The moment Maria Sharapova stepped onto the court, coach Gabe Jaramillo knew she was destined for greatness. At just nine years old, Sharapova exhibited rare qualities that set her apart from her peers, according to Jaramillo, a renowned tennis coach and motivational speaker.
“Gabe, what am I supposed to accomplish today? What am I here for today? What am I working on?” Sharapova asked with excitement when they first met. Jaramillo fondly recalls these moments, highlighting her incredible focus on achieving monumental goals.
At 13, Sharapova competed in the Orange Bowl, one of the world's premier junior tournaments, against the French prodigy Marion Bartoli. Despite losing, Jaramillo identified a key area for improvement: her serve. However, Sharapova's determination was unwavering. Instead of fixating on Bartoli, her young mind was solely focused on Serena Williams, the world No. 1 player at the time.
“She'd played that match in her mind for at least five years. Every time she trained, in her mind she was playing against Serena Williams,” Jaramillo shared. This intense mental preparation paid off when an 18-year-old Sharapova defeated Serena at Wimbledon.
Jaramillo's impressive career includes coaching 11 world champions and 27 Top 10 tennis players, such as Jim Courier, Andre Agassi, and Kei Nishikori. A recurring trait among these champions is tenacity, resilience, and an unyielding drive.
In his latest book, How to Make Champions, Jaramillo emphasizes the pivotal role of attitude in an athlete's success. “Attitude is like gasoline. A person can have the best vehicle in the world, but without gasoline, failure is inevitable,” he explains. Elite athletes swiftly move past losses, redirecting their focus to the next challenge.
Jaramillo distinguishes between talent and potential in athlete development. While talent involves recognizable attributes like height, coordination, and physical strength, potential is more abstract. It encompasses the willingness to work hard, passion for the game, and the ability to overcome fear. “If they miss just one of those, they won't make it. They have to be able to do it, to be able to achieve,” he asserts.
In 2003, Jaramillo was invited by the Japan Tennis Association to select a promising young player for training in the U.S. He chose Kei Nishikori, who demonstrated bravery and resilience under pressure—key attributes of a true champion.
Jaramillo believes that the principles of training and building a professional athlete's mentality extend beyond sports. “If you think about all this stuff we have talked about, especially the mental part, the attitude, their brand – it will help a child, it will help a businessman, it will help a lawyer, it will help anybody,” he concludes.
Reference(s):
How to make a tennis champion, according to Sharapova's former coach
cgtn.com
