Half Measures

In the late 1970's and early 80's, Bjorn Borg was far and away the most dominant male tennis player in the world. He won five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles and six French Open titles and was the first player ever to win two Grand Slam tournaments without dropping a set.

Then, in 1981, at the age of 25, because he had been playing for a "long time," he decided to take a short break from tennis. After the break he returned but intended to play fewer tournaments. His reduced schedule meant he didn't automatically qualify for tournaments and had to play in the qualifying rounds. After qualifying for Monte Carlo in 1982, he lost in the quarterfinals to Yannick Noah. It was the only tournament he played that year. In January 1983, he announced his retirement.

Borg's tennis career is like anything else--it's hard to dabble and be successful. None of the executives I work for dabble with their careers, and I certainly wouldn't get my teeth worked on by someone who dabbles in dentistry. Success requires focus and commitment.

Since the start of the season, I have been dabbling in road racing. I am unwilling to commit nearly every weekend to racing and frankly haven't missed it. The few events I have done have been a mixed bag--I've had some races where I felt good and some other races where I really didn't. Saturday was one of those races where I felt decidedly not good. When I'm racing every weekend, it's easy to shrug off and say I'll be back next week. When I'm racing a lot less, it just makes me question whether there is a point.

I had a good run in 2010 and had some great results. That season will always be a point of pride for me. It also required a commitment on every level that I simply can't again afford to make.

In 1991, Bjorn Borg attempted to return to tennis. He failed to win a single match.