“C’mon!” – the saying made famous by former would number one tennis player Lleyton Hewitt. Love him or hate him, he’s Australia’s most successful tennis player this century.
World number one at the tender age of 20, he was a US Open and Wimbledon champion by the end of 2002, his fifth year as a professional.
He married Belgian sweetheart Kim Clijsters, then dumped her for our own Home and Away beauty Bec Cartwright.
Whether you agree with that call or any other Lleyton has made over his career (Andrew McLeod probably doesn’t agree with much he says or does), now people are calling for Lleyton to hang up the racquet.
This isn’t a Lleyton Hewitt profile (thank god I know), but more of an opinion on what sportsmen and sportswomen should consider when the topic of retirement raises its ugly head, and how important it is to get this decision right.
What will you be remembered for? If the answer is hobbling around the field or bowling pies, then it’s perhaps time to go.
Unless you feel you can continue at a reasonable standard, don’t bother.
If you are going to do the above, is it possible to ‘hide’ in the country or a senior circuit of your chosen sport? Nothing worse than fading away in the spotlight.
Are you taking up the spot or delaying the inevitable of a youngster? If you feel they could do a better job, then do the team thing and step down.
Finally, have you given it your all? Is it not just a run of bad form? Countless examples (see below) in the past of those who have returned to their best late in their careers.
If then you think about these things after you have made the call to retire and wish to make a return, think again. Your moment has most likely passed. Move on.
Spend time with your mates and family, go into the media, start up a business, whatever you do don’t return just to fix your pride!
It’s a fine line between pleasure and pain (a quote I have used in previous articles and will use again).
It must be mentioned that money, friends and family time and enjoyment are of course huge factors.
Those in a sport paying millions of dollars should hang around as long as possible for obvious reasons, and those in a sport that has them traveling for nine months a year should assess that too.
But I want to discuss issues without the personal factors (although they are important) and from the opinion of the public (selfish I know). These things should be considered above anything else however.
Here therefore are some interesting retirement and comeback calls:
Casey Stoner
Currently 27 years old. Most are hitting their prime or even just getting comfortable by then.
The two-time world champion (2007,2011) has 37 wins from 111 starts in the MotoGP and well on his way to match the feats of legends like Valentino Rossi and our own Mick Doohan.
Was well on his way. Casey retired last year. Yes that’s right he retired.
Perhaps he got scared of crashing off his bike and not being able to enjoy his earnings or maybe he wanted to spend more time with his family, but surely there’s a few more years and records to break yet before you call it quits Casey?
Mike Tyson
Iron Mike. The youngest ever heavyweight champion of the world (read in announcers voice) at 20 years of age.
58 fights for 50 wins, 44 of them by knockout.
But what will you remember him for? 37 fights unbeaten as a professional up until 1989? I doubt it.
His ear biting clash with Evander Holyfield in 1996? Possibly.
His comeback fight against Lennox Lewis in 2002? Even more likely.
Tyson lost three of his last four fights. Money was no doubt an issue for him after apparently blowing over $300 million on god knows what during his career (could actually take a very accurate guess but anyway), but unfortunately Mike you won’t be thought of how you should be.
Muhammad Ali
Oh how this hurts. The greatest of all time. The one I have on my bedroom wall telling me you fought like a butterfly and sting like a bee.
Why couldn’t you have done this for the right amount of time?
Cassius Clay, the one who seemed so wise, most likely shortened his life because his pride got the better of him.
World heavyweight champion at 22, he also lost three of his last four fights. His last one against Trevor Berbick, dubbed ‘Drama in the Bahamas’ was at the age of 39.
The irony of his most famous interview being with Michael Parkinson is not lost, but in reality there is no one else to blame but yourself, Muhammad.
Bjorn Borg
No, not a typo. Bjorn Borg is a tennis legend. Swedish born Borg retired after 11 Grand Slams at 26.
26 years old and already the first player to earn $1 million in a season, he decided that was it.
He did however regret this decision perhaps, as he tried a comeback years later, wooden racket and all.
‘Mamma Mia, here we go again’, as your Swedish music friends might say Bjorg? But go again he did not, not winning from 11 matches.
So Lleyton, it is a huge call for you to make. Get it wrong and you may never forgive yourself.
Spend as much time on this as you have on that perfect backhand.
Money can’t be an issue surely after more then a decade on the pro circuit, and after another first round knockout in front of the Aussie faithful at the Australian Open, I think it’s fair to say the Grand Slam winning days are over.
However not everyone gets to do what they want for a living, and after all your injury set backs whose to say you can’t win a few more titles.
Just don’t go too long otherwise we’ll all be saying “C’mon” in a different tone.
PS – Did anyone catch Meatloaf at the 2011 AFL Grand Final?
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