[Image from Wikimedia Commons. Ref: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Federer_WM16_(37)_(28136155830).jpg]
Roger Federer born 8 August 1981, is a Swiss former professional tennis player. He was ranked World No. 1 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 310 weeks.
Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Federer
Dartmouth College is a private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. The professors and graduates there are among the movers & shakers of the Science, Engineering and Technology fields for the past century.
Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmouth_College
The field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) was formalised as a field of study from a Dartmouth conference.
Ref: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmouth_workshop
The following are an extract of Roger Federer’s address to Dartmouth class of 2024.
Tennis Lessons (Adapted from Roger Federer’s commencement speech):

[MidJourney Archive. Generated by user chiru0978. Ref: https://www.midjourney.com/]
(Lesson 1) Effortless is a myth.
The truth is I had to work very hard to make it look easy.
In tennis, everyone can play well the first two hours, when you are fit, fast and clear. But after two hours, when your legs get wobbly, your mind starts to wander and your discipline starts to fade, that is when the real test of mastery happens.
To amplify the game and expand your options, learn from and surpass the strengths of others.
Beat the baseliners from the baseline. These are the victories you can be most proud of, because they prove that you can win not just when you’re at your best, but especially when you aren’t.
Pure talent is not enough, to be the best you have to outwork your opponents. It is not about having a gift, it’s about having grit.
In tennis and in life, talents are not just having the right aptitude for studying or mastering different techniques. Talents are also having:
- Discipline
- Patience
- Trusting yourself
- Embracing and loving the process
- Managing your life and yourself
Some people are born with them. But everybody have to work on them.
Work hard when no one is watching. So that effortless can be your achievement.

[MidJourney Archive. Generated by user midjourney_vn03_57097. Ref: https://www.midjourney.com/]
(Lesson 2) It is only a point.
Losing in a competitive landscape is part of life, especially if there are limits for winning.
In tennis as in life, perfection is impossible. Even top ranked tennis players win barely half the points that they play.
At the end of the day, fails and wins are just a point.
When you are playing a point, it has to be the most important thing there is.
But when it is behind you, it is behind you.
This mindset is really crucial, because it frees you to fully commit to the next point and the next point after that, with intensity, clarity and focus.
The truth is whatever game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose a point, a match, a season, a job.
Life can be a rollercoaster with many ups and downs, it is natural when you’re down to doubt yourself. But understand that negative energy is wasted energy.
To be a champion, you need to be a master at overcoming hard moments. In hard times, move on, be relentless, adapt and grow. Work hard and remember to work smarter.

[MidJourney Archive. Generated by user .tamerlive. Ref: https://www.midjourney.com/]
(Lesson 3) Life is bigger than the court, bigger than your studies, bigger than your jobs.
It is important to have a rewarding life as you define it, never forget your family and your roots.
Find a mission / a hard challenge outside your academic and professional boundaries. Dare to do something close to your heart, challenge your comfort zones.
Be aware of what is happening outside your boundaries and help others.
Philanthropy can mean a lot of things. It can mean starting a non-profit or donating money, but it can also mean contributing your ideas, your time, your energy to a mission that is larger than yourself.
At the age of 22, I started a foundation to empower children through education in Sub-Saharan Africa, which has since helped 3 million children get access to education and trained 55,000 teachers. I started the foundation before I was ready, but sometimes you have to take a chance and figure it out.
All of you have so much to give, and I hope you will find your own unique ways to make a difference, because life really is much bigger than the court.

[MidJourney Archive. Generated by user erainay6. Ref: https://www.midjourney.com/]
A quote from Dartmouth’s legendary football coach, Buddy Teevens (when he recruits players by telling their parents):
“Your son will be a great football player when it’s football time, and a great student when it’s academic time, and a great person all the time.”