand Slam final actually feels like
2:29 — Why Aryna Sabalenka never rewatches a final she lost
4:16 — The conversation inside a tennis champion's head
5:32 — Why fighting a nervous thought makes it louder
7:47 — Losing Aryna Sabalenka's father, and what it cost her
9:31 — How Aryna Sabalenka grieved while still training
11:20 — Aryna Sabalenka's definition of success
14:01 — The year Aryna Sabalenka almost quit tennis
17:04 — NAOMI OSAKA · Speaking up about mental health
18:29 — The blueprint Naomi Osaka's dad built from Richard Williams
20:38 — Naomi Osaka's first US Open win against Serena Williams
22:48 — Reading the comments at 1am after the US Open final
23:26 — Who Naomi Osaka became after having her daughter
26:50 — Why Naomi Osaka stopped chasing her old self
29:00 — When press conferences stopped feeling human
30:15 — The rain sounds Naomi Osaka uses before Grand Slam matches
32:20 — Retiring Naomi Osaka's mom, and the goal that came next
35:00 — What Naomi Osaka was really going through at the French Open
39:24 — The courage to take a break and risk being forgotten
41:42 — NOVAK DJOKOVIC · The woman who shaped him
44:06 — Classical music, poetry and visualization at age 10
49:13 — Novak Djokovic on still not feeling like enough
51:01 — How long can a 38-year-old Novak Djokovic keep playing
54:43 — Winning Wimbledon and world No.1 in two days
58:14 — The 10 Deutsche marks that changed everything
1:01:32 — Novak Djokovic's father borrowing from criminals at 25% interest
1:04:13 — The 2019 Wimbledon final Novak Djokovic can't explain
1:06:03 — Novak Djokovic's daily practice: prayer, breathing, visualization
1:07:30 — What Novak Djokovic does in the hours after a loss
1:09:30 — The knee surgery three weeks before Wimbledon
1:14:41 — Why Novak Djokovic still needs an enemy to beat
1:17:21 — Turning "Roger, Roger" into "Novak, Novak"
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Watch the FULL episode on Netflix & Spotify 🎙️
Netflix - https://dub.sh/QaUsKeD
Spotify - https://dub.sh/axUXylv
WAtch the orignal Episode with the guests:
Novak Djokovic
https://youtu.be/QoAoefT3VJc?si=cvzH6lC1bnvpQpUb
Naomi Osaka
https://youtu.be/x12eQPfKHYI?si=anCNyVh3jVE44qTV
Aryna Sabalenka
https://youtu.be/BwqW18anADY?si=ftmGzV7D6VWUp4so
