D'Arcy Waldegrave: The dark side of the thing that drives superstar athletes

Ego is a dog of an affliction.   

But required at the highest level of sport – unless of course you’re Kane Williamson, who had an ego-ectamy as a kid.   

The inner voice that drives superstar athletes to the altitude that asphyxiates mere mortals has a dark side.   

When is enough, enough?   

Case in point, the phenomenal career of one of tennis’ trip of GOATs, Novak Djokovic, and the shuffle away from City Kick Boxing by potential UFC hall of Famer Israel Adesanya.  

Novak got rolled this morning by one of the new generation of men's players who is scrambling around in the foothills of his grand slam ascent, Jannik Sinner. No surprise of course that he would dispose of Novak with relative ease in the semifinals at Wimbledon.   

Novak is still a superb player, but in his fixture with Father Time, the tyranny of age is moving him toward game, set, and match. Tantalisingly close to securing a record that will most likely never be touched, a quarter of a century of Grand Slam titles, Novak’s ego is in the driver’s seat, refusing to let him bow out with dignity, egging him on slam after slam, in hope of snaring his 25th title. His best chance has come and gone, when Sinner and Alcaraz didn't feature in the French Open. The gate was open, but was shut in his face by Fonseca. Ouch.  

Israel is on a similar course. The once darling of the most ferocious sport the world has known, has a career whose moon is waning, and as much as he can’t or won’t admit it, Father Time has a rear naked choke hold on him and is unlikely to let go. The Style Bender has walked from the gym that propelled him to superstardom (or did he propel the gym into orbit?) in what can only be seen as a last-ditch attempt to launch him back into title contention again.  

Self-belief, id, ego, whatever you call it, is an essential arrow in the quiver of the sporting colossus, one that is tempting to nock again, but is best left unshot in the fading light of the setting sun in an athlete's career.   

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from News talk edb.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Ego, absolute dog and affliction. But it's required at the
highest level of sport, unless, of course, he came Williamson,
who had an ego ectomy as a kid. If there's
such a word that the inner voice that drives superstar
athletes to the altitude that asphyxiates me and mortals does
have a dark side, when is enough enough? Case in point,

(00:34):
the phenomenal career of one of tennis's trip of goats
Novak Djokovic and the shuffle away from City kickboxing by
potential UFC Hall of Famer Israeli Dussn. Novak got rolled
this morning by one of the new generation of men's
players who is scramming around the foothills of his Grand
Slam ascent you Onick Center. No surprise, of course, that
he would dispose of Novak with relative ease and semi

(00:57):
finals at Wimbledon. Novak is still a superb player that
in his fixed to a father time the tyranny of
ages move him toward game, set and match. He's dangelizingly
close to securing a record that will most likely never
be touched a quarter of a century of Grand Slam titles.
Novak's ego, though, is in the driver's seat, refusing to

(01:19):
let him bow outward dignity, egging him on slam after
slam after slam in hope of snarious twenty fifth title
look his best chances coming go on to that right
when Senate and Alcraf didn't feature in the French Open
the gate was open, but it was shut in Novak's
face by font Seka Ouch Israel's On a similar course,

(01:39):
the once darling of the most ferocious sport the world
has known his career, whose moon is waning, and as
much as he can't or won't admit it, father Time
has a rare naked choke on him and is unlikely
to let go. The style Bender has walked from the
gym that propelled him to superstardom. Or did he propel

(02:00):
the gym to sap orbit. I don't know, and it
can only be seen as a last ditch attempt, this
move to launching back into title contention again. Don't think
it's going to happen. Worship would for both of these guys,
but honestly, don't think it's going to happen, self belief,
id ego, whatever you call it. It's an essential arrow

(02:21):
in the quiver of the sporting colossus, one that is
tempting to knock again, but is best left unshot in
the fading light of the setting sun. In an athlete's
career that'll do.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
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