dedication

“I can tell you one thing, Nadal doesn’t burn the candle at two ends.”

Nick Bollettieri, celebrated tennis coach, is convinced that a big reason for Rafael Nadal’s and Roger Federer’s continued success is dedication to the craft and very little off-court activities or late-night partying.

What he really meant:

“Nadal has a schedule and sticks to it. No half-measures in practice either.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I can tell you a million and one things, but do you want to hear them all?”

“When in school I found that scoring runs was easier for me than scoring marks.”

Sachin Tendulkar was not a good student but his dedication to cricket met the approval of his parents who told him to focus solely on the game.

What he really meant:

“Cricket was my first love—before academics.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I didn’t have to work hard at the game.”