Essay I

Show us an activity you enjoy doing. Tell us how you think it contributes to your personal and professional development.

Renata de CarvalhoInternational MBA ApplicantSeptember 2016 Intake

PLAYING TENNIS

Ever since I was a child my favorite sport has been tennis. I didn’t have the chance (and maybe nor the talent!) to become a professional player, but I still play with friends as a hobby and whenever possible try to match my vacations with Grand Slam dates so I can see the big players live.

I remember watching the matches with my parents and they teaching me the rules of the game, and from this moment on the passion for the sport began.

Why Tennis?

HOW DID TENNIS CONTRIBUTE TO MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE

TENNIS HELPED ME TO DEVELOP SKILLS SUCH AS DISCIPLINE, STRENGTH AND STRATEGIC THINKING

In any sport there is a lot of discipline, dedication and hard work involved.

I try to practice at least once a week since I learned that it takes time and patience to master the shots.

We must stay focused and work hard to get out of the comfort zone and to achieve our goals. This is true for both sports and professional life.

The higher the goal, the harder the work!

DISCIPLINE

“There is no way around the hard work. Embrace it. ” Roger Federer

Tennis includes both physical and mental strength.

Practicing helps me to stay healthy and to gain endurance while playing, allowing me to overcome my limits and improve my performance.

An athlete must be focused at all times in order to perform at a high level and must be mentally strong to deal with losses and competitiviness.

In our professional lives we also deal with losses and we must learn how to “improve our game” and face the next challenge.

STRENGTH

“If anything, you know, I think losing makes me even more

motivated. ” Serena Williams

In a match we can face unexpected factors such as a strong sun in the court or a change in the opponents game play.

In these situations strategic thinking is fundamental. I have to improvise a new game strategy, focusing on my best shots and on my opponent’s weaknesses; quickly decide what is the best shot in a point and so on.

Tennis helped me to develop the strategic thinking skill since playing in adverse conditions forces me to work quickly and efficiently in order to reverse an unfavorable score or to hold tight until the end of the match.

STRATEGIC THINKING

“The only way of finding a solution is to fight back, to move, to run, and to control that pressure. ”

Rafael Nadal

BESIDES THE SKILLS, TENNIS ALSO OFFERS ME SOME OTHER BENEFITS!

Tennis is both healthy and fun. It allows me to have quality time with my friends and to relieve all the stress from work and routine.

Besides making new friends, I also had the chance to meet great players who I admire so much! Yup, those are top ten players Andy Murray and David Ferrer!

Being near the people I care and admire

Every year when I’m watching the tournaments on TV I think that one of the best things about being a professional tennis player is the possibility to travel the world and live with players from many different countries. It sure is an amazing cultural experience.

I tried to have a similar experience but through a fan’s point of view. In this way, whenever possible I try to watch the games on court!

Not only I get a chance to see my favorite players live but also I have the pleasure to know different cities and also fans from other nationalities.

Discovering new places

Roland Garros, Paris

US Open, New York

Madrid OpenInternazionali BNL, Rome

Thank you! Hope to see you soon in Madrid!