Kevin Anderson: "I gladly made all these sacrifices"
Kevin Anderson ended his career as a professional tennis player a few days ago. In a detailed interview with the ATP, the South African looks back on his successful career. And reflects the end of this.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit:
May 07, 2022, 11:07 pm
"I thought it might have been that," Kevin Anderson told ATP looking back on his second-round defeat at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Miami. "But when I left the pitch halfway, I thought, 'You know what, I may or may not play another match,'" said the South African. It was to be the last match of Anderson's professional career.
For the last 28, 29 years of his life, the man from Johannesburg devoted himself to exactly one thing: tennis. "I really feel like I've lived my life that way," Anderson says today. Everything was designed to be successful. "I'm just proud of what I've achieved," said the South African. During his career, the 35-year-old has climbed to fifth place in the world rankings and has reached two Grand Slam finals.
Anderson questions his own drive
Recently, Anderson, repeatedly plagued by injuries, asked himself what it was that allowed him to continue. The logical answer: "It's my job, I'm a tennis player. I've been doing it since I was five or six years old," says Anderson. However, this answer was no longer sufficiently satisfactory for the South African at this stage in his career. Something has changed, as the 35-year-old explained.
"I think one of my strongest qualities was to keep my head up and keep fighting. I think it was hard for me to step back and admit that maybe I had some of the passion and motivation to keep playing," said the South African. "I was still passionate and motivated, it's just different." Which is why the 35-year-old decided to draw a line under his time as an active player.
Anderson was particularly distinguished by the attitude
What made him a player? Especially his attitude. "Giving up or not being up to a challenge was never an acceptable thought for me," Anderson explained. "No matter how difficult the situation was, I always found a solution and came back stronger." This also applies to the many injury breaks that the South African has had to take over the years.
"I never felt like I wanted to step down when I was injured or anything," Anderson told ATP. "Throughout my career, I've happily made any sacrifices I've had to make because I've had the motivation to keep trying and keep getting better." According to Anderson, this is also necessary in order to be able to keep up with the best players in the world in the long term, you have to "live and breathe tennis at all times."
In the last few weeks, however, the South African has been able to get to know the alternative. Part of the reason for the decision to end his career. "You're so busy that you kind of forget that there is life outside of tennis. I've experienced that in the last four weeks and I'm really excited to see what the future will bring."