The question
As a child, what career or life did you imagine for yourself?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
This is a standing question in The Guardian's decades-long The Q&A and also recurs independently in career and life interviews.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
United States professional tennis player, 1995–2022
A veterinarian.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 30 January 2021 source ↗
I only ever wanted to be an actor or a rock star. I was suspended from school in the sixth form and allowed back only when I promised to join the army. But I lied.
A pearl diver in Japan.
A ballerina. I remain rather disappointed that I became a rock star instead.
A ballet dancer, and for a while I wanted to teach children with Down’s syndrome.
I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don't think it's fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn't be writing this because I'd be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family.
My mom and dad. They always encouraged me to keep spiritual things first.
Taking time every day to read the Bible.
I love to entertain. I'm not sure every player sees it that way, but I love the performance aspect of it—to be able to entertain people week after week. Some of the happiest times in my life were spent waiting in that hallway in Melbourne, and walking out into Rod Laver Arena with my earphones in and trying to stay focused and drown out the noise but still feeling the energy of the crowd.
But these days, if I have to choose between building my tennis résumé and building my family, I choose the latter.
I don’t think about my greatest fear.
Chris Hoy, Mo Farah, Kevin Pietersen, Gareth Bale, Yogi Berra, Johanna Konta
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