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February 23, 2026
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“Athletes don’t lose themselves because it’s hard. They lose themselves because it becomes a status game. Puberty hits, the purity slips — and suddenly sport isn’t just play anymore, it’s a way to prove you belong.” - A. Petković
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After the joy comes expectation.
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When you’re young, hopefully sport is just a passion. Phase one is easy. You’re young. Everything is new. Nobody expects anything.
Phase two? Now you’re supposed to win.
Andrea Petković described her career in phases: the sparkle, the pressure, the freedom — and finally the awareness that it’s all about to end.
As the saying goes: as an athlete you die twice. Once it’s your identity as an athlete. The second — well, that’s the same for all of us.
We talked about masks — the persona you build on court. About why some athletes change while they’re winning… and most of us only change once we start losing.
We talked about injury, identity, and why being “smart” can sometimes get in your own way in elite sport. And how she had another world waiting. Books. Writing. Ideas. Not a backup plan — but a parallel life.
Does that make you softer? Or stronger?
This conversation isn’t really about tennis. It’s about who you are when the spotlight is on — and who you are when it’s gone.
Jan.
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