Coria realizes the good days are gone
BUENOS AIRES -- For elite athletes, there is no situation more challenging and dreaded than the moment of retirement. Just the thought of having to say goodbye raises the most irrational of fears.
There are several ways of reaching such a decision: Injury and its consequences is one of them, but sometimes we simply perceive that there are no more goals to be accomplished. When results fail to meet expectations, working so doggedly is pointless.
Guillermo Coria gradually felt cornered in the past few years. The official retirement announcement was a forgone conclusion because the real Coria was finished a long time ago. Though still physically on a court at times, the last seasons were nothing but torture.
I don't think Coria lost his passion for the game. I don't even think he felt tired of the daily training. I believe he realized that no matter how hard he tried, he would never be able to fulfill the dreams that made him become a tennis player.
There is something that clearly distinguishes those who make an easy transition into the post-sports life from those who do not. Athletes who quickly realize they will be better off doing something else adjust more easily than those who try, once and again, to turn back the clock and enjoy one more game or one more season.
I've seen my colleagues struggle with this life-altering experience. I, too, was faced with this conundrum. It often takes a couple years to make the decision to retire. It's a slow and sometimes painful process, during which one needs to come to terms with the idea of starting a new life.
It takes time to understand that retirement is the best choice and to accept that tennis is no longer what motivates us to work harder. However, as the moment of goodbye gets closer, doubts are raised and we tend to become melancholic. Forget for a minute that we are tennis players. Whatever you do with your life, it is never easy to quit an activity that has been center to our efforts for most of our lifetime.
Many athletes feel their life has no meaning once they close that door. They miss the adrenaline rush of first-class competition and cannot live without having a huge legion of followers.
As a former player, I empathize with Coria and agree with his decision. I fully understand how frustrating it must have been for him to train so hard but fail in his endeavor to get back into the elite circle.
It becomes increasingly tougher to train at 100 percent and then watch your performance drop miserably. There's not a more embarrassing feeling than failing in front of our rivals and the public.
Coria lost his magic long ago. His quest to regain it was fruitless and brought him even more pain. There was nothing left for him except to say goodbye and preserve the good memories of the past.
Paola Suarez, an eight-time Grand Slam doubles champion, is a tennis columnist for ESPNdeportes.com.
