Commencement Address by Roger Federer

roger federer

At Dartmouth College, the retired tennis champion offered his thoughts on winning and losing.

"In the 1,526 singles matches I played in my career, I won almost 80 percent of those matches," Federer said. "Now, I have a question for all of you. What percentage of the points do you think I won in those matches?"

The answer was 54 percent.

"In other words," he said, "even top-ranked tennis players win barely more than half of the points they play. When you lose every second point on average, you learn not to dwell on every shot."

He went on, "The truth is, whatever game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose. A point, a match, a season, a job….The best in the world are not the best because they win every point. It's because they know they'll lose again and again, and have learned how to deal with it."

AIR QUALITY POLICY

In the event that the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria forecasts Melbourne's air quality as "very poor" or "extremely poor" for a day when MEMRLTA matches are scheduled to be played, the MEMRLTA Committee will cancel all matches for that day.

air quality policy for tennis matches

MEMRLTA will notify Club Contacts who will be responsible for notifying each of their teams. A notice will also be placed on the MEMRLTA website.

EPA's air quality categories and associated general health advice

(As per EPA Victoria's air quality categories on EPA AirWatch webpage, April 2022)

Good

No change needed to your normal outdoor activities.

Fair

The air quality is okay, but it could change soon.

For the general community:

No change needed to your normal outdoor activities.

For groups sensitive to air pollution:

Reduce outdoor physical activity if you develop symptoms like cough or shortness of breath.
Consider closing windows and doors until outdoor air quality is better.
Follow the treatment plan recommended by your doctor.

Poor

The air is probably dusty or smoky.

For the general community:

Reduce outdoor physical activity if you develop symptoms like cough or shortness of breath.

For groups sensitive to air pollution:

Avoid outdoor physical activity if you develop symptoms like cough or shortness of breath.
When indoors, close windows and doors until outdoor air quality is better.
Follow the treatment plan recommended by your doctor.

Very Poor

The air is probably dusty or smoky.

For the general community:

Avoid outdoor physical activity if you develop symptoms like cough or shortness of breath.
When indoors, close windows and doors until outdoor air quality is better.

For groups sensitive to air pollution:

Stay indoors as much as possible with windows and doors closed until outdoor air quality is better.
If you feel that the air in your home is uncomfortable, consider going to a place with cleaner air (such as an air-conditioned building like a library or shopping centre) if it is safe to do so.
Actively monitor symptoms and follow any treatment plan recommended by your doctor.

Extremely Poor

The air is probably extremely dusty or smoky.

For the general community:

Stay indoors as much as possible with windows and doors closed until outdoor air quality is better.
If you feel that the air in your home is uncomfortable, consider going to a place with cleaner air (such as an air-conditioned building like a library or shopping centre) if it is safe to do so.

For groups sensitive to air pollution:

Stay indoors with windows and doors closed until outdoor air quality is better and reduce indoor activity.
If you feel that the air in your home is uncomfortable, consider going to a place with cleaner air (such as an air-conditioned building like a library or shopping centre) if it is safe to do so.
Actively monitor symptoms and follow the treatment plan recommended by your doctor.

Links for More Details and Air Quality Forecasts

EPA's current air quality at Melbourne CBD. You can also search for specific suburbs.

General information about EPA's AirWatch