Published: June 25, 2026 at 12:22 pm
Success is not an instant formula. There are years of grind, toil, struggle and disappointments before a sportsperson achieves success. As the world’s finest tennis stars prepare to battle for glory at Wimbledon 2026, the sport’s most prestigious Grand Slam once again takes centre-stage.
Speaking on JioStar in a special interaction in the lead-up to Wimbledon 2026, former Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna and Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson reflected on the importance of patience in achieving success, the greatest advice they have received from the legends of their respective sports, and Samson’s long-awaited crowning moment at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Rohan Bopanna shared his thoughts on his moment of glory, winning his maiden men’s doubles Grand Slam title after a long wait at the Australian Open 2024. “When it all came quickly, I thought, ‘Oh, next year everything else will change.’ Little did I know that it would take another 13 years for it to happen. But I’m glad I stuck around. I stayed with the grind and did all the right things. I think that’s what you need to do to remain relevant in the sport. That’s where I felt you and I are very similar, we’ve stayed relevant and competitive because there are always a lot of people trying to take your spot, chasing what you’ve achieved. I think that experience helped as well,” Bopanna said.
On the advice from his idol and two-time Wimbledon champion Stefan Edberg, the Indian ace said: “We are fortunate enough to have this kind of community where we can reach out to athletes and legends of the sport. I remember once, back in the day, meeting my role model, Stefan Edberg, who remains my role model even today. I happened to be chatting with him and he said, ‘When you’re playing the sport, never look at what your peers are doing. Do what works best for you. Don’t do something just because someone else is doing it. Look at your strengths, work on them, and build on them.’ Coming from someone I watched growing up, especially at Wimbledon, it was advice that I carried throughout my journey.”
A sportsman goes through more failures than success: Sanju
Sanju Samson recalled the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026-winning moment and how special it was personally for him. “It was definitely an emotional moment. Representing the country, I think all we want is to go out there, play in the World Cup and, more importantly, win a World Cup for the country. It was something that I had dreamed of for many years, and when it finally came true, it was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience. So, somewhere in my heart, I’m still going through it. But it was very special,” Samson said.
On dealing with his emotions and being true to himself during the tough phase, he said: “As a sportsman, more than success, you go through a lot of failures, especially as a batter in a format like T20 cricket. After a while, I found a formula to deal with those moments when things become difficult. I started accepting things. I started accepting exactly how I was feeling. A lot of people would say that you need to be positive, you need to be strong, and that’s how great champions are. But internally, I was thinking, ‘No, I don’t feel strong. I’m not feeling happy or positive. So, I just wanted to feel what I was actually feeling. Once I expressed how I was feeling, I started feeling better. That’s a formula I have discovered after so many years of acting strong and acting like a champion. I just want to be as real as possible. If I’m feeling bad, I allow myself to feel bad. Then you start working inwards. So, I am very grateful for how things have turned out eventually.”
On the advice from the legend Sachin Tendulkar, the Kerala star said: “The greatest message I received from a legend in India was from Sachin sir. When things were not going right, I asked him for advice, explaining that I was experiencing certain challenges and wasn’t doing well. He said, ‘Sanju, I think I have been a part of this game for a very long time. I have had my own career and seen a lot of things. But one thing I can assure you is that if you dedicate yourself 100 per cent to the game, and if you respect and love the game to the fullest, the game will definitely give back to you at some point.’ After the T20 World Cup, I messaged him and said, ‘Sir, I think that has come through.'”
